Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ubidyne chooses Toshiba for wireless infrastructure SoC development
Hybrid ASIC/COT flow optimises use of development resources
Ulm and Düsseldorf, Germany, 21 April 2009 - Ubidyne, a global leader in digital antenna embedded radio technology for wireless communications, has employed Toshiba's TC300 90nm technology in the development of its D2.0 SoC (system on chip) digital up/down converter. The programme used a hybrid design flow that combined ASIC and COT (customer-owned tooling) methodologies to enable Ubidyne to concentrate on system design and the development of its own custom designed, high-speed, digital IP blocks while relying on Toshiba Electronics Europe’s (TEE) ASIC expertise elsewhere. Switching frequencies of up to 4GHz are supported in the digital portion of the device.
Ubidyne’s solution dramatically lowers the cost of wireless infrastructure for network operators. The company’s Antenna Embedded Radio system offers the highest level of integration and radio performance by embedding directly into the antenna housing, eliminating the need for remote electrical tilt motors, large power amplifiers and bulky coaxial feeders. Patent pending technology enables an all-digital distributed architecture comprising unique algorithms and proprietary ASICs allowing for efficient, standards-agnostic, wideband transmission and reception. Ubidyne’s micro-radio is the world’s first pure digital radio system, enabling mobile infrastructure equipment vendors worldwide to significantly improve performance, flexibility and coverage.
Ubidyne and Toshiba selected a hybrid ASIC/COT model to develop Ubidyne’s complex SoC. This model allowed Ubidyne to concentrate fully on the system design and on the development of their custom-designed, high-speed, digital IP blocks, which are critical key components of the overall system. Here, Ubidyne used Toshiba’s 90nm PDK and libraries. Toshiba’s European LSI Design and Engineering Centre (ELDEC) took over classical ASIC tasks for chip level implementation including complex logic and memory integration. Design review with ELDEC’s mixed signal team, chip verification, timing closure and design for test were done jointly in close collaboration.
“Using a hybrid ASIC/COT flow enabled us to combine the best of both worlds – Ubidyne’s system and custom design know how and Toshiba’s professional ASIC flow – to achieve the fastest overall development time and cost efficiency,” commented Mike Levis, COO of Ubidyne.
“We see this model becoming more and more attractive, especially for 65nm and 40nm, as it gives customers the option to focus on their key differentiators - such as RF, mixed signal or high-speed IP - and takes away the burden of investing significant money and resources to establish a complete COT flow,“ said Dr. Ulrich Roettcher, senior manager technology at Toshiba Electronics Europe.
The Ubidyne D2.0 device includes two high speed interfaces. A PCI express hardmacro provided by Toshiba is used as the interface with the baseband portion; two proprietary RX and TX hardmacros operate as interfaces with the RF amplifier and receiver. Toshiba's Very High Speed CMOS option (VS) enables the PHY and logic of both proprietary hardmacros to run at up to 4GHz. For individual programming a PCOP cell (Pure CMOS One-time PROM / One-time programmable electrical fuse) is used. The IC is supplied in a QFN88-1010 package.
The TEE ASIC & Foundry Business Unit’s open and advanced Integrated Device Manufacturer (IDM) model allows customers to speed development and reduce risk by choosing a single partner for design, implementation, production and full-service supply chain management. The company offers a wide range of leading edge CMOS solutions based on Toshiba’s own process developments. Customised SoC development is supported through a broad lineup of Intellectual Property (IP), including in-house and third party analogue and digital IP, ARM and MIPS processors, and embedded memory options.
To speed application development Toshiba offers local competence and support through its European LSI Design and Engineering Centre. ELDEC’s highly skilled engineers have many years of experience in EDA, analogue development and design, implementation and layout. In addition, short development Turn-Around-Time (TAT) and low risk is assured thanks to flexible SoC design methodologies, optimised factory processes and professional project management.
For more information visit Toshiba's web site at
http://www.toshiba-components.com/ASIC/index.html
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About Ubidyne
Ubidyne is the global leader in digital antenna embedded radio technology for wireless communications. Ubidyne’s standards-agnostic micro-radio technology is integrated with wireless antennas and revolutionizes the economics of mobile communications. These integrated active antenna systems are compatible with current and next generation mobile standards. They eliminate the need for coaxial feeder cables, remote electrical tilt and additional amplifiers on antenna towers and masts. The Ubidyne technology significantly reduces energy consumption while improving radio performance, deployment flexibility, coverage and capacity of mobile communications networks globally. Visit www.ubidyne.com for more information.
Ubidyne Contacts:
Cara Mormino
RocketCreative
Phone: +1-602-885-3389
cara@rocketcreative.com
Kent Heath
VP Marketing and Business Development
Ubidyne GmbH
Phone: +1 480-206-0881
kent.heath@ubidyne.com
About Toshiba Electronics Europe
Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) is the European Headquarters for the electronic components business of Toshiba Corporation, which is the world's fourth largest semiconductor vendor according to estimates by Dataquest. Providing design, manufacturing, marketing and sales, TEE was formed in 1973 in Neuss, Germany. The company now has headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany and subsidiaries in France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Company president is Mr. Hitoshi Otsuka and the total number of personnel in Europe is around 400.
Toshiba Electronics Europe offers one of the industry's broadest IC and discrete product lines including high-end memory, microcontrollers, ASICs, ASSPs and display products for automotive, multimedia, consumer, telecoms and networking applications. The company also has a wide range of power semiconductor solutions.
Toshiba Corporation is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products and power systems. The company’s integration of these wide-ranging capabilities assures its position as an innovator in advanced components, products and systems. Toshiba operates a global network of more than 740 companies, with 198,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing US$76 billion.
For more information visit Toshiba's web site at http://www.toshiba-components.com
Contact details for editorial enquiries:
Henning Rausch, Toshiba Electronics Europe
Tel: +49 (211) 5296 117
E-mail: HRausch@tee.toshiba.de
Issued by:
Simon Flatt/Andrew Town, Pinnacle Marketing Communications Ltd, Prosperity House, Dawlish Drive, Pinner, Middlesex, HA5 5LN, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8869 9229/+44 (0) 20 8429 6546 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8868 4373.
Web: www.pinnacle-marketing.com
E-mail: simon@pinnaclemarcom.com or andrew@pinnaclemarcom.com
April 2009 Ref. 5881/A
