Murata Acquires Eta Wireless

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Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce that we have completed the acquisition of Eta Wireless Inc., the developer of Digital Envelope Tracking Technology that can dramatically reduce the power consumption of RF circuits involved in wireless communications.

As the performance of mobile devices has continuously improved in recent years due to the greater capability and functionality of integrated circuits (IC’s), it has become increasingly important to tackle the challenge of reducing power consumption in such devices. The problem is that for broadband signals like 5G and the next-generation 6G, there is a limit to the improvements that can be made through the hardware manufacturing and analog methods that we have typically relied on to reduce power consumption in the electronic components that we develop. To achieve even better results in low energy consumption, it is essential to adopt an approach that combines signal processing techniques with digital power management technology to efficiently control RF circuits.

This is where Eta Wireless comes in. The company’s Digital Envelope Tracking technology, which was realized through a proprietary power management integrated circuit (hereinafter referred to as “PMIC”) and DPD algorithm, optimizes the voltage within the RF circuit, thereby reducing the power consumption. Designed specifically for this purpose, the PMC digitizes and optimizes the voltage required by the RF circuit, supports broadband signals such as 5G, and helps to curb excessive power consumption. Additionally, the DPD algorithm achieves a further reduction in power consumption through a unique algorithm that minimizes distortion and noise in the RF circuit.

With this acquisition, Murata Manufacturing is aiming to provide superior RF products through the synergy between our electronic components and design techniques for RF circuits and the Digital Envelope Tracking Technology of Eta Wireless.

Norio Nakajima, president of Murata Manufacturing, stated the following regarding this latest acquisition, “Advances in the realms of communications and electronic components have made mobile devices around the globe more powerful and more sophisticated. To extend the operating time of mobile devices when they have limited battery capacity, it is essential not only to increase the capacity of the battery but also to strive for low energy consumption in the electronic components. We are very pleased to be able to combine the technologies of Eta Wireless with our own, to provide even better products to our customers.”

CEO and founder of Eta Wireless, Mattias Astrom, said, “We are thrilled to become part of Murata and jointly solve the key power and thermal challenges for 5G. Murata’s leadership in RF front ends made them the perfect partner when we first started to work together with a number of years ago. The collaboration has been excellent, and we can now make an even greater impact in the RF front-end market as one team. We are excited to enable the full potential of 5G and extend battery life for the next generation of mobile devices.