State-of-the-art Analog Virtual Component proves the Silicon IP paradigm works

NEC ELECTRON DEVICES OF JAPAN LAUNCHES SECOND GENERATION IC WITH ANALOG VIRTUAL COMPONENT FROM DOLPHIN INTEGRATION

State-of-the-art Analog Virtual Component proves the Silicon IP paradigm works

Grenoble, France and Kanagawa, Japan, March 27th, 2001 – NEC Electron Devices of Japan and DOLPHIN Integration SA are announcing the third generation of a Virtual Component for High-Quality Stereo-Output Audio-Amplifier.

This output amplifier has been designed to drive High Quality Stereo headphones with a very low noise level and without signal distortion.

The challenge of Analog Silicon Intellectual Property (SIP)

Providing the traditional IC design flow with some credible new paradigm for Time-to-Market is not achievable through the mere Reuse of some exotic Virtual Component. It requires instead strong innovative contents from the SIP Provider, together with a strong sense of service. With this approach Integrated Device Makers may rely on both the safety of Reuse and a good dose of custom features to keep an edge over any competitor who could use the same Virtual Component.

In such a reassessment, a kit approach together with a fast custom integration process is necessary: both IC Makers and System designers can benefit with top-notch Time-To-market from CODAT, the Dolphin kit for Coders-Decoders in Audio and Telecommunication.

CODAT is the generic sigma-delta analog interface for most Telecom requirements in bandwidth, Signal over Noise Ratio, supply voltage and diverse programmable features in CMOS from 0.5 µm down to 0.18 µm and from 3.3 volts to 1.8…

The present output amplifier has been reused from Dolphin sigma-delta data converters product line. The design kit assembly methodology allows fast custom integration at schematics and mask levels, providing both IC Makers and System designers with safe and swift delivery.

Innovation-on-Tap

"We are quite thankful to NEC Electron Devices for partnering with Dolphin, a company so much smaller than us, and experiences of lasting cooperation with such a company are quite valuable and important. This cooperation resulted in the first generation high performance amplifier in 1999, followed with its 1.5G improvement by NEC in 2000, and now the novel 2G release, " stated Michel Depeyrot, CEO of the DOLPHIN Group.

"For witnessing our thankfulness as well as for commemorating this joint success, we deeply wish, upon this achievement of second generation, to let it be known to the microelectronics community, declared Project Manager Kobayashi-san in the first System LSI division. This celebration should add to the fame of our new IC for consumer products in this era where the pace of innovation must be accelerated".

High quality performance Audio-amplifier for driving speakers / headphones

The output audio amplifier product line is designed mainly for driving 16 Ω, 32 Ω loads like headphones or small loudspeakers. Both single ended or differential bridged tied load configurations are provided with Signal over Noise ratio up to 90 dB and Total Harmonic distortion better than 0.022 % (or -73 dB) on 16 Ω load.

The partners relied heavily on prior estimates of the targeted Figure of Merit for setting their goals. They defined it simply by multiplying the factors "Signal over Noise Ratio" in decibels, "Bandwidth" in Hertz and "Output Voltage" in Vrms, and by dividing with "Output Impedance" in Ohms and "Power Consumption" in micro-Watts. The attained Figure of Merit thus is a remarkable 22.39!

It is thus dedicated mainly to audio applications such as headphone drivers, with requirements for low impedance loads usually required in MP3 decoders or mobile handsets.

This Operational Amplifier is fabricatable with a process at 0.5 or 0.35 micron for a power supply voltage of 3 volts. The cells used from the CODAT kit have been designed for ensuring a safe and fast migration towards deep submicron CMOS processes. Careful silicon characterization in the laboratory enables to understand major parasitic distortion mechanisms which could not be visible on usual electrical simulations.

Both NEC Electron devices and DOLPHIN Integration want to make their respective competencies in IC's and IP better known to the market, with such an excellent "output amplifier for low impedance loads", fruit of numerous R&D years, which had first enabled the implementation of a directional acoustic antenna.

"This amplifier product line has now a long life, expressed Eric Compagne, design Manager for CODAT, and several skilled designers have put their know-how into schematics and mask design to reach this final realization".

Such competencies can now benefit from a higher commercial success, providing both parties with funding for the next R&D generation.

NEC is now well ahead with expertise in integrated circuits design for cellular phones associated with the exceptionally capability for stereo high quality music of second generation.

Simulated for Right-on-first pass

Skepticism is prevalent in the silicon IP business as to whether the paradigm can apply to analog Virtual Components. It can, but at the expense of real Quality procedures, driving the optimization of layout to the target technological process, and involving new tools, like mixed signal multi-level simulator SMASH™. A pending patent shall demonstrate that state-of-the-art techniques enable yield loss prediction for every design critical issue: device matching, noise, current peaks…

About DOLPHIN Integration

DOLPHIN Integration, provider of "Service Empowered IP" for Logic, Analog and Memory Virtual Components, offers a wide range of Virtual Components with design services and support; from turnkey design to consulting support for customers wanting efficient insertion of FLIP cores from kits into their SoC design. DOLPHIN is a member of the Virtual Socket Interface Alliance (VSIA) and of the Virtual Component exchange (VCX).

Their mission statement is to supply worldwide customers with fault-free, high yield and reliable sets of CMOS Virtual Components together with engineering assistance and product evolution customized to their needs.

For additional information you can find DOLPHIN at www.dolphin-ip.com or address your inquiries to flip@dolphin.fr.

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