TechGuri » via-configurable array

Triad Semiconductor Announces First Mixed-signal ARM® Cortex™-M0 Processor with 16-bit ADC and 12-bit DAC

Triad Semiconductor — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 22:32:04 +0000

Comprehensive, low power TSX1001 combines precision analog with 32-bit processing

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – February 16, 2010 – Triad Semiconductor, Inc., the industry’s leading supplier of via-configurable mixed-signal ASICs, today announced another first: the first ARM® Cortex™-M0 processor combined with high-resolution, high-precision analog resources: 16-bit ADC and 12-bit DAC and uncommitted op-amps. Triad’s TSX1001, implemented on the Mocha-1™ platform, provides the performance and low-power 32-bit processing of the ARM Cortex-M0 processor combined with high-precision analog features. Mocha-1 is based on Triad’s silicon-proven via-configurable array (VCA) technology, which allows embedded system designers to customize processor, analog, and digital features with lower power consumption and greater system cost savings than last-generation ASIC solutions.

The TSX1001 is a single-chip, mixed-signal processor that an embedded product developer can use to measure sensors and control actuators in products such as accelerometers, automatic meter readers, temperature sensors, capacitive touch inputs, touch screens, medical sensors and other devices requiring analog and processor resources integrated into small spaces using small, low-power batteries.

“We are seeing a general trend toward portable, low-power embedded processing, which requires 32-bit processing performance as well as a great deal of precision analog integration,” said Reid Wender, vice president of marketing at Triad Semiconductor. “The TSX1001 is ideal for many applications and, since the TSX1001 is built on Triad’s Mocha-1 configurable array, designers are able to quickly and inexpensively build working prototypes to verify functionality before committing to a new mixed-signal Cortex-M0 SoC solution optimized for a specific application.”

The TSX1001 will be supported by industry standard embedded software tool flows such as the ARM® RealView® development suite. Triad has released the TSX1001 design to fabrication; engineering samples will be available in May 2010.

About Triad Semiconductor, Inc.
Triad Semiconductor, Inc., a privately held fabless semiconductor company with headquarters in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, develops, prototypes and produces mixed-signal ASICs. The company’s groundbreaking via-configurable array (VCA) technology delivers ASICs with silicon-proven analog and digital functions more quickly and at lower cost than traditional full-custom approaches. Triad’s single-mask, via-only routing cuts engineering effort and fabrication time, resulting in fast-turn prototypes and allowing design changes to be made at minimal cost. For more information, please visit www.triadsemi.com or call (336) 774-2150.

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Triad Semiconductor Announces First Mixed-signal ARM® Cortex™-M0 Processor with 16-bit ADC and 12-bit DAC

Triad Semiconductor — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:11:18 +0000

Comprehensive, low power TSX1001 combines precision analog with 32-bit processing

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Triad Semiconductor to Exhibit at DesignCon 2010 and Present on a New Alternative to Full-custom Analog/ Mixed-signal ASICs

Triad Semiconductor — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:35:03 +0000

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – January 27, 2010 – Triad Semiconductor Inc., the industry’s leading supplier of via-configurable mixed-signal ASICs, will demonstrate the company’s newly-introduced Mocha-1™ platform at DesignCon 2010 on February 2nd to 3rd in the Santa Clara Convention Center. The company’s CTO, Jim Kemerling, also will present on “Via-configurable Analog ASIC: Technology and Applications.”

What:
Exhibiting: The Mocha-1 array, which integrates an ARM® Cortex™-M0 ultra low power
32-bit processor running at 25MHz with 32Kbytes of EEPROM memory, 24Kbytes of SRAM, 75,000 gates of user configurable logic, and a wide selection of analog resources including op-amps, DACs, ADCs, resistors, capacitors, transistors and switches. Combining the Cortex-M0 with these configurable analog and digital resources allows Mocha-1 to realize a wide range of single-chip, mixed-signal SoC solutions for industrial, medical, sensor, Bluetooth low energy, and military/ aerospace applications. In Booth 827, Triad will be demonstrating a Bluetooth 4.0 (Bluetooth low energy) solution running on Triad’s Mocha FPGA emulation system allowing for rapid prototyping and development of complete Cortex-M0 solutions.

Presenting: “Via-configurable Analog ASIC: Technology and Applications,” a new alternative to full-custom analog/mixed signal ASICs that applies many of the concepts of deep-submicron digital structured arrays to larger geometry analog processes. Consequently a place-and-route tool (normally only for the digital domain) can be used to configure an analog ASIC while maintaining performance comparable to classical full-custom analog design. Specifically, this concept uses a single via layer to configure an entire device. These new devices are called via-configurable arrays (VCAs.) For additional information, please see http://www.designcon.com/2010/attendees/2_ta1/index.asp

Who:
Presenter: Jim Kemerling, Chief Technology Officer, Triad Semiconductor

When:
The presentation will take place on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 from 8:30am to 9:10am.
Exhibition hours are February 2nd and 3rd, 2010, from 12:30 to 6:30.

Where:
Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA.

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Triad Semiconductor Announces Availability of World’s First Configurable ARM® Cortex™-M0 Mixed-signal ASIC Solution

Triad Semiconductor — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:19:38 +0000

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – January 12, 2010 – Triad Semiconductor Inc., the industry’s leading supplier of via-configurable mixed-signal ASICs, today announced the first system-on-chip (SoC) to integrate the world-class ARM® Cortex™-M0 with the via-configurable analog and digital functions needed to rapidly and inexpensively deliver embedded mixed-signal solutions. Triad’s Mocha-1™ array provides access to ARM standardized 32-bit processing performance combined with Triad’s silicon-proven via-configurable array (VCA) technology, allowing electronic system designers to customize analog and digital features with lower power consumption and greater system cost savings than last-generation ASIC solutions.

Embedded processors are everywhere, from toothbrushes to automobiles. The processing requirements for these microprocessors continue to increase along with the need for enhanced, customized analog and digital features. The Mocha-1 platform enables integration of complete mixed-signal SoCs by combining the industry-standard Cortex-M0 processor, backed by the ARM development ecosystem, with Triad’s VCA technology. Developers are able to integrate entire existing discrete PC board-level designs into the Mocha-1 platform.

Triad’s VCA technology combines silicon-proven analog, digital, memory and microprocessor resources on a single ASIC die. These resources are overlaid with a global routing fabric. Unique to Triad’s approach, all of the resources on a VCA are configured by placing vias within the global routing fabric. Vias are placed on the VCA using Triad’s advanced, analog-aware, via-only automatic place-and-route software, which configures and interconnects the entire VCA without the need for full-custom manual layout. This approach shortens time to prototypes and time to market, reduces development and tooling costs, and accelerates the design process by enabling the reuse of proven mixed-signal IP blocks.

“The Mocha-1 platform is the first and only method to combine ARM processing with configurable analog and digital,” said Jim Kemerling, vice president and CTO of Triad Semiconductor. “It is ideal for any applications that require 32-bit performance in an 8-bit or 16-bit footprint with ultra-low power consumption. Our single-mask VCA technology provides safe, rapid prototyping and production at low cost.”

Triad’s architecture contains a rich set of configurable analog functions, including: analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters, filters, op-amps, comparators, switched capacitor circuits, voltage regulators and capacitive sensor interfaces. These analog resources are tightly coupled with configurable digital logic plus RAM and non-volatile memory. Combining the Cortex-M0 with these configurable analog and digital building blocks allows Mocha-1 to realize a wide range of single-chip, mixed-signal SoC solutions for industrial, medical, sensor, Bluetooth low energy, and military/ aerospace applications.

Pricing and Availability
Mocha-1 provides configurable ASIC solutions unique to each customer. Price is a function of package and production volume, ranging from US $7.00 to $15.00 per ASIC, with customer-optimized solutions available for under $2.00 in high volume applications. Triad is now accepting customer designs for the Mocha-1 array, with silicon being delivered in Q1.

Mocha is a trademark of Triad Semiconductor, Inc. ARM is the registered trademark of ARM Limited in the EU and other countries. Cortex and ARM Powered are trademarks of ARM Limited in the EU and other countries. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

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ADVISORY/ Triad Semiconductor to Demonstrate at ESC Boston: How Via-configurable Array Technology Reduces Cost and Time for Mixed-signal ASIC Design

Triad Semiconductor — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:19:29 +0000

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – September 15, 2009 - Triad Semiconductor Inc., the industry’s leading supplier of via-configurable analog and mixed-signal ASICs, will demonstrate its silicon-proven via-configurable array (VCA) technology for analog, digital and mixed-signal design at the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) in Boston from September 21st to 24th, 2009.

What:
Triad Semiconductor’s a new family of ARM Powered® VCAs combines the ARM® Cortex™-M0 processor with Triad’s silicon-proven analog, digital and memory building blocks on an array that can be configured by changing a single via layer. The Triad Mocha™ family reduces system costs and time to market by as much as 75% while also significantly reducing risk and support for any production volume for applications that require 32-bit performance in an 8/16-bit footprint with ultra-low power consumption. Please see http://www.triadsemi.com/vca-technology/ for additional detail.

When:
Monday, September 21st through Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Where:
Booth 214, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA.

Editorial Contact:
Linda Marchant, Cayenne Communication LLC, 919-451-0776 or linda.marchant@cayennecom.com