Broadcom Unveils Chipsets For Bluetooth Headsets

Broadcom on Monday unveiled two Bluetooth chipsets and software that the company says can improve the sound and reduce the size of wireless headsets, while consuming less battery power.

The BCM2047 and BCM2044 chips can better resist interference from other devices, and blocking by the human body that results in degraded radio performance, the company said. The 2047 chipset is built for high-end headsets, while the latter model is best suited for headsets that don't require extensive feature programmability.

The BCM2047 includes an ARM AudioDE data engine, which is a high-performance digital signal processor optimized for Broadcom's new SmartAudio software. The BCM2044 delivers the same range and power management capabilities for low-cost headsets.

SmartAudio is a sound and voice enhancement technology that improves audio quality in noisy environments by reducing background noise by 95%, Broadcom said. The chipsets and audio software aren't generally available yet, but are being rolled out to early access customers.

Bluetooth is a wireless specification used in headsets for mobile phones and other devices. The technology also is used to exchange information between laptops, PCs, printers, digital cameras, and video game consoles.