DSP GROUP, Inc. provides wireless chipset solutions for converged communications, delivering system solutions that combine semiconductors and software with reference designs worldwide.
The company provides a portfolio of wireless chipsets integrating VoIP, Wi-Fi, PSTN and DECT technologies with application processors and related software. It also enables converged voice, audio and data connectivity across various consumer products – from Unified Communications and cordless phones to home gatewa...
DSP GROUP, Inc. provides wireless chipset solutions for converged communications, delivering system solutions that combine semiconductors and software with reference designs worldwide.
The company provides a portfolio of wireless chipsets integrating VoIP, Wi-Fi, PSTN and DECT technologies with application processors and related software. It also enables converged voice, audio and data connectivity across various consumer products – from Unified Communications and cordless phones to home gateways, wearables and connected multimedia screens.
In July 2020, the company completed the acquisition of SoundChip SA, a privately-held Swiss company (SoundChip). SoundChip is a major supplier of active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, engineering services, design tools and production-line test systems for headsets. The acquisition combines SoundChip’s capabilities in hybrid ANC with the company’s SmartVoice advanced low-power voice processing platform, algorithms, and mixed-signal focus to streamline the delivery of wireless and true wireless stereo (TWS) headsets, from concept through to manufacturing. SoundChip operations are included in the SmartVoice segment.
Segments
The company’s Home segment consists of SmartHome products, which include its home gateway, and home automation and cordless telephony products.
The company’s Unified Communications segment consists of a set of solutions for Unified Communications office products.
The company’s SmartVoice segment consists of products targeted at mobile, Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable device markets that incorporate its noise suppression and voice quality enhancement HDClear technology, as well as other third party advanced voice processing, always on and sensor hub functionalities.
Target Markets and Products
The company focuses its efforts on four product areas: SmartVoice products, which consist of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) engines with DSP for voice-enabled products targeting mobile computing, SmartHome/IoT, wearables and hearables markets that incorporate its HDClear and Neural Network (NN) AI technologies, as well as other third party advanced voice processing, always on and sensor fusion functionality; Unified Communications products consisting of VoIP system-on -chip (SoC) products for Enterprise, SMB and SoHo; SmartHome products consisting of ULE ICs and home gateway ICs targeting the growing markets of IoT, SmartHome and security devices; and cordless phones, which consist of DECT SoCs for cordless telephony. The SmartHome and cordless product lines are both part of the company’s Home segment.
SmartVoice - Products Targeted at Mobile Computing, Consumer Electronics, IoT, Wearable and Hearables Device Markets
The company’s SmartVoice product portfolio encompasses HDClear technology for intelligent voice enhancement, always-on voice trigger and control, and noise cancellation. This technology is primarily targeted at devices supporting voice as a user interface. Its HDClear high-performance and lower-power solutions continue to achieve major design wins with its various enabling technologies, such as voice command, voice activation, proprietary noise cancellation, acoustic echo cancellation, and beam forming algorithms, all of which improve the user experience and deliver voice and speech recognition.
HDClear-based solutions include noise cancellation algorithms that isolate voice from ambient noise. In doing so, HDClear delivers clearer voice calls and enables high mobile IoT voice quality and intelligibility. HDClear also improves the accuracy of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) applications by lowering Word Error Rate. This improves the user experience for speech-enabled applications, such as virtual assistants, voice search, speakerphone conference calls and speech-to-text on mobile and wearables, tablets, and other consumer devices.
The company taped-out various voice-enhancment ICs that include the DBMD family. The company started with DBMD2, a low power chip, which provides always-on, natural-voice capabilities for mobile and wearable battery-powered devices. By providing the necessary hardware and software in a single solution, DBMD2 allows mobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to preserve battery life and to offload voice and audio tasks from a mobile device’s CPU, in addition to running HDClear to enhance ASR accuracy.
In 2015, the company taped-out DBMD4, a chip targeted for ultra-low-power, always-on voice and audio applications. DBMD4 incorporates a suite of voice-enhancement algorithms, including noise suppression, which improves the accuracy of speech-driven applications, particularly in high noise environments. Offered in a small form factor, DBMD4 embeds a TeakLite-III DSP core, incorporates advanced connectivity options, including I2S, UART, SPI, I2C ports and SLIMbus. It is also equipped with a comprehensive software framework that enables development.
In 2017, the company unveiled its audio and voice enhancement SoC, DBMD5. This low-power audio SoC is built to ensure human-machine voice interactions in multi-microphone-equipped devices.
In 2018, the company shipped its SoCs to customers in six different categories – smartphones, IoT, wearables, hearables, tablets and smart speakers. That same year, Amazon Alexa Voice Services certified the company’s far-field three-mic development kit, based on its DBMD5 SoC.
In 2019, the company introduced its DBMD7 line of audio & voice processors that balance the low power consumption needed for battery-powered smart sensing with the high-performance computing capability and large embedded memory needed for high-quality, low-latency voice and ML processing at the edge. The design of DBMD7 is architected such that it has the high-performance processing required to run the advanced algorithms necessary for far-field voice activation, accuracy, range and reliability, and it allows the company’s customers to meet EnergyStar requirements for stand-by power consumption.
In 2020, the company introduced DBM10, a low-power, AI and MLSoC. The SoC comprises a DSP and the company’s nNetLite NN processor, both optimized for low-power voice and sensor processing in battery-operated devices. This architecture offers developers full flexibility of partitioning algorithms between DSP and NN processor and enables TTM for integration of voice and sensing algorithms, such as noise reduction, acoustic echo cancellation (AEC), wake-word detection, voice activity detection and other ML models. The DBM10 features an open platform approach with a comprehensive software framework. This allows developers to get next-generation designs to market with their own algorithms, or with its comprehensive and suite of optimized algorithms for voice, sound event detection, and sensor fusion for applications ranging from true wireless stereo (TWS) headsets to smartphones, tablets and wearables.
In 2020, the company entered the hearables (headphones, headsets, ear buds) market with the launch of first TWS ANC headphones based on its DBMC2 smart ANC codec. Its solutions for hearables are based on low power DSPs, AI/ML engines, as well as smart codecs serving the current and future needs of ambient- and user-aware voice, audio, and augmented hearing designs.
The company’s advanced smart ANC codecs feature its patented Soundflex technology to deliver high-resolution audio playback with a suite of advanced features, including Framed Adaptive sound processing and Smartaware augmented audio. This power-optimized multi-core SoCs enable the design of new and differentiated smart products, such as TWS headsets and voice-enabled smart wearables. The codec’s SoCs and algorithms are supported by a suite of design, development, test, and production tools that take a full-system approach to acoustic design, while improving time to market and achieving end-product quality.
Unified Communications Segment - Products Targeted at the Office Market
As a major silicon vendor for enterprise voice, the company offers a portfolio of solutions for VoIP telephony solutions. Its DVF SoCs family is a comprehensive solution for developing VoIP home and office products. DVF facilitates introduction of embedded features into residential devices, such as cordless IP and instant messaging phones. DVF enables development of low-power enterprise IP, analog terminal adapters (ATAs) and home VoIP phones that offer AEC, HD voice, multi-line capabilities, and an enhanced user interface. Built on an open platform with multi-ARM processors running on Linux OS, DVF includes IPfonePro, an SDK for IP phones and ATAs.
For the video phone product family, the company offers the DVF1100, a media processor, which enables advanced Android video phones and conferencing phones.
The company’s software and hardware offered for the enterprise telephony product family addresses conventional VoIP phones and ATAs to cover conferencing systems, IP intercoms, and public announcement systems, as well as accessories, such as key expansion modules, DECT microphones and headsets with advanced capabilities for voice and audio.
Various customers launched phones based on the company’s DVF99 and DVF101 families. In addition, the company secured additional design wins with its existing tier one customers for higher end products, which started production in 2020, thereby contributing to further progress in this growing segment.
Home Segment – SmartHome Products, Including Home Gateways, Home Automation Products and Cordless Telephony Products
The company’s DECT and 2.4 GHz technologies are targeted at three categories of products: home gateways and fixed mobile convergence; home automation/security and IoT applications; and digital cordless telephony. Gateway products and IoT applications that are supported by the company’s ULE technology are categorized as SmartHome.
The company offers a range of integrated SoC solutions. Delivering audio with low power consumption, the company’s field-proven chipset solutions are ideal for integrated digital cordless telephony, DECT-enabled gateways and home automation and security. Its chipsets provide an integrated digital solution and include relevant digital baseband, analog interface and radio frequency (RF) functionality.
The company’s Home chipset solutions enable worldwide coverage, supporting various RF bands and cordless protocols, such as:
1.7GHz -1.9GHz DECT – Used in Europe, the U.S. (DECT6.0), Korea, Japan and Latin America; and
2.4GHz – Used in Japan, China, India and the U.S.; the dominant protocols for this RF band is the company’s proprietary Enhanced Digital Cordless Technology and Wireless Digital Cordless Technology protocols.
This chipset portfolio combines wireless communications technology with a range of telephony features, audio and voice-processing algorithms to provide the industry a small footprint solution. Enhanced with the company’s hardware and software technologies, these chipsets enable the development of an array of cordless telephony solutions, DECT home gateways and SmartHome applications and devices that allow for faster time to market than alternative custom silicon and software offerings. This portfolio supports cordless phones, cordless headsets, remote controls, home DECT-enabled gateways, fixed-mobile convergence solutions and home security and automation devices.
In 2017, Deutsche Telecom launched home automation and control services and products based on the company’s DECT and ULE solutions. In 2018, Zipato, AwoX, Deutsche Telecom, SGW, Technicolor, Elite Computer, Bezeq and Orange all announced plans to roll out products and/or services based on ULE solutions. In 2019, the company penetrated the U.S. market with ULE, whereby ADT, a security provider serving residential and business customers in the U.S., selected its ULE technology and SmartVoice solutions to wirelessly connect its smart IoT devices to its Blue by ADT security systems.
In 2019, the company enhanced its DHX91 offering by introducing the DHX101 SoC a low-power, flashed-based solution for home automation and security targeting the node/device side. The company also offers the DHAN-S and DHAN-T pre-certified, product quality ULE modules for both the device and the hub/gateway side. The modules are appropriate for a ULE Dual-Mode (data and/or audio) application on the device side. These modules all include microphone and speaker interfaces for applications using audio links. They also feature super low current hibernation mode to facilitate a multi-year battery lifetime.
In 2020, the company continued to position ULE as a key connectivity solution for the SmartHome and home security segments.
Customers
The company is a customer-centric company that partners with its base of global customers and service providers. With offices across Asia, Europe and North America, the company delivers local service and support worldwide. It sells its products through distributors and directly to OEMs and original design manufacturers who incorporate its products into consumer and commercial products for the worldwide residential wireless communications market and enterprise products for the worldwide office communications market.
The company’s chipset and software solutions have been deployed in devices from these tier-one customers across the globe, including 3NOD, Aprotech, ADB, ADT, AEG, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, Alibaba, Amazon, Arcadyan, Arlo, Arris, Askey, Atlas, Atlinks, AT&T, Audiocodes, Avaya, AVM, AwoX, Baycom, BBK, Becker, Binatone, British Telecom, , Chipguide, Cisco, Climax, Comcast, Crow, Cuco, Cybertan, Daktel, Deutsche Telekom, DNI, DX Antenna, Elevoc, Escene, Eurotronic, Facebook, Fanvil, Flextronics, Foneric, Foxconn, France Telecom, Freebox, Fujitsu, Gibson, Gigaset, Google, Goertek, GoPro, Grandstream, HCN, Huawei, Iflytek, Infinite, Innolux, Innomedia, Intelbras, Invoxia, Jazz Hipster, JXE, Korea Telecom, Lenovo, Leviton, LG Electronics, Libre, Life Alert, Logitech, Longcheer, Meitu, Mitac, Mitel, Mitrastar, Moimstone, Motorola, Netgear, Network Thermostat, Nortek, NTT, Ooma, Oppo, Orange, Panasonic, Pegatron, Pioneer, Poly, Proximus, Rademacher, Readboy, Sagemcom, Samsung, Sanyo, SAXA, SeGYe, Sercomm, SGW, Sharp, Simple Human, SK Telecom, Starnet, Sunrise, Swisscom, Swissvoice, TCL, Technicolor, Telefield (RCA), Telefonica, Telegartner, Telstra, Tinno, TP-Link, T&W, Uniden, Verisure, Victory Concept, VTech, Wistron, WNC, Xingtel, Yealink, Youxuepai, ZEASN, Zipato and ZTE.
Vtech Holdings Ltd. (Vtech) and Cisco Systems, Inc. (Cisco) accounted for approximately 23% and 12% of the company’s total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Sales, Marketing and Distribution
The company markets and distributes its products through its direct sales and marketing offices, as well as through a network of global distributors. Its sales and marketing team has global reach through its sales offices in San Jose, California; Hong Kong, China; Nierenberg, Germany; Tokyo, Japan; Herzliya Pituach, Israel, Edinburgh, Scotland; Shanghai and Shenzhen, China, South Korea and Switzerland. In territories where it does not have sales offices, the company operates either directly from its corporate headquarters or through a network of distributors and representatives.
The company’s major distributors include Nexty Electronics, Ltd. and Ascend Technology Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Research and Development
The company’s research and development expenses, net, were $35.5 million for 2020.
Licenses, Patents and Trademarks
As of December 31, 2020, the company had been granted a total of 183 patents and 49 patents are pending.
Competition
The company’s principal competitors in the Unified Communications market include Broadcom, Dialog Semiconductors (to be acquired by Renesas Electronics), Intel, Texas Instruments and Taiwanese IC vendors.
The company’s principal competitors are developers of different wireless home automation technologies, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave and Zigbee. Among those, the major competitors for digital home connectivity are Microchip Technology, NXP, Texas Instruments and Silicon Labs.
The company’s main competitor in the cordless market is Dialog Semiconductors (to be acquired by Renesas Electronics).
Significant Events
As of July 2021, DSP Group and Cloud of Things collaborate to introduce a fully managed IoT cloud services gateway based on DSP Group's ULE Module.
History
DSP Group, Inc. was founded in 1987. The company was incorporated in California in 1987 and reincorporated in Delaware in 1994.
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