Analog Devices Discloses Details of New DSP Core At Microprocessor Forum

IP News

Analog Devices Discloses Details of New DSP Core At Microprocessor Forum

Roadmap of products targets xDSL, 3G, VoIP, and digital motor control applications

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 6 -- Analog Devices (NYSE: ADI - news) today disclosed details of the company's new ADSP-219x (9x) 16-bit, fixed-point digital signal processor (DSP) core at the Microprocessor Forum in San Jose, CA, October 4-8, 1999. The 9x core features architectural enhancements that enable breakthroughs in system-level integration for real-time embedded applications and in channel density for telecommunications equipment. Four cores will be combined in a family of devices capable of delivering 1.2 billion multiply/accumulates per second per inch. ADI also revealed plans to integrate the 9x core with 16 Mbits of on-chip memory, four times greater than the largest amount of memory available on a DSP today. This level of memory integration greatly enhances system performance and simplifies design by eliminating the off-chip memory accesses that slow down a processor and create programming complexities.

Further addressing the need for system-level integration, ADI announced that the company is using the AMBA™ Advanced High-performance Bus (AHB) interface from ARM (Nasdaq: ARMHY; LSE: ARM). The AMBA specification is an open industry standard bus that supports 100 Megaword per second I/O throughput via the AHB and enables the easy integration of standard DSP system interfaces including SDRAM, serial ports, mixed-signal components (digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters), and telecommunications line interfaces like T1/E1. The AMBA AHB will facilitate the development of highly integrated 9x-based solutions for applications such as xDSL, third-generation wireless, VoIP communications, and digital motor control products.

"The applications for DSP are becoming more diverse, ranging from industrial electronics to Internet appliances," said Kevin Leary, 9x program director, Analog Devices. "ARM's AMBA on-chip bus will help us to quickly bring DSPs to market with the right interfaces for the application, making it easier for our customers to integrate DSPs into their systems. It's all about fitting the DSP into the system. By combining our signal processing and system integration know-how, we have developed a DSP core that will enable major breakthroughs in DSP designs."

Code-Compatible, C Compiler Friendly

Continuing the legacy of providing code-compatible DSP products, the 9x core assures a roadmap for software and preserves a huge library of off-the-shelf code developed for the popular ADSP-218x family of DSPs. ADI has made specific enhancements to the 2100 architecture that increase the efficiency of C code compilation, while retaining object code and programmer's model compatibility with the ADSP-218x. Enhancements include: extending the address reach to 16 Mwords, adding five new addressing modes and a register file-style operand access. The new 219x also integrates an on-chip cache memory.

Multicore Roadmap to 1.2 Billion MACs

The 9x core will serve as a key DSP technology for ADI's 16-bit general-purpose DSP offerings (ADSP-219x), embedded DSP solutions where application-specific circuitry and software are combined with a DSP, and mixed-signal DSP products, which are custom-designed to a customer's precise requirements. For performance-driven applications, multiple cores will be integrated together on a single die. Four cores will be combined in a family of devices capable of delivering 1.2 billion multiply/accumulates per second per inch. Power-conscious designers will also see a path in 9x-based products operating at 0.15mA/MIPS. For price-sensitive applications, sub $5 DSPs are also planned.

ADI's DSP Strategy

ADI is a leading supplier of digital signal processing solutions, including customized, mixed-signal DSPs, general-purpose DSPs, such as the SHARC® family, and embedded DSP solutions. Equally important is the end objective of making DSP designs easier to develop. ADI's DSP architectures feature simple, yet powerful programming models. The ADI DSP Collaborative(TM) brings a network of innovative, independent development partners who provide tools and algorithms. Our VisualDSP® environment makes integration easy and helps bring to market new leading-edge products.

About Analog Devices

With sales of $1.23 billion for fiscal 1998, Analog Devices is a leading manufacturer of precision high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing applications. Headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, the company employs approximately 7,000 people worldwide and has manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts, California, North Carolina, Ireland, the Philippines and Taiwan.

ARM is a registered trademark of ARM Limited; AMBA is a trademark of ARM Limited.