Synopsys and Arm push on with next-gen mobile SoC designs

Synopsys combines EDA and IP with Arm’s Total Compute Solutions at Computex Taipei. The AI-enhanced design collaboration tackles mobile chip designs on advanced nodes down to 2nm. At the show, Synopsys announced Synopsys.ai full-stack AI-driven EDA suite, Synopsys Interface and Security IP and Synopsys Silicon Lifecycle Management PVT IP have been optimised for the highest levels of performance and power for Arm’s latest compute platform

These advancements continue the decades of collaboration between the two companies to accelerate customers’ delivery of Arm-based SoCs for smartphones and VR / AR applications.

Shankar Krishnamoorthy, general manager of Synopsys EDA group, commented: “Collaborating with Arm to optimise our EDA and IP solutions enables mutual customers to tackle some of the toughest multi-die system integration challenges from design, IP integration and verification to software development. The addition of the Synopsys.ai EDA suite starts a new phase, where co-operative keystone companies, like Synopsys and Arm, align expertise to help mutual customers turbo-charge the delivery of their Arm-based SoC designs.”

Arm announced its Total Compute Solutions 2023 (TCS23) platform at the show in Taipei. “The new TCS23 platform delivers a suite of segment-specific technology, designed with the system in mind, so that our customers can tap into the compute performance required for the next generation of visual computing experiences,” said Chris Bergey, senior vice president and general manager, client line of business, at Arm.

For TCS23, the Synopsys.ai full-stack AI-driven EDA suite leverages the power of AI from system architecture through manufacturing to optimise power, performance and area (PPA) and enhance time to market, said the company.

The Synopsys Verification family accelerates architecture exploration, software development and verification throughput for Arm SoCs containing Arm Cortex-X4, Cortex-A720 and Cortex-A520 CPUs and Immortalis-G720 and Mali-G720 GPUs. 

Early adopters of TCS23 are using Synopsys virtual prototypes with Arm Fast Models, Synopsys hardware-assisted verification and verification IP for the latest Arm AMBA interconnect to deliver SoCs to market faster.

Synopsys Interface and Security IP for PCI Express 6.0 with Integrity and Data Encryption (IDE), CXL 3.0 with IDE, DDR5 with Inline Memory Encryption (IME) and UCIe, are all optimised for performance with Arm-specific features and for pre-silicon interoperability with Arm cores to minimise risk and to accelerate time to market.

The Synopsys Silicon Lifecycle Management Family PVT monitor IP can be integrated into Arm cores to monitor chip health from development to the field to measure and optimise performance.

Synopsys Fusion QuickStart Implementation Kits (QIKs) are tuned to extract maximum entitlement from the latest five, four and 3nm process technologies. They provide the most efficient path to realising optimally scaled compute architectures for the most demanding end-user applications, said the company.

Synopsys QIKs include implementation scripts and reference guides that enable early adopters of the newest Armv9.2 cores to accelerate time to market and achieve their demanding performance per Watt targets. These QIKs are available today by request through the Arm support hub or from Synopsys SolvNet.

Synopsys also incorporates the latest Arm Fast Models for virtual prototypes and delivers verification IP for the latest Arm AMBA interconnect, emulation and prototyping hardware to accelerate hardware-software bring-up and power and performance validation, resulting in shorter time to market.

Synopsys IP for PCI Express 6.0 with IDE, CXL 3.0 with IDE, DDR5 with IME and UCIe are available now.

http://www.synopsys.com 

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Compact, low power RF sensors detect position and passenger movement

RF ranging sensors for automotive applications in the SC1260 series use the 60GHz frequency band. Socionext has also integrated time division multiplexing (TDM-MIMO) operation with multiple transmitting and receiving antennas to detect the position and movement of passengers in a vehicle with maximum accuracy.

The SC1260 incorporates antennas and radar signal operation circuits for maximum detection accuracy in a low power, compact package. The sensors use a wide band of 6.8GHz (57.1 to 63.9GHz), TDM-MIMO and built-in radar signal operation circuits for range-finding and angle calculation.

TDM-MIMO operation enables high-precision sensing, such as the detection of passengers when three people are sitting in a row inside the vehicle, added Socionext.

The sensors are claimed to enable easy acquisition of 3D position information without requiring advanced expertise in high frequency devices and signal operation. Each sensor combines antennas, RF circuits, ADCs, FIFO memory, an SPI and intelligent power control sequencer for flexible duty cycle control. The sensor requires only 0.72mW at 0.1 per cent duty cycle operation.

The sensors are suitable for a range of automotive applications, such as tracking the position and movements of passengers in a vehicle while suppressing the load on the vehicle battery when the engine is off, said Socionext.

The SC1260 series complies with the global broadband 60GHz radio equipment standard. Sample and evaluation kit shipments are scheduled for June, with production volumes to be available in Q1 2024.

The company is believed to be the first to develop compact, low power 60GHz RF ranging sensors with built-in radar signal operation circuits for range-finding and angle calculations. It used its experience and knowledge accumulated through the development of millimeter-frequency wireless communication ICS and 24GHz radio-frequency ranging sensors, observed Teruaki Hasegawa, head of Socionext’s IoT & radar sensing business unit.

The sensor is supplied in a FC-BGA with dimensions of 6.0 x 9.0 x 1.2mm.

Socionext Europe is a fabless SoC supplier. Its headquarters is in Frankfurt, Germany with offices in Munich, Germany and Maidenhead, UK. 

The Munich Design and Support Centre, specialises in hardware and software product development for the automotive sector. Maidenhead supports Socionext’s IP Development & Engineering Centre with a focus on high speed data conversion IP. 

https://www.socionext.com/en/

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HD image sensor enables AI face recognition in thin bezel computers

The OV02E 1080p high definition (HD) image sensor has staggered high dynamic range (HDR) and can operate with AI chips to bring always-on ID recognition to notebooks and tablets with thin bezels. The 1/7.3 inch format sensor can be combined with the AI devices to sense human presence in always on, low power mode, to extend the battery life in thse portable devices.

“Our new OV02E is a single-die solution that meets the computing industry’s need for high video quality and low bill of materials (BOM) cost,” said Akeem Chen, product marketing manager, Omnivision. HDR address backlighting issues, for example in video calls where the poor quality backlighting can reduce image quality. “Now, with staggered HDR support, troublesome backlighting during a videoconference call is no longer an issue,” he added.

The sensors new features, such as the low power mode with AI functionality have been added in response to some of the trending features demanded by consumers in 2023 and 2024 laptop models, said Chen.

The OV02E is compact, and suitable for devices with a screen-to-body ratio of less than 3mm Y size, such as tablets and wearable devices. It has a 1.12 micron backside illuminated (BSI) pixel based on Omnivision’s proprietary PureCel Plus architecture for advanced pixel sensitivity and quantum efficiency. The sensor features 2Mpixel, full HD 1080p video at 60 frames per second and supports multiple camera synchronisation for machine vision and IoT applications which require depth detection. The OV02E sensor’s always-on capability has a low power state that works with the mobile industry processor interface (MIPI) and serial peripheral interface (SPI).

Samples of the OV02E are available now, and it will be in mass production in Q4 2023. 

Omnivision is a fabless semiconductor company which develops advanced digital imaging, analogue and touch and display solutions for multiple applications and industries, including mobile phones, security and surveillance, automotive, computing, medical and emerging applications. 

http://www.ovt.com

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Portwell integrates Ethernet to secure fanless DIN rail gateway

The latest industrial gateway by Portwell has diversified Ethernet function for industrial security. The PECA-6232T fanless DIN rail gateway provides a reliable and secure network infrastructure tailored to industries facing cybersecurity threats, said Portwell.

The PECA-6232T is powered by the Intel Atom x6212RE/x6414RE processor, part of the Elkhart Lake platform. The DDR4-3200 SO-DIMM of up to 32Gbyte provides ample memory to industrial applications, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted operation, said Portwell. 

The gateway offers Ethernet functions for OT applications, providing flexible and reliable connectivity options for various devices and systems. With two GbE LAN, two 2.5GbE LAN and two SFP ports, the PECA-6232T ensures seamless device communication for industrial automation, the company added. 

The PECA-6232T is designed to withstand harsh industrial environments. Its fanless design and DIN-rail mount make it easy to install in any industrial setting. The gateway also supports a broad power input range of 9.0 to 36V DC with dual power inputs, ensuring continuous operation even during a power failure. 

The PECA-6232T supports various security protocols, including VPN, firewall and IDS/IPS. It also supports TPM 2.0 security. Its temperature range of -40 to +70 degrees C makes it suitable for use in extreme, harsh industrial environments. 

The PECA-6232T supports real-time applications with the Elkhart Lake platform and supports IEEE 802.1 TSN (time sensitive networking) standards, providing low latency and high reliability. It also has the best-known configurations (BKC) optimised for real-time applications, claimed Portwell. 

Portwell operates in the industrial embedded systems market. Its software tools accelerate hardware configuration / tuning and application development.

The company is an associate member of the Intel Internet of Things Solutions Alliance. It designs and manufactures a full range of IPC products (SBC, backplane, redundant power supply, rack mount and node chassis), embedded architecture solutions, DVR system platforms and communications appliances. The company provides R&D and project management services to decrease customers’ time to market and reduce project risk and cost. Portwell is also an ISO 13485, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified company that deploys quality assurance through product design, verification and manufacturing cycles. 

http://www.portwell.eu 

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