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01 April 2006

News & Analysis | Technical Features | Opinion | Interview
News & Analysis
Easier OPC is tools' promise
Aprio Technologies and Brion Technologies recently launched optical proximity correction tools that promise greater accuracy and flexible user controllability.

RF front-end sets out for 802.11n standard
RF front-end manufacturers led by SiGe Semiconductor are readying their devices for the new 802.11n standard--the first Wi-Fi architecture to use MIMO antennas.

4Gbit NAND adds error correction code
Coming soon is STMicroelectronics' 4Gbit NAND flash memory chip powered by complex, on-chip BCH error correction code technology.

HSDPA chips combine ARM9 with DSP cores
Agere Systems claims it can develop HSDPA-based smart phones with its DAX455 chip with a DSP core for L1 and audio functions, and an on-chip ARM 9 for control-plane tasks.

SystemC assertions go 'native'
Jeda Technologies shelved its own Jeda verification language in favor of a new tool suite supposedly equipped with the industry's first 'native' SystemC assertion-based verification automation capability.

'Blueprinting' algorithms for SSL
Certeon attempts to accelerate secure sockets layer traffic by using special 'blueprinting' algorithms that can search domains in the same way packets are inspected.


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Switching lines play up Metro Ether
Cisco Systems Inc. and Extreme Networks Inc. are expanding their metro Ethernet switching strategies to meet carriers' need for resiliency.

New crosspoint switch handles equalization
Vitesse Semiconductor has launched a 12-port crosspoint switch chip with equalization as part of a recasting of its high-speed product lines into the Signal Integrity series.

FPGAs consumed by power issues
Power issues charged up the recent FPGA 2006 symposium, and for good reason—many observers see high power consumption as perhaps the biggest factor limiting wider usage of the devices.

Digital MEMS mic put on single chip
Microelectromechanical systems are the best possible successor to analog electret technologies; but so far, analog MEMS microphones have been largely relegated to a single market: hearing aids.

Chinese A/V codec rises
A Chinese A/V codec is on the verge of becoming a national standard—a domestic rival to MPEG-4/H.264 and WMV-9 that backers say will save China-based manufacturers and consumers millions of dollars in fees and royalties in the next few years.

Mobile operators hammer on costs
Mobile operators are facing a huge shakeout as ARPU drops dramatically for voice, and the only subscriber growth remains in emerging markets such as mobile TV and converged Wi-Fi/GSM phones.

Flexible displays see app hurdles
While the flexible-display industry has reported steady gains in technical areas, there is common perception that its technology has been confined to the lab.

100GbE spec: 2010 at best
Participants in a DesignCon panel on 100GbE have concluded that no draft standard will emerge before 2010.

Mobile phone chip interface gets real
MIPI Alliance unveils plans to release interfaces for displays, PHY, audio and power management, and other peripherals in the next two years.

Multiple options tie home networking in knots
While experts agree that video will be a crucial driver for home networking in the next few years, there is little agreement on which wired technology is best for shuttling video around the house.

A better path to video-over-WLAN
Higher throughput, excess bandwidth, MIMO, channel bonding and advanced forward error correction are but some of the remedies for issues confronting video delivery over WLAN.

IPTV rollouts put premium on codec flexibility
As the pace quickens toward large-scale commercial IPTV implementation, the pressure intensifies on equipment suppliers to market highly flexible and upgradeable platforms.

IPTV: Think outside the box
Learn to make careful design and architecture choices for IPTV STBs.

PCI Express verification underscores need to plan
Complex verification projects have compelled engineers to do more planning to avoid getting lost in the 1,300+ item compliance checklist.

It's client time for .11 nets
Craig Mathias believes it's time to address 802.11's one clear flaw—the lack of standard client-side functionality.

Scale the hurdles associated with mesh networks
Using the proper algorithms can lead designers down the path to a mesh network with a hierarchical structure.

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Technical Features
Class D amps have greater efficiency, stability
New switched-mode audio amplifiers are increasingly being used in portable, slim-size consumer apps. (PDF file)

Platform-based SoC design comes of age
Ongoing silicon scaling has prompted the IC industry to seek new design methodologies, the most notable of which is platform-based SoC design. (PDF file)

Boost networking applications with RLDRAM II memory
RLDRAM II, an advanced and cost-effective memory solution, provides the flexibility needed to implement complex network design architectures. (PDF file)

Chips bring fingerprint verification a step further
A new fingerprint identification chip takes ID verification technology to the next level. (PDF file)

Automotive vision puts tech in driver's seat
While much of the technology needed for automotive vision already exists, engineering challenges related to product definition, system integration and building a smart-vehicle infrastructure still remain. (PDF file)

Choosing discrete transceivers for USB apps
In choosing discrete transceivers, designers must fully understand the various aspects of the USB 2.0 environment and its interaction with non-USB components. (PDF file)

Low-threshold MOSFETs can alleviate power-hungry portable devices
Discover how MOSFETs can help portable devices achieve high-speed performance and improved power efficiency. (PDF file)

New video compression standards work to meet test challenges
Appropriate test and analysis tools can facilitate the development and implementation of new video-compression standards. (PDF file)

Power metering made easy
Electronic meters are gaining acclaim for their ability to implement three important collection strategies. (PDF file)

How near-field communications can speed up Bluetooth transactions
NFC links unravel Bluetooth's cumbersome pairing process. (PDF file)

Implement maximum security for VoIP
Data-centric and time-consuming Internet security is insufficient to handle security threats looming in the background for VoIP. This article is a primer that discusses what exists, how to harness it and how to approach implementation—down to the microsecond. (PDF file)

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Opinion
Turning 3C into 4C, auto rides next big wave
Growing electronic content in cars is good news for the semiconductor and system design industries—turning 3C into 4C.

CMOS MEMS allows designers to maximize tools, techs and processes
A breakthrough in monolithic devices, CMOS-based MEMS offers a cost-effective solution that goes from design to prototype in a matter of weeks.


Interview
Avago takes semiconductor baton from Agilent
Find out where newly formed Avago Technologies is headed as it takes over Agilent Technologies' semiconductor business.

Talkback

eeForum:
Demystifying Vietnam
What does Vietnam offer that a rising number of top-tier semiconductor companies are setting up and expanding operations there?

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