3G Linux phone

China's government-owned TEM (telecommunications equipment manufacturer) has developed a 3G Linux mobile phone reference design, expected to appear in products in mid-2005. Datang's Linux phone design works with networks based on TD-SCDMA, a 3G technology largely invented by Datang, which may see use outside China.

(Click for larger view of Datang 3G Linux phone)

Datang first announced it had adopted Linux for its 3G mobile phone design in July of this year.

The phone

The Datang mobile phone solution is a TD-SCDMA LCR (least-cost routing) handset based on a Texas Instruments OMAP1510 processor running a Qtopia-Linux platform. It will support telephony, video telephony, an Internet browser, MMS, WAP, a media player, and other typical 3G functionality, according to Qtopia supplier Trolltech.

The TI OMAP1510 is a venerable dual-core RISC/DSP SoC (system-on-chip) supported by Linux as early as March of 2001. It includes an ARM925 core alongside a TMS320CSSx DSP core. Integrated peripherals include USB (client and host), camera interface, memory stick/MMC-SD interface, and UARTs for data and modem control, as well as GPS and IrDA. The chip specifically targets 2.5 and 3G wireless handsets and PDAs.


TI OMAP1510 block diagram
(Click to enlarge)

Software side

According to Trolltech, the Datang design will be based on the Qtopia Phone Edition (QPE) application stack, which provides applications such as a calendar, clock, and email. Trolltech announced a port of QPE to TI's OMAP platform in September. Yesterday, the company announced a major update to Qtopia Phone Edition, which brings touchscreen input and handwriting recognition (screenshot).

The Datang Linux phone reference design may also include a Linux kernel sourced from MontaVista, which listed Datang Mobile among its customers in a February announcement, and which has supplied Linux to other phone vendors, including Motorola.

Datang has also confirmed that the design will include the Opera web browser.

TD-SCDMA

Datang's Linux mobile phone reference design, like its networking equipment, is based on TD-SCDMA, one of three 3G technologies based on CDMA. Datang largely pioneered TD-SCDMA, but the TD-SCDMA Standard is overseen by the TD-SCDMA Forum, an industry group founded in late 2002 by China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Datang, Huawei, Motorola, Nortel, and Siemens. TD-SCDMA networks may appear in Europe and elsewhere, in addition to China.

Availability

According to Trolltech, Datang's 3G Linux phone reference design has demonstrated excellent performance in multi-phase testing conducted by the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry's (MII's) MTNet lab, and commercial phones based on the design are expected in China in the first half of 2005. Datang expects to promote the design broadly to the wireless industry.