ADI chip integrates DSP core, 14-bit A/D converter

The mixed-signal DSP combo is going after a portion of the embedded control/signal-processing market that ADI estimates will rise from a little over $100 million in 2001 to over $1 billion in 2004. Those figures are derived from data from iSuppli, Cahners In-Stat Group and Gartner Group.

"With the '2199X, we're basically taking our ['219X] DSP cores, combining those with state-of-the art development tools and high-performance analog to create mixed-signal DSP solutions and components for a number of embedded control and embedded signal-processing applications," said Finbarr Moynihan, product line manager for ADI's mixed-signal DSP products. Other applications include intelligent sensor-control, power control and industrial automation, the company said.

"We also see great potential in test and measurement, servos, robotics and sensors, all driven by the need for high-resolution analog and more Mips on the DSP side," said Moynihan. "This is the start of a whole family that will target these needs."

Moynihan said ADI chose the 16-bit '219x core because its 160-MHz/160-Mips (million instructions per second) capability is projected to increase to 300-MHz/300-Mips performance. It is also code-compatibility with ADI's existing motor-control products, he said. "Also, as a fixed-point DSP core, it has the right level of scalability across our target applications," said Moynihan.

The 8-channel A/D core, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 70 dB, is actually a st andard ADI part that was migrated from a 0.35-micron process to allow for its integration with the '219X.

The part's breakthrough is its integration of a high-precision, high-speed A/D converter on the same substrate as a DSP core, Moynihan said. "For this, we had to leverage all of ADI's expertise in analog and mixed-signal design to reduce noise," he said.

The first two devices in the family are the '21990 and '21991. The '21990 has 4 kwords of program RAM, 4 kwords of data RAM and an external memory address space of 1 Mword. The pin-compatible '21991 has 32 kwords of program RAM and 8 kwords of data RAM. Both are supported by the company's Crosscore hardware and software development tools.

The '21990 is sampling now, with production slated for the second quarter. It is priced at $18.25 each in 10,000s. The '21991 will sample in the third quarter, with production set for the fourth quarter. Pricing has been set at $21.95 each in quantities of 10,000. Each is packaged in a 196-ba ll, mini-BGA or a 176-pin thin quad flatpack.