White Papers / Technology Backgrounders

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1394 Automotive

• 2009/05/01
  How the 1394 Automotive Network Simplifies Infotainment Delivery

  In the race to develop the most appealing infotainment solutions, car makers can get a head start by taking advantage of standard 1394 bus technology. Under the names of FireWire (Apple), i.Link (Sony), and Lynx (Texas Instruments), 1394 has proven ideal for carrying infotainment data in a variety of applications and now promises to provide the same high performance in automobiles with a version known as the 1394 Automotive network. This technology has become vital to drive automobiles into the information age.

ASIC

• 2009/09/04
  The Fujitsu ASIC Platform: Combining Engineering Expertise with Best-in-Class Tools and Process Technology to Deliver Cost-Efficient Custom Silicon

  Advanced ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) development today requires complex and expensive design tools, leading-edge process technologies, and experienced engineering teams. Some large companies can commit the resources needed to acquire the expertise, support a sizable design team, and invest in the complete tool chain and development flow, all the way from circuit design to Graphic Data Systems (GDS) and beyond. This option, known as Customer Owned Tooling (COT), is a good choice for companies that can amortize costs over many products that are manufactured in high volumes for broad markets.
  

Foundry Services

• 2009/03/30
  The PSP Model in the RF CMOS Design Kit

  While the Penn State Philips (PSP) transistor model is rightly hailed as an excellent alternative to traditional BSIM models for RFIC design, RF designers need to be aware of how PSP models relate to actual device behavior. PSP models do require some judgment on the part of model developers. Equally important is an understanding of the way these models are used in an RF process design kit (PDK).

• 2008/11/12
  Motivation for RF Integration

  While CMOS technology has made great strides in its ability to fabricate radio frequency (RF) circuitry, many RF chip designers have yet to take advantage of this capability. After long relying on more expensive technologies such as silicon germanium (SiGe) and gallium arsenide (GaAs), RF designers who transition to the latest RF CMOS processes gain the enormous advantages of full system-on-a-chip (SoC) integration.

• 2005/09/01
  High-Performance / Low-Power 65nm CMOS Technology CS200 / CS200A

  This paper describes Fujitsu's CS200/CS200A series 65nm CMOS technology with a focus on the technology's improved performance and low power consumption. These advantages result from the technology's ability to achieve more than twice the density of transistor packing compared to 90nm technology as well as Fujitsu's advanced copper and ultra-low-k material (ULK) technology. The ULK material serves as an inter-level dielectric that reduces parasitic interconnect capacitance compared to previous technologies and thus significantly improves speed and power characteristics. The paper also describes Fujitsu's wide range of packaging choices and rich IP portfolio for use with the CS200/CS200A technology.

• 2004/04/01
  Your Best Choice for a 300mm, 90nm Foundry is Fujitsu

  This paper discusses Fujitsu's Integrated Device Manufacturing (IDM) service business model. IDM is designed to provide specific services – ranging from flexible design methodologies to a comprehensive set of IPs – as part of development alliances tailored to specific customer needs.

WiMAX

• 2009/02/16
  Mobile WiMAX Solutions Leading the Momentum Forward

  Well-positioned to satisfy consumers’ insatiable appetite for broadband access, Mobile WiMAX offers a number of options for taking advantage of the technology’s growing momentum.

• 2008/10/01
  Deployment Considerations for Mobile WiMAX

  Along with traditional factors such as link budgets and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), deployment considerations for Mobile WiMAX systems should include the cost-saving opportunities offered by the 802.16e standard. For example, the standard allows for the use of low-cost chipsets and enables flexible bandwidth scalability. This white paper provides an overview of these and other considerations involved in deploying Mobile WiMAX technology.

• 2008/10/01
  Achieving Cost-Effective Broadband Coverage with WiMAX Micro, Pico and Femto Base Stations

  Even with the high-performance capabilities of large-scale (macro) WiMAX base stations, providing good coverage in some locations may be easier with the aid of smaller (micro, pico and femto) base stations. By using the smaller stations to provide as-needed coverage in hard-to-reach areas, service providers can ensure high data rates to end users without over-building the main WiMAX base station network.

• 2008/07/11
  Beamforming Boosts the Range and Capacity of WiMAX Networks

  Having gained tremendous momentum over a number of years, WiMAX is now widely viewed as a leading candidate for fourth-generation (4G) wireless data communication. Because WiMAX is based on Internet Protocol (IP), the technology builds on principles that have proven versatile and cost-effective in the Internet. Compared to traditional 3G cellular networks, WiMAX offers a more affordable technology for transferring large amounts of data with high throughput.
  
  A technology known as adaptive beamforming can magnify this WiMAX advantage considerably. At a relatively low implementation cost, beamforming improves both the range and capacity of a WiMAX network. In fact, beamforming reduces capital and operating expenses for WiMAX implementations by minimizing the number of base stations needed in a network.

• 2008/05/27
  Mobile WiMAX in the Evolving Wireless Broadband Landscape

  Even with the surprising variety of wireless broadband technologies available today, Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e) has established clear advantages in several application areas. In many cases, Mobile WiMAX works alongside other wireless technologies to complete key parts of the data communications infrastructure. Understanding the role of Mobile WiMAX relative to other wireless technologies is critical in making the best choices for delivering the broadband products and services that customers want.

• 2007/01/01
  Fixed WiMAX Applications Focus: IP Video Surveillance Networks

  The maturing of fixed WiMAX technology is making possible a number of exciting new applications that previously were limited by cost, distance and throughput requirements. With the latest wireless innovations, fixed wireless applications can now go beyond mere short-range data communications, and do so in a secure manner.

• 2007/01/01
  Design of Subscriber Station Software Stack Using the Fujitsu 802.16-2004 SOC Reference Kit

  The software stack for Fujitsu’s WiMAX based Subscriber station reference kit can be partitioned into several components -- including the boot strap image, device drivers, the board support package (BSP) with a real time operating system, configuration modules and the operating system wrapper, lower MAC, intermediate MAC and upper MAC.

• 2006/04/01
  WiMAX Subscriber Station Design Using the Fujitsu 802.16-2004 SoC Reference Kit

  The Fujitsu WiMAX reference kit offers a quick way to develop Time Division Duplex (TDD) or Half Duplex Frequency Division Duplex (HDX-FDD) subscriber stations for use in WiMAX networks. The kit consists of a development board and complete MAC-layer software. The board includes Fujitsu’s MB87M3400 802.16-2004 WiMAX SoC and all the other hardware resources required for a typical subscriber station.

• 2005/10/01
  Design of a Multi-Sector Base Station Using the Fujitsu WiMAX SoC

  The Fujitsu WiMAX 802.16-2004 baseband SoC is designed for the development of cost-effective subscriber stations and base stations in the licensed or license-exempt bands from 2 to 11GHz. Base stations use TDD or FDD techniques to communicate with subscriber stations. The different types of base stations include pico, micro and multi-sector base stations. This note briefly discusses the TDD and FDD mode reference designs for base stations by Fujitsu. Information is provided for designing a multi-sector base station using the Fujitsu WiMAX SoC reference board design.

USB 3.0

• 2009/08/10
  Using USB 3.0 for Storage Media Applications

  By closing the gap between internal and external storage performance, USB 3.0 is bringing a fundamental shift to the storage market. Because USB 3.0 enables external drives to achieve data transfers as fast as a PC’s internal drives, users will undoubtedly take advantage of external storage much more than they have in the past.

Microcontrollers / FlexRay™

• 2009/07/15
  Application Ideas for 8-bit Low-Pin-Count (LPC) Microcontrollers

  8-bit low-pin-count (LPC) microcontrollers have taken advantage of process shrinks to increase their functionality and thus serve more applications than ever before at lower cost. While even LPC devices were becoming pad-limited by the 0.35µm technology node, advances in architecture, motor control, smart energy management, Ethernet and wireless connectivity requirements for home automation and control, have led to a new range of applications for 8-bit MCUs.

• 2007/08/15
  Taking Full Advantage of New, Low Power MCUs

  New low power 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit microcontrollers designed for portable and battery-powered handheld products include an impressive set of new features, including low power capabilities. To optimize performance and take full advantage of these MCUs, designers must understand the flexible clocking systems, resource event-driven features, and -- perhaps most important -- the way to transition to and from standby and other low power modes.

• 2007/07/01
  How to Build a Simple and Inexpensive FlexRay™ Node

  Adoption of the next-generation automotive protocol, FlexRay™, is rapidly underway now, as automakers and their OEMs implement the standard in safety, comfort, and information systems and networks. FlexRay provides the significant advantage of deterministic behavior, includes a dual-redundant channel, and uses scalable static and dynamic message transmission that deliver guaranteed message latency time.

• 2006/05/01
  Taking Full Advantage of The FlexRay™ Network for Motor Vehicles

  The FlexRay™ networking standard for motor vehicles provides a foundation that will shape the control structure of automotive electronics for many years to come. FlexRay serves as the next step beyond CAN and LIN, enabling the reliable management of many more safety and comfort features. FlexRay suits X-by-Wire applications, for example.

Biometric Sensors

• 2006/09/01
  Simple Fingerprint-Based Security Protects Notebook PCs

  Lost or stolen notebook computers make headlines when they contain personal information on millions of people or data from nuclear weapons research. More quietly, corporations are becoming increasingly alarmed by the loss of notebooks that contain company-confidential information and enable access to corporate networks.
  

Networking ASSP (10G)

• 2008/10/01
  26-port 10GbE Switch Advantages in Blade Servers

  With multicore processors and virtualization pushing blade-server performance to unprecedented levels, I/O performance must catch up — but without increasing cost per port or power consumption. The only way to meet this goal is to use more highly integrated network switch chips that provide higher throughput per port.

• 2008/08/15
  Realizing High-Port-Density 10-GbE Networks

  Next-generation switches need high port densities to handle intense growth in data-center traffic, yet even the most highly integrated switch chips cannot provide enough ports in a single chip. By taking advantage of available network topologies, however, developers can implement switches with densities of 32, 48 or more ports that provide highly efficient, scalable interconnects between servers and computing clusters.

• 2008/04/21
  Essential Ethernet Switch Features for Data Centers -
  Congestion management, priority PAUSE, and other capabilities in the Fujitsu MB86C69RBC switch chip

  As today’s trends drive the demand for increasing bandwidth in data centers, Ethernet switches must respond with the ability to use the available bandwidth effectively. Congestion management is particularly important, along with advanced quality-of-service (QoS) features that enable the switches to maximize throughput for priority traffic. This technology backgrounder profiles the capabilities of the Fujitsu MB86C69RBC Ethernet switch chip with a focus on data center requirements. To understand why these capabilities are vital, it is useful to begin with an overview of data center trends.

• 2008/04/21
  26-port Ethernet Switch Boosts 10-Gbps Density for Data Centers

  Several trends in network demands are putting particularly strong pressure on data centers to increase port density and performance while reducing cost per port and power consumption - goals that can only be met by using more highly integrated network switch chips. As continuing enhancements to Ethernet standards prove capable of serving the requirements of the converged data center, 10-Gbps Ethernet (10GbE) switches are becoming the ideal technology for meeting the need.

• 2007/05/01
  Benefits of the MB8AA3020 20-Port, 10GbE Switch Chip in the Data Center

  Two major trends, server virtualization and the rise of bladed servers, are driving demand for 10GbE in today’s data center.

• 2006/10/01
  10GbE 20-port switch Technology Backgrounder - Boosting Backplane Densities for High-Throughput Applications

  10Gigabit Ethernet provides an ideal interface to meet bandwidth demands for today’s backplane applications, and single-chip switching solutions offer a cost-effective way to deliver that bandwidth. A 20-port 10GbE switch chip dramatically improves backplane density, while minimizing both cost and power consumption.

• 2006/01/01
  10-Gigabit Ethernet Switch Applications in ATCA

  This paper describes the capabilities of the technology and profiles the implementation of 10-Gigabit Ethernet Switches using Fujitsu silicon solutions in ATCA backplanes. The 10-Gigabit switches are among most crucial components because they are at the heart of any high-performance network and essential for efficient, reliable network traffic.

• 2005/03/01
  10-Gigabit Ethernet Switch Applications in the Enterprise

  The availability of silicon solutions for 10-Gigabit Ethernet creates a wealth of opportunities for system developers who can take advantage of a straightforward progression from firmly established 100-Mbps and 1Gbps Ethernet technologies. 10-Gigabit Ethernet provides the cost-effective bandwidth needed to open existing throughput bottlenecks as well as fuel a variety of emerging applications.

Touch Sensor Controllers

• 2009/02/23
  Touch Sensor Controller - Technology and Application Trends

  Glitzy consumer products such as smartphones have helped make touch-screen controllers quite popular, and touch sensors provide a convenient way to control virtually any type of device.

Graphics Display Controllers

• 2007/10/01
  Using DMA in Lime’s 16-bit Host Interface Modes

  DMA access is very important for large-volume, high-speed data transfer from the host CPU to the GDC (graphic display controller). One of the most common uses is displaying the Startup screen (a bitmap) in an automotive cluster or navigation application after the system powers up.

• 2007/04/01
  Memory Utilization and Data Traffic Pattern in Fujitsu Graphics Display Controller ICs

  One of the important design considerations for using these GDCs is graphics memory utilization. This paper will examine the traffic pattern across the different interfaces in a typical Fujitsu GDC, then identify potential bottlenecks in the system. Finally, it will compare the dedicated and shared architectures for graphics memory, proposing a balanced approach between the two that also optimizes system performance, cost, and board space utilization.

• 2006/12/01
  Different Techniques for Bitmap Fading Using the MB86276

  Fujitsu’s Graphic Display Controller (GDC) product line is currently in its third generation. It consists ofthe high-end MB86297, the middle end MB86296, and the low-end MB86276. The first two have a PCI interface and the last one has an SRAM-type interface for the host controller. The MB86276’s low cost, small form factor, and relatively low power consumption are its most attractive features.

• 2006/08/01
  Telematic Applications for the Fujitsu MB86294 Graphics Display Controller: Connection with Intel PXA250 Processor

  Graphic display controllers (GDCs) are an integral part of any graphic display system. They are used in both PC-based systems and embedded display systems. Fujitsu’s graphic display controllers have been designed specifically for embedded applications such as vehicle navigation systems.

• 2006/08/01
  Geometry Processing and its Implementation in Fujitsu’s High-Performance GDC: MB86296

  Geometry Processing, also known as Geometrical Transformation, consists of mathematical operations on 2D or 3D graphics’ coordinates. Examples include translation, scaling and rotation transformations

• 2006/08/01
  Fundamentals of Liquid Crystal Displays – How They Work and What They Do

  Liquid crystal display technology has enjoyed significant advances in just a few short years. The quality of LCD panels has improved dramatically while at the same time costs have gradually come down.

• 2006/08/01
  Containing Sound and Light Wireless Video Coming Up Net Using MPEG-4

  Many of us over the age of 30 will remember Dick Tracy’s watch, the one from the 1950s that allowed the comic strip detective to make phone calls from his wrist. Sure, he had a limited number of people he could call, but anyone watching him do it was impressed.

• 2006/04/01
  Display Controller Block in Fujitsu's GDCs: SALIENT FEATURES

  Fujitsu graphics controllers have long been a mainstay in the world of automotive navigation units, owing in large part to the attractive mix of features at a modest budget – both in terms of fiscal and power.