Heavily Integrated DSP Bows At Texas Instruments
Targeting third-generation, or 3G, wireless base station and telecommunications infrastructure systems designers, Texas Instruments (TI; Dallas, TX) is debuting a 300 MHz DSP chip. Hot on the heels of Motorola's DSP56311 plans (see Motorola Readies Fastest, Low Power DSP With Large On-Chip SRAM), the latest TI device, dubbed the TMS320C6203, is poised to start sampling in the fourth quarter of this year, with volume production slated for the third quarter of 2000.
The new chip is expected to sell for about $180 a pop in quantities of 25,000 for 300-MHz versions, and about $136 each for 250-MHz types.
A Gigantic SRAM Array
Significantly, the new TI silicon will integrate seven Mbits of memory. That's the largest amount of memory announced for any single-core DSP to date.
What's more, TI says its silicon will churn through a blazing 2,400 Mips. That's a factor that will reduce overall system cost by permitting infrastructure OEMs to pack more channels into less space with lower per-channel dissipation.
Among the companies that have already made the decision to use the TMSC6203 in their 3G wireless base stations is Ericsson, the world's largest supplier of wireless systems. In making its choice, Ericsson cited the high level of system integration offered by TI's device.
Other early adopters are already singing praises to TI's latest. "A full T-1 span of V.90 modems on a single chip is now a reality," claims Dr. Amnon Gavish, CEO of Surf Communication Solutions. "As a result of using the 'C6203, we expect to outperform other approaches implemented on dedicated modem chips."
Like the Motorola announcement made on Monday of this week, TI's product performance rests with enhanced wafer fabrication process technology. With its 'C6203, TI breaks ground with a 0.15-micron L-effective (0.18-micron drawn) CMOS manufacturing process that increases speed and cuts power.
Like Motorola's wares, the TI DSP operates with a 1.5 V internal core and 3.3 V at its I/O lines. Power is about 660 mW while executing 2,400 Mips at 300 MHz. With three Mbits of on-chip program SRAM and four Mbits of data SRAM, the 'C6203 will enables you to eliminate the need for external memory in high performance, multi-channel telecomm applications. That means that your software won't incur the delays inherent in using off-chip memory. Likewise, your hardware design won't require additional board space, and power supply resources, for external memory chips.
The DSP packs dual 32-bit buses, including an external memory interface, or EMIF bus, and an expansion bus. Peripherals include three multi-channel buffered serial ports and two 32-bit timers. The 'C6203 will be available in a 0.4 sq. in. ball-grid array (BGA) package.
Code Compatible With Progenitors
The 'C6203 is also code- and pin- compatible with the currently sampling TMSC6202, which runs at 250 MHz. Relying on its extensive mixed-signal expertise, TI is also spinning an array of analog components to support all its TMSC6000 platform DSPs.
Both data converter and power management products are slated for TMS320 DSPs. For example, TI is offering OEMs a pin-compatible eight- through 12-bit family of high-speed digital-to-analog converters (DACs) tailored to communications applications. Dubbed CommsDACs, these 100 Msample/second DACs are already assigned THS5641, THS5651 and THS5661 part number designations.
TI also plans to publish a base transceiver station reference design, which includes four analog-to-digital converters (A/Ds), and a four-channel digital down-converter. The company says it will also offer a TMSC620x evaluation module with software drivers.
In addition to the CommsDACs, TI also offers power management approaches for the 'C6203 in the forms of the TPS5615 processor power supply controller chip. It supports a 1.5 V core; a TPS7133 supports 3.3 V I/O.
Tools From All Sources
Like Motorola, TI is readying a sophisticated suite of development tools, including a C compiler. Programmers will be able to download Code Composer, TI's development environment for its 'C6000 DSP platform, for a free 30-day evaluation.
The company has also lined up a large network of third party support vendors. Future plans include a spectrum of industry-standard telecomm vocoders and algorithms--also from third parties--to reduce time-to-market.
Texas Instruments Semiconductor Group, Dallas, TX.