ICs & Semiconductors Archives - Page 187 of 227

Winbond exploits HyperRAM for AIoT

Thu, Oct 31, 2019

The artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) will consist of automotive electronics, industrial 4.0, and smart home applications, new IoT edge devices and human-machine interface devices, all of which will require new functionality in terms of size, power consumption, and performance. New microcontrollers are being developed to meet these demands with higher performance and lower power consumption and with new RAM options to improve that of the existing SDRAM and pSRAM available.

HyperRAM supports the HyperBus interface and Winbond Electronics offers 32, 64 and 128Mbit devices. Hans Liao, technology manager of DRAMs at Winbond, explained that the computing power, data processing and image display functions of traditional MCUs are limited and that the new IoT devices often have touch panel as image control interface, or require stronger edge computing functions for image processing and speech recognition, requiring higher performance, lower power microcontrollers.

Winbond’s 64Mbit HyperRAM consumes 90 microW at 1.8V, which is about half of a DRAM of the same capacity, claims the company. The power consumption of HyperRAM is only 45 microW at 1.8V in hybrid sleep mode – as opposed to the standby mode of an SDRAM. A low power SDRAM has a larger form factor than HyperRAM, says Winbond.

In addition, HyperRAM has only 13 signal pins, which can greatly simplify the PCB layout design. It also means that when designing end products, developers can use microcontrollers with more pin-out for other purposes or use microcontrollers with fewer pins for cost-effectiveness.

Simplifying control interface is another feature of HyperRAM. Based on pSRAM architecture, HyperRAM is a self-refresh RAM. It can automatically return to standby mode. This means system memory is easier to use, and the development of firmware and drivers is also simplified, says Winbond.

Winbond’s HyperRAM is based on a 38nm process node, which will continue to move toward 25nm, confirms Winbond.

Winbond’s entry to the HyperRAM camp makes it the third supplier, in addition to Cypress and ISSI. Its 32Mbit device has entered mass production, the 64 and 128Mbit are expected to enter mass production in 4Q19 and 1Q20 respectively. Products of 24BGA (automotive grade), 49BGA and KGD are available. The size of 24BGA is 6.0 x 8.0mm², while the 49BGA is only 4.0 x 4.0mm², which targets the consumer wearable market.

http://www.Winbond.com

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Volkswagen and NXP begin on the road to V2X

Wed, Oct 30, 2019

NXP Semiconductors is rolling out its RoadLink V2X (vehicle to everything) communication system in the new Volkswagen Golf. The eighth generation Golf is the first volume European car model equipped with V2X, reports NXP.

V2X can prevent accidents by allowing cars to communicate with each other, independent of car brands and without the support of cellular infrastructure.

Dr. Johannes Neft, head of vehicle body development at Volkswagen, said:“The introduction of V2X, together with traffic infrastructure providers and other vehicle manufacturers, is a major milestone in [safety].”

Torsten Lehman, senior vice president and general manager of Driver Assistance and Infotainment at NXP, added: “After proving our technology in more than one million test days globally, we are pleased that our RoadLINK technology, developed in cooperation with Cohda Wireless, was chosen to enable new levels of safety in Europe’s most popular car model, the new Golf.”

Wi-Fi-based V2X is a mature technology has been tested for more than 10 years. Wi-Fi is available independently of paid cellular services and other developing cellular-based technologies can be added to Wi-Fi-based V2X .

Wi-Fi-based V2X is robust, has low latency and real-time communication – regardless of any car brands, advocates NXP. It enables awareness and communication between cars, road infrastructure like traffic lights or street signs, and other road users such as cyclists and pedestrians.

The technology is collaborative, allowing it to “tap into” surrounding sensor data from mutually equipped cars to warn of hazards and prevent accidents. V2X complements other ADAS sensing technologies such as radar, lidar and cameras.

It helps vehicles to “see” more than a mile ahead and around corners to provide early warning of obstacles, hazards, and road conditions and has the ability to “see” through objects, delivering more information than that obtained through line of sight only, continues NXP. Its sensing capabilities are unaffected by poor weather conditions.

NXP claims to offer the only 5.9 GHz V2X system solution proven in volume production today.

NXP and Volkswagen have collaborated for standardisation of V2X communication that addresses cybersecurity and privacy protection.

http://www.nxp.com

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Renesas adds IP to include 7nm process and Ethernet TSN

Mon, Oct 28, 2019

Additional IP now available from Renesas Electronics includes a 7nm process ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) and standard Ethernet time sensitive networking (TSN) IP.

Customers will have access to IPs such as advanced 7nm (nanometer) SRAM and TCAM, and leading-edge standard Ethernet time-sensitive networking (TSN) IP, says the company, which is also working on providing a system IP which includes processing in memory (PIM) for use as an artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator. Customers can use these IPs to jump start semiconductor device development projects, such as the development of next-generation AI chips or ASICs for 5G networks.

Customers developing custom chips can leverage the IP in the subsystem, or those using FPGA devices can use it to speed up software development while they focus resources on specialty areas to reduce development time. Customers who prefer to use existing software assets can take advantage of Renesas IP assets to achieve more efficient system development by reducing the resources required to develop, verify and evaluate software and boards.

“Model-based design enables a development process in which IP models can be easily shared across the supply chain, giving customers the ability to identify system issues before implementation,” said Paul Barnard, director, Product Marketing at MathWorks. “To do this, Renesas provides customers with models of their IP in Simulink, as well as tools that extend Simulink to support the deployment of algorithms from models to Renesas microprocessors with verification support using processor-in-the-loop (PIL) technology.” He believes the partnership with Renesas will benefit mutual customers working on sectors as varied as automotive, robotics and industrial technologies.

To support customers’ semiconductor development efforts, Renesas has also established a network of partner companies to support users. This network includes design houses that perform contract semiconductor design and technology partners who will provide software and middleware tools. The network will accelerate users’ technology innovations and product development efforts by lowering the barriers to entry for semiconductor device and FPGA development. Renesas can also introduce experienced users to model-based design development environments.

The Renesas IP license portfolio has been available since September 2018, offering access to more than 40 licenses, including CPU cores, timer IP for motor applications, USB cores, and SRAM.

Renesas aims to exceed IP sales annual market growth rate of 10 per cent, and will expand the provision of IP and support system while creating new, and expanding old, IP markets.

http://www.renesas.com

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Monolithic thin-film image sensor boosts SWIR range

Tue, Oct 22, 2019

Holding out the promise for high-resolution applications in surveillance, biometric identification, virtual reality, research, and industrial automation, a thin-film monolithic image sensor developed by Imec captures light in the near-infrared (NIR) and short-wavelength infrared (SWIR).

Based on a monolithic approach, the process promises an order of magnitude gain in fabrication throughput and cost compared to processing today’s conventional infrared imagers, while enabling multi-megapixel resolution, claims Imec. It means that the use of infrared imagers can be extended to surveillance, biometric identification, virtual reality, machine vision and industrial automation.

Conventionally, infrared image sensors are produced through a hybrid technology of the crystalline semiconductor detector and the electronic readout fabricated separately and then interconnected at pixel or chip periphery level. This is an expensive and time-consuming process with low throughput. Sensors have a restricted resolution that often requires cooling to reduce the signal noise under dark conditions.

Imec’s infrared imagers consist of a novel thin-film photodetector pixel stack based on quantum dots deposited directly on top of an electronic readout. They are manufactured in a monolithic process compatible with wafer-based mass production, confirms Imec. The pixels embed newly developed high-performance, low bandgap, quantum dot materials that match or surpass the performance of inorganic light absorbers. The stacks can be tuned to target a spectrum from visible light up to two-micron wavelength. Test photodiodes on silicon substrate achieve an external quantum efficiency above 60 per cent at 940nm wavelength and above 20 per cent at 1450nm, allowing for uncooled operation with dark current comparable to commercial InGaAs photodetectors.

The prototype imager has a resolution of 758 x 512 pixels and five-micron pixel pitch.

“This result opens up many new applications for thin-film imagers,” commented Pawel Malinowski, imec’s thin-film imagers program manager. “Our imagers could be integrated in next-generation world-facing smartphone cameras coupled with eye-safe light sources, enabling compact sensing modules for augmented reality. In inspection, they could be used for food or plastics sorting, and in surveillance for low-light cameras with better contrast. Additionally, by enabling feature distinction in bad weather or smoke conditions, one can envision firefighting applications and, in the future, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS),” he added.

http://www.imec-int.com

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Winbond exploits HyperRAM for AIoT

Volkswagen and NXP begin on the road to V2X

Renesas adds IP to include 7nm process and Ethernet TSN

Monolithic thin-film image sensor boosts SWIR range

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