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Pointers
and Pitfalls |
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Unintended consequences of IC innovation result in loss of time, money and opportunity. Toshiba's growing list of Pointers and Pitfalls will help you to discover threats and reveal opportunities in the development and collaboration of chip design. As a large IDM, nearly half of Toshiba's $10.78B* in companywide semiconductor revenues is derived from System LSI business. Tap into this deep system-level expertise to enable higher productivity and greater success.
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NEW Power-Saving Clock-Gating Technique
is an Inseparable Part of SoC Design |
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In today’s higher performing SoCs, clock gating is increasingly becoming an
inseparable part of the system-on-chip design technique due to strict chip power requirements. In theory, clock-gated designs can achieve both lower power consumption and improved timing performance compared to similar non-clock-gated designs. Typically, since not all circuits are in use all of the time, this variance in unused assets is an opportunity to reduce power dissipation.
NEW Impact of Multiple-Voltage Domain (Multi-VDD)
Design Implementation on Large, Complex SoCs |
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Advanced multi-voltage domain (multi-VDD) architectures allow designers to implement large, complex SoCs that consume the lowest possible amounts of power, while delivering the required performance and functionality. Not unexpectedly, implementing a low power, multi-VDD voltage area [VA] requires careful planning and early design architecture considerations, as well as considerable analysis.
Early Chip Sizing (Pre-sales) Carries High Financial and
Technical Implications |
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Accurate and early estimation of chip size is critical to an overall project because it affects both financial as well as technical feasibility. If the die has too many pins for example, it may necessitate utilizing a package that is too large for the board. Or if it draws too much power, it may require airflow in a machine without fans. Toshiba’s obligation as an ASIC vendor is to help its customers obtain, as accurately as possible, a resolute picture of their end chip.
High-Speed I/O Design Considerations in Low-Cost Packaging Applications |
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The use of high-speed I/O in almost every ASIC design requires careful design consideration to avoid issues with power and ground noise and coupling between sensitive signals. Spacing constraints and the desire for very dense designs can lead to signal integrity issues within the package. Timing problems due to crosstalk and simultaneous switching outputs will also become more prevalent in packages with high-speed I/O.
Power Management Poses a Critical Design Constraint
in the SoC World of Consumer Applications |
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Power management—and power-based differentiation—is fast becoming one of the most critical design constraints in the world of IC designers. The challenge of designing chips with optimum energy density and power consumption threatens to increase design time and, therefore, time-to-market. Engineers need to routinely apply sophisticated low-power design methods that can address the rising impact of power problems occurring in nanometer designs at 130nm and below, as well as in portable electronic devices and large complex digital ICs.
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*Toshiba Consolidated and Non-Consolidated Results for Fiscal Year Ended March 2007 ($1=120.05¥)
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