Leaders' Ambitions

The Communication Module Division has three main target markets. First, the market for mobile devices such as smartphones already represents a large portion of our business. Miniaturization is a great challenge here, and we are aiming to mount even more compact Wi-Fi^® modules on substrates used in devices. The second main target is the market for automobiles, which will undergo rapid electronification. The trend will culminate in automated driving, where sensor and communication technologies will be indispensable. Third, we are developing the markets for energy and health/medical care in the context of IoT (Internet of Things) , where it will be important to deliver optimal solutions. We will combine a communication module featuring an integrated antenna with software to make it possible to send the data demanded by users to distant locations. We will also make such systems easy to install.

IoT involves spreading sensor networks to different locations, where measurements are registered for subsequent data aggregation via such networks. In homes this will lead to energy-savings. At plants it will help improve crisis management and production efficiency. When applied to vehicles, it will help achieve automatic control and ultimately automated driving. Some of these monitoring systems have depended on wired connections, and they are now being replaced by wireless communication solutions. Wireless technology will increase the need to use more sensors, accelerating the integration between sensor and communication technologies. I believe that is how needs for IoT solutions will arise.

Murata is a hardware manufacturer, but as communication devices are combined with sensors, there is an increasing need for integrated systems. I believe that one of our roles is to provide not only hardware, but also hardware products that combine software for easier use. The idea is to provide solution packages integrating communication software, networking, and Cloud technologies—everything that controls the hardware.

Gateways are needed to connect different networks with each other. While some communication networks establish wired connection via Ethernet, for example, other networks depend on wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi^®. There is also ZigBee^®, a near field communication protocol for sensor networks. Furthermore, we may be required to cover Bluetooth^® and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) , and depending on the user, even communications via subgiga and millimeter-wave bands. Since it is more desirable to use a single relay device instead of two or more, we will design a platform integrating multiple communication protocols. That will require expertise in both communication and software technologies.

Two or more communication protocols are now available in smartphones. These include LTE and Wi-Fi^®, and Bluetooth^® is also indispensable. As communication traffic increases, communication modules could suffer from failures, since the antennas integrated in individual modules could cause wave interference. Murata technology comes in where you want to eliminate that problem and ensure a stable connection to your target partner alone, where you require reliable and robust communication quality. Key requirements for hardware include circuit design resistant to electromagnetic interference and noise suppression measures. The layout must be designed to maintain high accuracy in receiver sensitivity and prevent interference between multiple antennas. As far as software is concerned, the key is the method of synchronization during communication, in other words, measures to keep good timing. “Coexistence” is the term used to describe these technologies. The greater the number of frequency bands used for communication, the more elaborate technology is required to prevent mutual interference.

Murata’s IoT study group places a considerable emphasis on software development. We have the main development sites in Japan, but at the same time we are upgrading overseas sites as well in order to facilitate close-to-market development.

Communication devices are using increasingly high frequencies. Going forward we will need technologies for so-called millimeter waves. We have already focused our work on the millimeter wave-based wireless LAN standards named WiGig. The standards allow for communication in the 60 GHz band at a rate of approximately 7 Gbps. Since radio waves in this band have short propagation distances and are easily affected by objects, WiGig technology will likely be used for communication among devices located in the same room. We already ship modularized products. They feature an arrangement of a few to a few tens of millimeter wave-band antenna elements, which is called an adaptive array antenna, for directivity control. Each antenna element integrates an independent RF circuit, which uses an algorithm to control the amplitude and phase of the radio frequency wave inputted into the antenna element to change the direction of the beam. While the software is integrated in the IC, the antenna and the entire module system are designed by Murata.

As far as hardware is concerned, IoT technology requires producing low-cost and low-consumption components in large quantities. Just how much progress have we achieved in this regard? I assume that cost problems hinder the spread of M2M (machine to machine) communication. Offering low prices is the key to increasing the need for IoT technology in society as a whole. Here, a component manufacturer like Murata can integrate customized solutions in new general-purpose products. Murata has all categories of components other than ICs. We will aim to reduce costs by leveraging the technological advantage of our broad product lineup as well as our ability to develop general-purpose and standardized components. Downsizing facilitates production in quantities, which leads to cost reductions. Compactness also counts for software installed in the hardware. Here it is important to reduce the memory size and power consumption required. In this context, we are striving to create "small footprint" programs, programs that can run with minimum memory usage. How we can use small programs to implement desired functions and how we can maintain good quality while using "compact" software will be important. We will improve quality through partnerships where we cannot get ahead using in-house resources alone.

The IoT age is just beginning. There are various estimates, but some predict that 50 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020. Communication technology is all about connecting you to your target partner. That also helps users create and deliver the values they pursue. We have a lot of challenges to face. When we visit customers for sales promotion, we often hear representatives at ventures talk about IoT technology being applied to new businesses, giving a glimpse into its potential. The drawback is that there are still very few IoT products commercialized. Since everyone is trying to develop different ideas, someone could stumble across something that could develop into a big hit.

Our mission is to be ready to help customers in everything that has to do with IoT. We will provide devices, modules, and components that serve us in fulfilling the mission. We want to make a difference in the future world of IoT. Murata’s strength lies in owning sensing and wireless communication technologies, both indispensable for IoT systems. We will ask customers what kind of information they want to gather and how they want to process such information. They will focus on the service they will provide for end-users. We will take care of the hardware, software, and data collection system required. We want to broaden our range of expertise and readiness to meet diverse customer needs.

In wireless LAN communications, currently dominated by Wi-Fi^® and a few other protocols, a new set of standards for achieving higher transmission speeds is now attracting attention. WiGig uses millimeter wave-band with frequencies of a few tens of GHz to achieve communication speeds in the Gbps range. The initial version of WiGig allows for communication over 60 GHz at a rate of approximately 7 Gbps. The standards are being developed by Wi-Fi Alliance^®, a business organization that includes companies like Intel and Microsoft. In line with the sharp increase in traffic in recent years owing to the spread of mobile devices, WiGig can deliver high transmission speeds since it can use ten to a hundred times as broad channel bands as Wi-Fi^®.

Since radio waves in the millimeter wave band have short propagation distances, WiGig technology is advantageous for interconnecting devices located in the same room. On the other hand, the high frequencies translate into greater propagation losses. A further drawback is that the short wavelength of 5 mm means lower diffractiveness, which in turn means that the waves are easily interrupted by human bodies and other obstacles. This is why WiGig employs a beam forming technique to make for directional wave radiation, which is combined with open space configuration or obstacle avoidance by reflection on walls in order to allow for direct inter-device communication over short distances.