Alereon

Alereon, Inc. is a United States semiconductor company centered on ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless communications. The company is described as fabless, meaning that it develops semiconductor designs and related technology while relying on external manufacturing rather than operating its own fabrication plants. Its work has included integrated circuits compliant with the WiMedia Alliance UWB approach and Certified Wireless USB, a technology intended to provide cable-replacement connectivity for peripherals and consumer electronics. The company was created in August 2003 as a spin-off from Time Domain Corporation of Huntsville, Alabama. The separation brought over a group of engineers, executives, and patents, giving Alereon an established technical base in UWB radio development. Eric Broockman served as the company's first chief executive. Austin Ventures was an early investor, and the company subsequently raised additional capital from venture and strategic investors as it pursued commercialization of UWB connectivity. Alereon's early technical position was associated with the multiband orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing approach promoted by the MultiBand OFDM Alliance. During the mid-2000s, multiple technical proposals competed in discussions around IEEE 802.15 wireless standards. Although the relevant IEEE standardization effort was later abandoned, Alereon continued developing products and intellectual property around UWB applications. Samsung Electronics' venture investment arm invested in the company in 2006, providing a strategic connection to a major consumer-electronics group. The company's technology was intended to provide substantially more available spectrum and bandwidth than conventional Wi-Fi in particular use cases, especially for video and short-range device links. Its target applications have included wireless docking stations for computers, wireless displays, PC-to-HDTV video streaming, and wireless substitutes for HDMI, DVI, VGA, USB, audio, and Ethernet cables. Alereon has also identified consumer, military, and medical applications for its UWB technology. Rather than presenting itself primarily as a finished-device consumer brand, it has operated as a component and platform supplier for equipment manufacturers and technology developers. Its offering has included UWB chipsets, modules, software development kits, and development tools. The referenced chipset architecture uses a pair of principal devices: the AL5350B MAC/baseband component and the AL5100 radio-frequency transceiver. These products illustrate Alereon's role in supplying the radio, baseband, and development infrastructure required to integrate UWB into external products. The company's financing history includes a reported $20 million round in October 2005 involving Centennial Ventures and Pharos Capital, a $4 million investment from Samsung Electronics' venture arm in December 2006, and a further $6 million financing announced in June 2012. The latter was associated with Pharos Capital Partners and Duchossois Technology Partners and led by Enhanced Capital Partners. Eric Broockman remained chief executive into the late 2000s and left the chief executive role in 2014, when David Shoemaker, previously the company's vice president of engineering, became CEO. Publicly available reference material identifies Alereon's headquarters in Austin and offices in South Korea and Hong Kong. It does not establish the company's present ownership, current product availability, latest leadership, or whether it remains active as an independent operating business. Those points should therefore be treated as unresolved rather than inferred from its historical descriptions.

Alereon was established in August 2003 through a spin-off from Time Domain Corporation, a Huntsville, Alabama company associated with ultra-wideband radio technology. The new company took with it engineers, executives, and patents from Time Domain, creating a specialized technical organization focused on commercializing UWB communications. Eric Broockman became its first chief executive, while Austin Ventures was identified as an early investor. In its initial development phase, Alereon supported the multiband orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing approach advanced by the MultiBand OFDM Alliance. UWB standardization was contested during the early and mid-2000s, with competing technical approaches considered by the IEEE 802.15 standards committee. The company consequently operated in a field where technical positioning, interoperability, and industry standards were central to the prospects for adoption. Although the relevant IEEE initiative was eventually abandoned, Alereon continued to develop UWB integrated circuits and associated platform technologies. The company raised $20 million in financing in October 2005 from investors including Centennial Ventures and Pharos Capital. In December 2006, Samsung Electronics' venture arm invested a reported $4 million. A further $6 million financing was announced in June 2012, involving Pharos Capital Partners and Duchossois Technology Partners and led by Enhanced Capital Partners. These investments supported Alereon's efforts to develop and commercialize UWB solutions in a market that included consumer electronics and other specialized applications. Alereon's products and technology were aimed at short-range wireless links requiring more bandwidth than conventional Wi-Fi could provide in certain scenarios, particularly wireless video and peripheral connectivity. The company worked with monitor and consumer-electronics manufacturers on wireless computer docking stations, wireless monitors, PC-to-HDTV streaming devices, and cable-replacement links for HDMI, DVI, VGA, USB, audio, and Ethernet. It also identified military and medical uses in addition to consumer applications. Its business model was that of a fabless semiconductor supplier rather than a finished-device manufacturer. Alereon offered chipsets, modules, software development kits, and development tools. Its documented chipset architecture included the AL5350B MAC/baseband chip and the AL5100 RF transceiver. The company also pursued compliance with the WiMedia Alliance UWB framework and Certified Wireless USB, linking its technology to broader efforts to establish interoperable short-range wireless standards. Eric Broockman continued as chief executive into the late 2000s and left the position in 2014. David Shoemaker, formerly vice president of engineering, succeeded him. The company was headquartered in Austin, Texas, and also maintained offices in South Korea and Hong Kong. Available reference material does not provide a verified account of later ownership, subsequent mergers, current product sales, or present operating status. Alereon's current condition therefore remains unknown.

• 2014

  Chief executive transition

  [1]Alereonen.wikipedia.org

  David Shoemaker replaced Eric Broockman as chief executive after previously serving as vice president of engineering.

• 2012

  Additional growth financing

  [1]Alereonen.wikipedia.org

  The company announced a further $6 million funding round led by Enhanced Capital Partners and involving Pharos Capital Partners and Duchossois Technology Partners.

• 2006

  Samsung venture investment

  [1]Alereonen.wikipedia.org

  Samsung Electronics' venture arm invested a reported $4 million in Alereon.

• 2005

  Major venture financing

  [1]Alereonen.wikipedia.org

  Alereon received a reported $20 million financing round involving Centennial Ventures and Pharos Capital.

• 2003

  Alereon is spun off from Time Domain Corporation

  [1]Alereonen.wikipedia.org

  Alereon was separated from Time Domain Corporation in August, taking a group of engineers, executives, and patents into the new UWB-focused company.

A specialist fabless semiconductor and connectivity-platform company focused on short-range, high-bandwidth ultra-wideband wireless links for consumer, medical, military, and device-interconnection applications.

• Wireless semiconductor

  AL5350B MAC/Baseband

  The AL5350B is identified as Alereon's medium-access-control and baseband component for its UWB chipset architecture. It handled the digital and protocol-oriented side of the wireless system in combination with a separate RF transceiver. The available reference does not establish a launch date, complete specifications, supported commercial devices, or present availability.

• Wireless semiconductor

  AL5100 RF Transceiver

  The AL5100 is described as the radio-frequency transceiver paired with the AL5350B MAC/baseband device in Alereon's UWB chipset platform. It provided the radio interface needed for ultra-wideband wireless communications. Publicly available material supplied for this entry does not confirm its release date, detailed radio specifications, customers, or current sales status.

• Ultra-wideband connectivity

  WiMedia UWB chipsets and modules

  Alereon developed integrated circuits and related modules for the WiMedia Alliance approach to ultra-wideband wireless communications. These components were intended for short-range, high-bandwidth links in applications such as wireless displays, docking stations, video streaming, and cable replacement. The company also supplied development kits and tools to support integration by equipment manufacturers.

• Wireless peripheral connectivity

  Certified Wireless USB solutions

  Alereon's UWB technology was used to develop solutions associated with Certified Wireless USB, a cable-replacement concept for connecting computers and peripherals. The intended use cases included wireless USB links and related consumer-electronics connections. The supplied reference does not identify specific retail products or confirm the current availability of the technology.

• 2014

  Leadership successionOther

  Background

  Eric Broockman had led Alereon from its early years through a period of UWB standards development and product commercialization efforts.

  Action taken

  David Shoemaker, formerly vice president of engineering, became chief executive.

  Aftermath

  The transition placed a senior engineering executive at the head of the company; later operating developments are not established by the supplied reference.

  Source

• 2004

  Support for the MultiBand OFDM approachStrategy

  Background

  Several UWB technical approaches were being considered in IEEE 802.15 discussions, creating uncertainty over the direction of future interoperability standards.

  Action taken

  Alereon backed the multiband orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing approach associated with the MultiBand OFDM Alliance.

  Aftermath

  The wider IEEE effort was later abandoned, but Alereon continued developing UWB products and intellectual property.

  Source

• 2003

  Establishment as a focused UWB semiconductor companyStrategy

  Background

  Time Domain Corporation had developed technology and intellectual property related to ultra-wideband radio. Alereon was formed to pursue a dedicated business around that technical base.

  Action taken

  The company was spun off with selected personnel and patents and adopted a fabless semiconductor model focused on UWB integrated circuits and platforms.

  Aftermath

  Alereon became an independent specialist supplier targeting standards-based wireless connectivity for consumer and other applications.

  Source

1. 1Alereonen.wikipedia.org