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Triad Semiconductor Announces 1-Million Gate Plus Analog Configurable Array


Winston-Salem, NC (PRWEB) July 25, 2011

Triad Semiconductor Inc., the industry’s leading supplier of configurable mixed-signal ASICs, today announced the availability of its largest configurable array to date – VCA-6. The VCA-6 combines precision, high performance analog resources (more than 100 op-amps) with over a million ASIC gates on a single configurable device allowing designers to sweep up an entire board of components into a single ASIC. The VCA-6 is fabricated on IBM’s 0.18-micron 7RF process optimized for mixed signal performance and digital integration. With onshore fabrication and a complete ITAR design and supply chain, Triad and the VCA-6 are an excellent choice for defense applications seeking a cost effective way to secure design IP and manage long-term supply requirements. Applications benefiting from integration onto a VCA-6 include: software defined radio, sonar, smart sensor fusion, FPGA plus analog replacement, UAV controllers and designs needing obsolescence or end of life (EOL) replacement solutions.

The VCA-6 is based on Triad’s silicon-proven via-configurable array (VCA) technology, which allows designers to quickly and inexpensively customize analog, and digital features with lower power consumption and greater system cost savings than previous ASIC solutions.

Technical Highlights

The VCA-6 contains 320 configurable logic tiles. Each tile contains 3,150 NAND2 equivalent ASIC gates providing the array with a total of 1,008,000 ASIC gates. Unlike FPGAs, VCA-6 logic gates are not “equivalent system gates” but actual standard-cell gate primitives providing the size, performance, and power profile typical of a standard-cell digital ASIC implementation. Each logic tile also contains a 4,608-bit 2-port static RAM organized as 128 words by 36-bits. The array also contains a total of 160 Kbytes of via configurable non-volatile read-only memory (ROM) arranged as 160 1K x 8 ROMs. The distributed RAM and ROM resources can be configured into larger composite memories using Triad’s ViaWare™ memory generator. The array contains two on board PLLs for flexible timing generation. The VCA-6 has over 100 op-amps with each op-amp surrounded by configurable collections of resistors, capacitors, transistors, and switches. The analog resources are arranged into single-ended analog tiles, fully differential analog tiles, resistive DAC tiles, bias tiles, and current steering DAC tiles. A single Via-Only™ mask layer change configures and interconnects these analog and digital resources into a wide range of mixed signal circuits. If the design can be conceived of as an interconnection of op-amps, resistors, capacitors, logic and memory then the design can be implemented on a Triad VCA.

About Triad Semiconductor, Inc.

Triad Semiconductor, Inc., a privately held fabless semiconductor company with headquarters in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, develops and produces configurable mixed-signal ASICs. The company’s groundbreaking via-configurable array (VCA) technology delivers ASICs with silicon-proven analog and digital functions more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional full-custom approaches. Triad’s single-mask, Via-Only™ routing cuts engineering effort and fabrication time, resulting in fast-turn prototypes and allowing design changes to be made at minimal cost. For more information, please visit http://www.triadsemi.com or call (336) 774-2150.

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Worlds First Via Configurable RF Receiver Introduced by Triad Semi and Kaben Wireless


Boston, MA (PRWEB) September 27, 2011

Triad Semiconductor Inc. (“Triad”) the industry’s leading supplier of via-configurable mixed-signal ASICs and Kaben Wireless Silicon Inc. (“Kaben”) an industry leading provider of high performance mixed-signal IP, announced the development of a programmable and via-configurable RF array (RF-VCA) for use in a wide variety of wireless applications. Implemented in a 65 nm RF-CMOS process, the RF-VCA makes integrating ARM processors, a customer’s proprietary digital circuits and custom RF receivers into small, cost effective solutions a reality.

Traditionally, RF IC design has been expensive, time-consuming and risky! RF ICs often need from three to four expensive silicon fabrication cycles and they require two years to develop a production worthy device. Using the Triad-Kaben RF-VCA approach, designs can go from concept to working silicon in four to six months. As the RF-VCAs are configured with a single mask layer change, designs can be modified and revised silicon can be delivered in four weeks at a fraction of the cost of a full-custom RF IC re-spin. “Not everyone has cell-phone-like production volumes and the development budgets necessary to create their own custom 65nm RF receiver ASIC paired with an embedded ARM processor and custom analog and digital” said Reid Wender, VP of Marketing at Triad Semiconductor “Now, with the Kaben Powered RF-VCA, many companies that would have never considered ASIC integration can afford their own custom RF-VCA solution.”

The RF-VCA contains two complete RF receiver signal chains that can be configured for applications such as GPS, cellular base stations, cognitive radio, military receivers, FM tuners, ISM-band receivers, and MRI channels. Central to the RF-VCA’s architecture is Kaben’s patented SIF-ADC™ technology that implements RF down-mixing, SAW filter replacement, and analog to digital conversion (ADC) and can be dynamically programmed in the field. The SIF-ADC architecture is ideally suited for implementation on Triad’s VCA architecture. Implemented in an RF-optimized 65nm process, the RF-VCA combines high-performance RF and IF processing with 12-14 bit, 156MSPS SIF-ADCs, onboard RF synthesizers, 2-million configurable ASIC gates, 2-Mbits of dual-port SRAM, and dual 3.125Gbps SERDES channels. The RF-VCA is a complete RF and digital solution for applications spanning frequencies from DC to 3GHz. “Combining the performance and field programmable capabilities of the SIF-ADC with the configurability of the VCA technology is very powerful” said Seste Dell’Aera, Kaben’s Director of Marketing. “A single product can now be applied to a wide a range of wireless and wireline receiver applications.”

To review your RF application and how your business can benefit from an RF-VCA implementation, please contact Triad’s system architects at 336-774-2150 or info(at)triadsemi(dot)com to schedule a review of your requirements. For information on the SIF-ADC contact Kaben at 613-596-6646 or seste.dellaera(at)kabenwireless(dot)com.

Kaben SIF-ADC™ Technology

At the core of the receiver is Kaben’s patented SIF-ADC technology. The SIF-ADC is an analog implementation of a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter prior to a pipelined Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). Applying the filter function prior to the ADC provides exceptional anti-alias and image reject filtering to prevent unwanted signals from compromising the ADC performance. The transfer functions of the SIF filters are programmable using 256 field programmable tap coefficients.

About Kaben Wireless, Inc.

Kaben Wireless Silicon Inc is a semiconductor development organization for wireless and wireline communications systems addressing next generation communication standards. We develop circuits and systems for frequency generation and timing products, integrated reconfigurable tuners for software-defined radio, programmable on-chip filters, RF/Analog front ends and systems for proprietary and standards-based applications. Kaben delivers high-performance designs to manufacturers in the wireless and wireline communications market, that significantly reduce risk, cost, and time to market. For more information, please visit http://www.kabenwireless.com.

About Triad Semiconductor, Inc.

Triad Semiconductor, Inc., a privately held fabless semiconductor company with headquarters in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, develops, prototypes and produces mixed-signal ASICs. The company’s groundbreaking via-configurable array (VCA) technology delivers ASICs with silicon-proven analog and digital functions more quickly and at lower cost than traditional full-custom approaches. Triad’s single-mask, via-only routing cuts engineering effort and fabrication time, resulting in fast-turn prototypes and allowing design changes to be made at minimal cost. For more information, please visit http://www.triadsemi.com or call (336) 774-2150.

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