True Circuits Introduces a Revolutionary New DDR 4/3 PHY

AUSTIN, Texas --June 3, 2013 -- True Circuits, Inc. (TCI), a leading provider of analog and mixed-signal intellectual property (IP) for the semiconductor, systems and electronics industries announced today the introduction of a new high performance DDR 4/3 PHY with state-of-the-art tuning and training, and remarkable physical flexibility to adapt to each customer's die floorplan and package. The DDR 4/3 PHY has been developed using the powerful custom design automation tools that have made TCI's line of high performance PLLs and DLLs a staple in the semiconductor industry for over 15 years. The availability of this revolutionary PHY means customers can now license a hard PHY with significant performance and features without all the implementation and timing closure hassles that are common with current DDR offerings.

The DDR 4/3 PHY is a high-performance, scalable system using a radically new architecture that continuously and automatically adjusts each pin individually, correcting skew within byte lanes. This state-of-the-art tuning acts independently on each pin, data phase and chip select value. Read data eye and gate timing are also continuously adjusted. Automatic training is included for multi-cycle read gate timing and write leveling, write data eye timing, and internal and external (on DRAM) Vref setting.

The PHY employs a localized, clock deskewed PHY-to-memory controller interface to ease timing closure. The circuitry in each pin is able to measure the data eye and jitter, and calculate flight delays. The PHY also includes a full speed read/write BIST, which tests the complete read and write paths of every pin simultaneously with pseudo-random data.

Remarkable physical flexibility allows the PHY to adapt to each customer's die floorplan and package constraints, and is delivered and verified as a single hard macro for easy timing closure with no assembly required. The PHY is also DFI 3.1 compliant, and when combined with a suitable DDR 4/3 memory controller, a complete and fully-automatic DDR 4/3 system is realized.

"TCI has been providing high-performance PLL and DLL IP for a range of DDR applications since the early days of DDR. In working closely with our customers, it became clear to us that DDR is really a timing problem, one that requires a deep understanding of analog timing circuits, parallel interfaces and signal integrity", remarked Stephen Maneatis, True Circuits', CEO. "After seeing so many customers struggle with the challenges of higher speeds, integration complexity and timing closure, we decided to apply our over 15 years of experience in high performance analog timing IP, and design an entirely new DDR 4/3 PHY that addresses these challenges in a broad and comprehensive way. The result of this effort is a hard PHY that adjusts timing automatically to optimize performance, and is also easy to integrate and test. Customers have always been able to count on True Circuits timing IP for functionality, performance and quality, and they should expect nothing less from our new DDR 4/3 PHY IP."

Availability and Licensing
The True Circuits DDR 4/3 PHY is initially available for customer delivery in TSMC's 28nm HPM process. The PHY will be available in additional TSMC and GlobalFoundries processes in the very near future. Interested customers can obtain more product information on the web at www.truecircuits.com/ddr_phy.html or by contacting True Circuits at sales@truecircuits.com.

About True Circuits Attendance at DAC
At the Design Automation Conference (DAC), True Circuits will feature its complete line of high performance and general purpose timing IP, as well as its revolutionary new DDR 4/3 PHY IP. Brian Gardner, True Circuits' V.P. of Business Development, will also make presentations about True Circuits and our new DDR PHY IP in the ChipEstimate.com booth #2446 and the TSMC OIP booth #1746 each day of the conference.

When and Where at DAC
Austin Convention Center, Austin, TX

True Circuits Booth #2441
Monday - Wednesday, June 3-5, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

ChipEstimate.com Booth #2446
Monday, June 3, 11:00 AM
Tuesday, June 4, 1:30 PM
Wednesday, June 5, 11:30 AM

TSMC OIP Booth #1746
Monday, June 3, 2:45 PM
Tuesday, June 4, 11:30 AM
Wednesday, June 5, 4:25 PM

About True Circuits PLLs and DLLs
True Circuits offers a complete family of standardized and silicon-proven general purpose, clock generator, deskew, and spread spectrum PLLs and DDR DLLs that spans nearly all performance points and features typically requested by ASIC, FPGA and SoC designers. These high quality, low-jitter PLL and DLL hard macros are suited to a wide variety of interface standards and chip applications. They are pin-programmable, highly process tolerant and reusable. They are also easy to integrate and are fully supported, so customers can reduce both design and silicon risks.

True Circuits PLLs are available in a range of frequencies, multiplication factors (1-4096), sizes and functions over which they deliver optimal performance, avoiding the cost and complexity of licensing multiple point-solution PLLs from foundries or other vendors. TCI's DLLs are available in mutli-slave and multi-phase versions and delay a set of signals by precise and adjustable fractions of a reference clock cycle independent of voltage and temperature, are ideal for high-speed DDR interface applications and are available in different sizes and form factors. Customized PLL and DLL solutions are also available for specialized chip applications.

True Circuits PLLs and DLLs are available for immediate customer delivery in TSMC, GlobalFoundries, UMC and Common Platform processes from 180nm to 20nm. For more information about True Circuits IP products, visit www.truecircuits.com/tci_technology.html and www.truecircuits.com/product_matrix.html.

About True Circuits
True Circuits develops and markets a broad range of industry leading PLLs, DLLs and DDR PHY hard macros for ICs for the semiconductor, systems and electronics industries. TCI's robust state-of-the-art circuits, methodical and proven design strategy, and close association with the world's leading fabs, IDMs, and design services companies allow the company to quickly and reliably create new and innovative designs in a variety of advanced process technologies. Over the last 15 years, True Circuits has distinguished itself as the technology leader in the timing IP space, and its PLLs and DLLs are used extensively around the world in its customers' products with production volumes in the billions.

True Circuits is headquartered at 4300 El Camino Real, Suite 200, Los Altos, California 94022 and can be found on the web at www.truecircuits.com. Product inquiries can be made by calling the company directly at (650) 949-3400 or via e-mail at sales@truecircuits.com.