Broadcom, a company especially known for its wireless chips Wi-Fi for PCs and smartphones, is a manufacturer of semiconductors of different uses, from wireless devices mentioned SoCs solutions to embed. The firm today announced a new Bluetooth chip with an unprecedented energy efficiency in this type of equipment.

The chip is specially designed for use with HID wireless peripherals like keyboards and mice, which are commonly used with mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, and of course with personal computers. The Broadcom chip efficiency is such that it is able, according to the company, to grant autonomy to 10 years before having to recharge or replace batteries peripheral.

As impressive as it sounds, has a relatively simple explanation: the BCM20730 chip, which works with the Bluetooth 3.0 standard, using new methods to transmit signals to other devices more efficiently, reducing the scope and therefore the amount of energy required when no input, without ever losing the match. The radio adapts automatically and dynamically, so that performance, or what is the same latency – delay of the signal to go and return to the source – continue unchanged when in use, but reducing it when you do not need to transmit at maximum power. The most interesting part of this unit is that despite these improvements incorporated in the connection, is compatible with Bluetooth profiles, from the 1.1 to the latest Bluetooth 4.0, so that could be used with the same benefits to all types of computers and devices without the need to bring anything, or buy dongles compatible.

The new Broadcom chip HID is now available in sample format for all manufacturers who wish to study and incorporate it into their peripherals and wireless devices. Although the firm did not disclose a release date or mass production for this new Bluetooth adapter, it is expected that the first devices with the technology available, by major manufacturers in the near future, hopefully as early as 2012. This type of peripheral and has a range quite high, usually counted in months, but 10 years without replacing a battery, or connect the device to the load seemed an unattainable utopia. What is left to invent?