1. Introduction to VLSI Programming High Performance DLX
(course 2IN30)
Prof. dr. ir.Kees van Berkel

2. Demonstrator ICs 4/14/2019 Kees van Berkel
ImageNet IC: 2 weeks from start to tape-out
all first-time-right,
except: Mozart: (aC)
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Kees van Berkel

3. Added value
1985: modularity, ease of design (no value added to product!)
1990: low power (ESPRIT project )
1992: low noise, low EME (Electro-Magnetic Emission)
2000: ...
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Kees van Berkel

4. Added value: low power DCC Error Corrector
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Kees van Berkel

5. A sync-async “arms race”
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6. Synchronous 80C51 - Asynchronous 80C51
Added value: Low Power
Synchronous 80C Asynchronous 80C51
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7. Added value: Low EM Emission
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8. Roadblock: circuit size the 80C51 learning curve
1995/6
1999/4
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Kees van Berkel

9. “Just in time” processing
Asynchronous
DSP circuit
fifo
DC/DC in
out
Vdd
Vdd’
fifo
Asynchronous
DSP circuit
Asynchronous
DSP circuit .
Asynchronous
DSP circuit
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10. ADPCM
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11. ADPCM
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12. ADPCM
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13. Industrialization of the Technology
Philips Semiconductors Zürich (1994 Dec): “We want to set a world record in low power, by using asynchronous technology.”
Their choice for a vehicle: the 80C51 micro-controller (used in many consumer products).
Result: 4× less power, minimal EME.
Follow-up: pager baseband ICs, …
In parallel: transfer and upgrade of tools + design flow
Finally we had a group who, given our low-power claim,
wanted to invest x manyears in trying to exploit handshake technology.
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Kees van Berkel

14. Pager Baseband Controller ICs
Myna pager:
FLEX™ protocol
32 alphanumeric messages
a single AAA battery (1V)
up to 25 weeks battery life
Pager baseband controller ICs:
PCA5007, PCA 5010
com/pip/PCA5007
async.html
Industrialization is one thing,
Commercialization another.
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Kees van Berkel

15. 1998-Sep: the PCA 5007
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Kees van Berkel

16. A new generation of pagers: a common platform for all standards
PCA 5007
Baseband Controller
LCD
#   M
Memory
Receiver I Q
I2C
EMI
25V
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Kees van Berkel

17. EMI: a critical design factor (Electro-Magnetic Interference)
Antenna signal may be as small as 25V.
Clock harmonics of synchronous micro-controllers interfere with RF (X00 MHz).
With asynchronous 80C51: signal decoding by means of (standard-specific) software. (This also enables upgrading/downloading!)
Furthermore: no shielding is required between controller and RF receiver.
Asynchronous technology: excellent EME performance
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Kees van Berkel

18. PCA5007 block diagram
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Kees van Berkel

19. Contactless smartcard IC (ESPRIT project DESCALE)
Power
regulator
80C51 micro-controller
DES engine
UART
RAM, ROM, EEPROM
13.56 MHz clock
power (a few mW)
bi-directional communication (106 kbit/s)
Radio link:
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Kees van Berkel

20. Contactless smartcard IC
Properties
a) low average power
lower peak power
speed adaptation
Merits
Maximum speed for received power (a,c)
Robust operation against voltage drops (c)
Smaller buffer capacitor (b,c)
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Kees van Berkel

21. Conclusion
First asynchronous VLSI circuits on the market (high volume sales).
Prospects for more async products look good.
Added value: low power, EME performance.
Added costs: test, IC area, being different.
Asynchronous VLSI technology:
there is room for it in market niches,
… but it may contribute to main-stream VLSI.
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Kees van Berkel

22. Bibliography
Computer Architecture; a Quantitative Approach (3rd Ed.); John L Hennessy & David A Patterson; Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc, 1996.
ARM System Architecture; Steve Furber; Addison Wesley, 1996.
DSP Processor Fundamentals, Architectures and Features; Phil Lapsey et al (Berkeley Design Technology Inc.), IEEE, 1996.
newscenter/archive/2004/handshake.html
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Kees van Berkel

23. Lab-work and report
You are allowed to team up with a colleague (Not mandatory.)
Report: more than listing of functional Tangram programs:
analyze the specifications and requirements;
present design options, alternatives, trade-offs;
motivate your design choices;
explain functional correctness of your Tangram programs;
analyze & explain {area, time, energy} of your programs.
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Kees van Berkel