VaST Models Support Electronics Virtualization for Consumer Electronics OEMs

Models of Tensilica processors are now available from VaST Systems for the VaST CoMET System Engineering Environment.

Xtensa and Diamond Standard processor designers will be able to easily import the cycle accurate instruction set simulator provided by Tensilica into the VaST platform for early architectural exploration and software development and debugging. Chip designers can test their Tensilica processor-based designs early in the design cycle with real software using VaST virtual system prototypes, significantly shortening the overall design cycle compared to traditional design methods and allowing designers to test design trade-offs while changes can still be cost-effectively made.

For more information, see http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2008_03_25.htm

Xtensa Processors Enable Next-Generation Mobile HD Radio Technology

Tensilica's Xtensa configurable processor has been designed into the baseband processor in Samsung EM’s HD Radio chipset. The baseband processor, based on a design by iBiquity Digital Corporation, the developer and licensor of HD Radio technology and a Tensilica processor reseller, integrates the memory, SDRAM and flash in a system-in-package measuring just 9 x 9 mm. Including the companion RF (radio frequency) chip, this low-power chip set’s total power consumption is 150 mW, making it ideal for a wide range of battery powered portable devices capable of tuning and demodulating AM/FM radio broadcast in both analog and HD Radio digital technology.

For more information, see http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2008_03_11.htm

Cisco Announces 40-core Quantumflow Router

From EETimes:
Cisco Systems debuts Tuesday (March 4) a router that packs on a custom 40-core processor a wide variety of networking services. The Ethernet giant aims to leverage its expertise designing complex ASICs to leapfrog competition in the $5 billion market for edge routers.
The Quantum Flow Processor takes to a new level Cisco's work on ASICs for its networking systems, surpassing in some ways technology in mainstream server CPUs from Intel Corp. and Sun Microsystems.

Key to the system is the 1.3 billion transistor flow processor, an 80W chip made in a 90nm process at Texas Instruments and designed using Cisco's customer-owned tooling. Each of its 40 Tensilica cores can handle up to four threads, far beyond the raw thread-level parallelism of Sun's 65nm Niagara or Intel's 45nm Penryn server CPUs.

See the entire article at http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=T0ZYZJXI22R0MQSNDLSCKHA?articleID=206901479

Tensilica and NuFront Show T-MMB Mobile TV Solution at China’s IIC 2008 Shows

Tensilica and NuFront will jointly exhibit at the IIC-China 2008 exhibitions March 3-4, 2008, in Shenzhen (booth:2K41) and March 10-11, 2008, in Shanghai (booth:4S41). Using Tensilica’s configurable processor technology, NuFront developed, and has gone into mass production with, a T-MMB (terrestrial-mobile multimedia broadcasting) mobile baseband DSP (digital signal processor). By watching mobile TV on a T-MMB phone, visitors will be able to experience NuFront’s technology in action.

The T-MMB mobile TV standard is in the running to be adopted throughout China, and there are plans to have this in place in time for the Beijing Olympics.

NuFront’s T-MMB mobile TV baseband chip employs Tensilica’s Xtensa® configurable processor. "Tensilica’s Xtensa processor was very attractive for our next design because standard processor cores couldn’t give us the performance we needed,” stated Hamilton Yong, COO, NuFront Software. “The only way to get the performance was to optimize the processor, and Tensilica is the only company with the automated tools to make that customization much easier and ensure our success.”

WiLinx Licenses Tensilica’s Xtensa LX2 Processor Core For Low-Power UWB Chips

WiLinx licensed the Xtensa LX2 configurable processor for its low-power True-UWB single chip CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) solutions. WiLinx True-UWB product offers 7 GHZ (from 3 to 10 GHz) of air spectrum as the key enabler for worldwide adoption of UWB into the cellular phone handsets, PCs, PC peripherals and CE (consumer electronics) devices.

“Following an in-depth technical analysis, we selected Tensilica’s Xtensa LX2 configurable processor core for our single chip low power True-UWB product families. The 7-GHz coverage of our solution unleashes the full capacities of the WiMedia based UWB solution to our customers. In particular it includes ‘above 6 GHz WiMedia bands,’ mandatory for Bluetooth-3.0 enabled devices,” stated Masoud Djafari, CEO and co-founder of WiLinx. “Tensilica’s easily configurable processor technology plays a key role in delivering the feature rich WiMedia protocol at low power and cost. It also makes the product more flexible for future upgrades.”

For more information:

Tensilica Configurable Processors Used in Stanford Smart Memories Project

Stanford University’s Smart Memories Project used Tensilica’s Xtensa LX2 configurable processor to develop a multiprocessor computing infrastructure for next generation applications. The Stanford Smart Memories Project has developed a prototype system-on-chip (SOC) design that provides the user the ability to program both the processor and the memory system of a chip-level multiprocessor. Using Tensilica allowed the Smart Memory team to focus on creating a flexible memory system that supports many different memory models, including message passing, coherent shared memory, and transactional memory. The design is currently being evaluated for possible commercial deployment by a couple of large semiconductor companies.

For more information, see http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2008_02_28.htm

SandForce Licenses Tensilica’s Diamond Standard 108Mini for Storage Controller Chipsets

SandForce, Inclicensed the Diamond Standard 108Mini RISC controller core to use in their high-performance storage controller chipset designs.

“We needed a basic, low-cost, small controller, and the Diamond Standard 108Mini perfectly fit our requirements,” stated Alex Naqvi, CEO, SandForce.

For more information, see http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2008_02_26.htm

Samsung Signs Multi-Year License for Tensilica Diamond Standard 330HiFi Audio DSP

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has signed a broad multi-year license for Tensilica’s Diamond Standard 330HiFi audio DSP (digital signal processor). Tensilica’s HiFi architecture is the most popular commercial audio core for system-on-chip (SOC) designs. Samsung will use the Diamond Standard 330HiFi audio DSP in mobile handset and other designs.

“Tensilica’s HiFi 2 audio DSP architecture is a widely adopted, advanced DSP core with over 30 voice and audio encoder and decoder software packages readily available,” stated G. S. Han, vice president of Samsung Electronics, System LSI Division. “After a thorough technical evaluation of Tensilica’s HiFi offering, we found that the Diamond 330HiFi was the right audio DSP for Samsung and will be a key DSP in our IP portfolio for years to come.”

For more information, see http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2008_02_14.htm

Microprocessor Report comments on the Future of Multicore Processors

Tom Halfhill's editorial on The Future of Multicore Processors is right on the mark. You can read it at http://www.tensilica.com/pdf/Multicore_Microprocessor_Rept.pdf

Innovative Tensilica-Based Products on Display at CES 2008

Over 30 companies that either license Tensilica’s popular processor cores or use merchant market semiconductor products that include Tensilica’s cores will be displaying products at this week’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). These Tensilica-enabled products include some of the most advanced, innovative consumer devices, including LCD TVs, cellular phones, WiFi-enabled notebook computers, inkjet and laser printers.

The list of exhibitors at CES that either license Tensilica’s Xtensa configurable or Diamond Standard processor cores or use Tensilica-powered silicon products includes: AMD, Atheros Communications, Belkin, Broadcom, Cisco, Cypress Semiconductor, Dell, D-Link Systems, Epson, Fujitsu, Hewlett Packard, iBiquity Digital, Intel, JVC, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Marvell, Mediaphy, Mitsubishi, Motorola, NEC Electronics, NTT Electronics, NVIDIA, Olevia, Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Validity Sensors, and XM Radio.

Some of the most innovative solutions on display that include Tensilica processors include:

• AMD uses Tensilica’s processors for audio and video functions in the Imageon family of Media Processors, which are used in mobile phones from Cingular, Motorola, Panasonic and Samsung; and ATI Radeon graphics chips with Avivo-HD UVD technology.
• Epson uses multiple Tensilica processors for the entire image processing engine in its latest inkjet photo printer lines.
• HP uses Tensilica processors in its popular low-cost Laserjet product line.
• LG Electronics uses Tensilica’s processors in their mobile phones for the Korean T-DMB and European DVB-H television services.
• NVIDIA uses Tensilica processors in high-performance graphics cards and chips for cellular phones.
• Samsung’s HD Radio chip set, which is based on a Tensilica processor core, will be displayed at the iBiquity booth.
• Syntax Olevia 7 Series 1080p 42" and 47" LCD TV displays and the 65” Olevia 265TFHD LCD TV feature the integrated Realta HQV video processing engine from Silicon Optix, a Tensilica licensee.

Other products from CES vendors using the Silicon Optix HQV chip include:

• Yamaha DPX-1300 high-performance digital video projector
• Mitsubishi HC5000BL 1080p LCD projector
• Samsung Blu-Ray DVD Player

Tensilica-based chips provide the wireless USB functions for notebooks from Dell, Lenovo and Toshiba as well as the wireless USB hubs and adapters from Belkin and D-Link.

Tensilica will be hosting meetings in its suites at the Venetian Hotel at CES. To schedule a meeting, please contact Toni Garza at toni@tensilica.com.