The Chips & Modules Business Unit (CMBU) has been working on a number of new projects focusing on reference designs for new and existing chips. The combination of a silicon device, DSP firmware and a complete hardware reference design integrated with reference software is essential for the offering of a VoIP Processor solution.

AC494-SDK version 1.4 was released

The AC494-SDK (Software Development Kit) is a complementary package to the AC494 Family of SoC (System on Chip), allowing quick and simply designed feature-rich CPE products such as IP-Phones and ATA’s.

The AC494-SDK is included in the AC494 family reference design package made up of the AC494 HW reference module, DSP firmware, device drivers and SIP and management applications.

The AC494-SDK includes a complete demo application for the IP-Phone and ATA products integrated with legacy phone services such as caller ID, call waiting, and call forwarding, including VoIP key features such as SIP stack & call control, RTP/RTCP, three-way conferencing, T.38, wideband vocoding, VLAN and numerous other features.

The AC494-SDK is based on AudioCodes’ VoIPerfect core technology combined with Radvision’s Toolkit, benefiting from advanced voice technologies for an enhanced voice quality and user experience. The combination of integrated software and hardware reference allows vendors to effectively improve their time-to-market, while minimizing their development risk. The AC494 hardware and software reference designs are targeted at Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs), designers of Analog Telephony Adapters (ATAs) and Broadband Access devices (xDSL, cable, wireless, FTTH) seeking to add VoIP capabilities to their products while offering their own functionality and differentiation.

AC494 Software Development Platform

SMB VoIP Toolkit Featuring the AC496 SoC and the AC498 DSP

The SMB VoIP Toolkit is a combined hardware and software reference design for up to 16 channel VoIP gateway providing a complete, cost-effective, solution for various applications. Utilizing AudioCodes field-proven VoIPerfect™ software, the AC496 System on Chip (SoC) and the AC498 DSP, allows this reference design to offer OEMs and ODMs a cost-effective and quick time to market solution for the rapidly growing SOHO and SMB VoIP markets.

This reference design has a cost-effective Bill of Materials (BOM) that fully addresses the needs of aggressive market cost demands. Using the add-on AC498 DSP with its VoIPerfect™ AudioCodes DSP software significantly reduces the cost per channel while maintaining a high quality and performance.

The basic design with the AC494 Soc for 4 channels is easily extended with up to 3 additional AC498 DSPs to provide up to 16 voice channels. The VoIP reference design solution couples the hardware design with a complete Linux software suite supporting voice and network protocols, call features and management applications.

The scalability and flexibility of this reference design and its open source code software allows customers to rapidly customize and quickly deploy a differentiated VoIP gateway product to various markets.
 

4-16 channel VoIP GW Reference Design	AC49x VoIP GW Software Development Kit

The CPE VoIP Toolkit

Currently, the CPE market has a growing need to include VoIP functionality to customer products in order to achieve a comprehensive solution. Manufacturers and designers of CPE’s that do not have the knowledge and capabilities of VoIP technologies are having difficulties in adding the VoIP functionality to their high quality and reliable products.. The integration of qualitative and reliable VoIP services into a product is an important competitive factor for the CPE market.

The CPE VoIP Toolkit is a combination of a hardware and software product that integrates a DSP device, FXS/FXO devices, suitable drivers, and a VoIP application into a single module. This module is a “closed box” that can be integrated into a CPE product that will be responsible for all VoIP functionalities. The CPE VoIP Toolkit solution allows manufacturers the flexibility required in designing an accepted VoIP product for their market.

The CPE VoIP Toolkit will administer the VoIP signaling and voice, interfacing in conjunction with POTS phones & PSTN in addition to the IP network. It will assist with the entire flow from the VoIP network and analog lines. The Toolkit is a modularity device that utilizes standard Linux operating system services such as networking and drivers handling.

Manufacturers and designers will be able to integrate the CPE VoIP Toolkit with minimum effort to their products, gaining field proven VoIP technologies at a low cost and quick time to market.
The first version of the CPE VoIP Toolkit is based on the DSP-AC488, FXS-Legerity-88, Voice packetizer and Radvision IPP Toolkit for SIP.

CPE VoIP Toolkit Enable VoIP Applications Over PON

One of the identified target markets for the CPE VoIP Toolkit is the Passive Optical Network (PON) market.

The growing demand for additional bandwidth for triple play services is driving the telecommunications industry to deploy additional fiber to the home (FTTH) equipment in the broadband access network. A fiber optic cable is run from the CO to the neighborhood. Passive optical splitters are used to provide point-to-multipoint connectivity that is referred as a Passive Optical Network or PON.
Together with a leading supplier of PON semiconductors, AudioCodes developed a fully integrated VoIP reference platform that enables customers to quickly and easily add VoIP services on GPON ONT (Optical Network Terminal).

The GPON VoIP reference platform includes the Broadlight BPON/GPON SoC (System on Chip) integrated with AudioCodes CPE VoIP Toolkit based on the AC488, Legerity SLIC and VoIP application.

This reference design gives PON OEMs and ODMs a complete hardware and software implementation of 2 or 4 VoIP channels, including full media and SIP signaling, supporting 3-way conferencing, call forwarding, call holding, call waiting and many additional functions.

4-16 channel VoIP GW Reference Design	AC49x VoIP GW Software Development Kit

Facing the Future

Looking towards the future, the VoIP chip market is becoming more aggressive as low end, Far East manufacturers are driving low cost solutions while similarly the demand for innovation and feature rich product has and is increasing. These market conditions direct us to focus our efforts in developing more integrated hardware and software solutions that are targeted to specific market needs such as IP-phones and low destiny gateways. These solutions will be cost effective and high quality while differentiated by our VoIP expertise. We are targeting OEMs and ODMs that are seeking complete and ready to use solutions while offering our reference designs to minimize their risks when rolling out VoIP services.