Inside a DSP Solution Lies Analog
Innovation :
Pop the lid on a digital signal processing (DSP) solution and you find
advanced technology. DSP technology is the core -- performing millions
of calculations each second. It's the engine driving the electronics revolution
in areas such as high-speed, secure connections for Internet commerce,
wireless connections for both voice and data communications, and digital
home entertainment. However, to be an effective solution for these
or any other applications, the DSP needs analog help. In fact, if you look
inside any DSP solution, you'll find a DSP chip surrounded by mixed-signal
and analog technology. Mixed-signal technology in data converters takes
analog signals such as
sound and light, converts them to digital bits, and delivers them to the
DSP. This process acts in reverse once the DSP has processed those bits.
Analog technology manages the power requirements of the DSP ensuring voltages
are regulated to appropriate tolerances. And analog technology that
amplifies currents to desired levels so that, for example, signals can
be transmitted efficiently over today's copper telephone lines. As the
world leader in DSP solutions, TI has always been an innovator in
both digital signal processing and in mixed-signal / analog technology.
That innovation has resulted in TI being number one in the DSP market and
number one in the analog market - a unique position no other semiconductor
company can claim.
Meeting the Analog Challenge :
The push for higher performance and faster speeds is well known in
digital electronics. Clearing those types of design hurdles requires more
advanced analog technology. The drive to lower the size, weight and
power consumption of portable digital applications pushes analog integrated
circuit (IC) manufacturers to increase the functionality and
improve the packaging of their devices. In higher - volume, standardized
applications, manufacturers are looking to integrate digital and analog
technologies on single silicon piece. That raises challenges in many
areas including design and process technology.
Increased Functionality :
As the performance of digital applications increases, the demand on
mixed-signal and analog solutions increases in direct proportion.
Increased application performance takes a variety of shapes including
higher speeds, increased processing power, longer battery life, reduced
size and lower cost. Meeting these performance demands usually means integrating
the functions of multiple devices on fewer or, better yet, a
single chip. Examples of increased functionality in mixed-signal/analog
are evident in audio amplifiers in wireless communications, in data converters
and data transmission in personal computers. The drive for increased
functionality will intensify as electronics become more powerful, personalized
and portable. That means integrating more analog functions on a single
chip.
Packaging Innovations :
Portability is also behind the drive for packaging innovations. Shrinking
the size of electronic devices ultimately comes down to shrinking the integrated
circuits inside the device. Moving to higher density circuits raises many
new design issues for both analog and digital designers including increased
signal noise and efficient printed circuit board layouts. Ultra-small
packaging for analog ICs -- the size of a fingernail -- with industry standard
pinout are essential to building portable or even
wearable electronic devices in the future.
Challenges of Integration :
Ultimately, the push for reduced size, weight and cost can result in
the integration of digital and analog functionality on a single piece of
silicon. In applications where end-user needs are well defined and firmly
established, it often makes economic sense to follow the integration trend
to a single chip solution. In the future, the idea of a cellular phone
on a chip is a very real possibility.
Integrating digital and analog raises another level of design issues
for both analog and digital manufacturers. For each design, the optimum
process technology -- analog versus digital -- must be determined. The
need for shielding from noise and crosstalk must be addressed. Clearly,
semiconductor companies will need both analog and digital expertise to
meet the design challenges of integration.
Texas Instruments: Building Leadership
in Mixed-Signal/Analog :
TI is the market and technology leader in the mixed-signal and analog
markets. This advantage translates into some significant synergy in the
development of both product and process roadmaps. As a result, TI is well
equipped to meet the analog market challenges – increased functionality,
packaging innovations and integration. The range is from technically advanced
building blocks to highly integrated solutions. TI is the pioneer
in the IEEE 1394 high performance serial bus. This data transfer standard
will enable a seamless digital home environment by connecting devices such
as digital camcorders, digital VCRs, digital video disks and digital TVs
to a central PC-like hub. The analog driver on a mixed-signal chip
in the 1394 connection provides the bandwidth needed to enable real-time,
affordable data transmission. TI has both the experience and the breadth
of product line to implement 1394 technology quickly and easily. That will
open up tremendous opportunity for DSP-centric equipment in the converging
markets of communications, computing and entertainment. The 1394 family
of products provides a high-level of functionality on both the link layer
digital chip and the physical layer mixed-signal chip. These 1394 products
are a critical element of TI's portfolio of advanced analog building blocks.
Within the DSP solutions for wireless communications lie several analog
elements including analog base band, power management and radio frequency
(RF) components. TI has decided strengths and established positions in
both analog base band and power management. In addition, TI announced a
new family of RF products in 1997. These RF ICs enable TI to provide all
the major system blocks for digital cellular, personal communications systems
(PCS) and digital cordless phone applications.
TI's analog innovation is a critical part of the DSP solution for
asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) technology. ADSL is a digital
communications service that delivers significantly higher speeds over ordinary
telephone lines than today's analog modems. In addition to the programmable
DSP, TI's solution contains several analog elements including a new line
driver/receiver -- the THS6002. This device, which features four amplifiers,
delivers the high current output needed to drive data over standard phone
lines with minimal distortion. This high-speed, innovative device is ideally
suited to ADSL applications.
To meet the challenge of smaller footprint and lower weight, TI has
introduced the PowerPAD™, an innovative IC package. The patented PowerPAD
design uses an exposed thermal pad, which can be soldered directly to a
printed circuit board to provide extra heat sinking. It allows smaller designs,
higher-density circuitry and better performance. The PowerPAD is the type
of breakthrough packaging needed in mixed-signal/analog to advance the
digital revolution.
Capitalizing on the Analog Opportunity
:
The analog market reached $20 billion in 1997, according to Dataquest.
That represents a 16 percent growth over the '96 market. Looking forward,
ICE forecasts a 16 percent compound annual growth rate to the year 2000
for analog ICs. Clearly, the analog market continues to represent an attractive
opportunity for TI and other semiconductor manufacturers.
Analog technology will enable the proliferation of DSP into many new
affordable applications in the areas of voice and data communication, entertainment,
digital motor control, and health and safety, to name just a few. As a
result, the market for DSP solutions will explode to more than $50 billion
over the next 10 years -- up from $3.5 billion in '96. As DSP solutions
proliferate, so will innovative analog technology. Success will require
expertise in digital, analog and mixed-signal design. TI is the market
leader in the DSP, analog and mixed-signal markets. Pop the lid on a DSP
solution from TI and you will see innovation.