National Semiconductor's Advanced Power Controller Is Now Available For Licensing From ARM

Today, mobile phones are rapidly evolving beyond voice-only devices. Manufacturers are including features such as cameras, color displays, MP3 music, games, FM stereo and PDA capabilities. As a result, designers have the daunting challenge to ensure these power-hungry features can be added to devices without reducing battery life.

National's PowerWise technology is an ideal solution for system-on-chip (SoC) devices in mobile phones and other portable electronic devices. The APC product is a synthesizable AMBA™ methodology-compliant macrocell which includes a Hardware Performance Monitor (HPM). The APC product automatically calibrates for process and temperature variations to reduce the system power supply to the absolute minimum necessary to meet the required level of performance at all operating frequencies.

IEM technology implements advanced algorithms to optimally balance processor workload and energy consumption while maximizing system responsiveness. The IEM software component works with the mobile device's operating system and applications to dynamically predict the lowest CPU performance level while still maintaining full user quality. The ARM Intelligent Energy Controller (IEC) macrocell then determines the best operating frequency to support CPU performance level for a specific SoC implementation.

"National's PowerWise technology and the ARM Intelligent Energy Manager technology can reduce power consumption of systems-on-chip by dynamically matching minimal voltage and frequency to the chip's workload," said Max Baron, principal analyst at Instat-MDR. "These technologies for National and ARM are independent of semiconductor process and temperature making them important to designers focused on extending the battery life of multi-featured cell phones and other handheld devices."

The IEC works cooperatively with the on-chip clock management unit to control clock frequency changes and the APC macrocell to adaptively set the minimum required power supply voltage delivered by the external compliant power management chip. The APC product communicates with external PowerWise compliant power management chips using the PowerWise interface (PWI), an open-standard interface dedicated to power management.

"National's Advanced Power Controller is a key technology that will enable cell phone makers to produce value-added multifunction devices without compromising the battery life consumers have come to expect," said Peter Henry, vice president of Portable Power Systems at National Semiconductor. "Through ARM, manufacturers can now license this innovative technology for incorporation in next-generation products."

"ARM is committed to providing its Partners with the technology that will help them improve SoC performance and recognizes that power is one of the major issues they have to tackle today. National's APC and ARM's IEM technologies are major breakthroughs which together minimize energy consumption depending on processor workload, silicon process, and temperature," said Oliver Gunasekara, director, Wireless, ARM. "Now our Partners have access to the best suite of energy management technologies available on the market."

The APC product is embedded in SoC devices used in portable applications such as digital baseband and application processors. The APC product is provided as soft IP (10,000 gates) with RTL, synthesis scripts, test benches, implementation and programming documentation. The APC product is also configurable to support up to eight performance levels and includes a PWI compliant master. The APC product supports deployment of both table-based Dynamic Voltage Scaling and PowerWise Adaptive Voltage Scaling. Using the APC product in a system enables significant power savings that result in extended battery life.

APC technology is available from ARM. For further information, please visit www.powerwise.national.com, www.arm.com or www.pwistandard.org

The original press release can be found here.

Fujitsu Launches the Ultimate Storage Accessory for Digital Cameras
Fujitsu Europe today announces the latest edition to its range of MO (magneto-optical) storage products, the DynaMO 1300U2 PHOTO. A combination of a magneto-optical (MO) storage drive and an integrated PCMCIA card reader/writer, the DynaMO 1300U2 PHOTO will provide digital photographers with a simple solution to the problem of limited storage space on removable media as well as a securer method for storing valuable imagery.
Intel Launches Core i7 -- Fastest Processor on the Planet
Intel Corporation introduced its most advanced desktop processor ever, the Intel Core i7 processor. The Core i7 processor is the first member of a new family of Nehalem processor designs and is the most sophisticated ever built, with new technologies that boost performance on demand and maximize data throughput. The Core i7 processor speeds video editing, immersive games and other popular Internet and computer activities by up to 40 percent without increasing power consumption.
Spammers sent packing -- for now -- by Web shutdown
(AP) -- E-mailers, enjoy the early holiday gift: Spam volume has been cut by more than half because Internet providers pulled the plug on a Web hosting firm that was allegedly helping some of the world's most dastardly junk e-mail gangs.
Micro Fuel Cells Get Closer to Replacing Batteries
(PhysOrg.com) -- Mobile electronics have the potential to offer digital luxuries beyond our imagination, but they will never get there on today’s lithium ion batteries. Power has been the weak spot in the development of more advanced mobile electronics, and the need for power will become even more important as devices feature more energy-sapping applications.
Scientists fabricate first plasma transistor
Since their development in the 1940s, transistors have been at the heart of computers and other modern electronic devices. Transistors – whose job is to start, stop, or amplify electric current – come in all shapes, sizes and materials, depending on the application. Recently, scientists have fabricated a new variation: a micro-sized plasma transistor.
A perfect bond
Not much has changed in the last 2,000 years when it comes to suturing together cuts and wounds. Even with microsurgery techniques, infection and permanent scarring remain major concerns. To minimize these dangers, doctors tried using a carbon dioxide laser to seal wounds, but without the ability to control the heat of the laser, the technique created even greater risks. Until now.
Scientists revisit 1833 hydrogen production experiment
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the early 1800s, during the peak of the Industrial Revolution, modern science revolved around steam engines and other coal-powered applications. So it may seem a bit out of place that, in 1833, an Italian physicist named G. D. Botto was performing experiments on a technique for generating hydrogen.
Intel CEO: 'Internet Technologies to Expand Limits of What's Possible'
During a speech today at the Web 2.0 Summit, Intel Corporation President and CEO Paul Otellini described how the Internet will continue evolving, making businesses more collaborative and competitive globally. He also highlighted how the shift to mobile Internet technology will also change the way people around the world will learn, work, live and play.

National Semiconductor's Advanced Power Controller Is Now Available For Licensing From ARM

Related stories:

News discussion: