Categories
Electronics

Exploring GDDR6 Memory Devices: Security Features and IP Trends

Introduction:

In the consistently developing scene of memory technology, GDDR6 has arisen as a prominent player, offering high bandwidth and low power consumption. This article delves into the technical intricacies of GDDR6 memory devices, focusing on their security features and the intellectual innovation (IP) trends related to them.

Understanding GDDR6 Memory Devices:

GDDR6 Basics

GDDR6, which represents Graphics Double Data Rate 6, is a type of synchronous graphics random-access memory. It is designed essentially for high-performance graphics cards, gaming consoles, and different applications that request significant memory data transmission bandwidth.

Key Characteristics

High Bandwidth: GDDR6 flaunts impressive data transfer rates, giving significant memory transfer speed to help request workloads in gaming, graphics rendering, and artificial intelligence AI applications.

Low Power Consumption: Notwithstanding its superior execution, GDDR6 is designed with power efficiency, guaranteeing that it can fulfill the needs of modern devices without excessive power consumption.

Architecture and Interface: GDDR6 utilizes a 16n prefetch architecture, meaning it brings 16 data items per clock cycle. It likewise includes a dual-channel design, considering expanded data transfer capacity. The interface operates on a double data rate, meaning information is moved on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal.

Security Features of GDDR6

ECC (Error-Correcting Code): GDDR6 memory devices frequently integrate ECC functionality. ECC is a system that empowers the detection and correction of errors in stored data. Here information uprightness is of vital significance, like in mission-critical systems or scientific computations.

Thermal Sensors and Protection: Modern GDDR6 modules come furnished with thermal sensors that monitor temperature levels. At the point when temperatures exceed safe thresholds, the memory controller can start thermal throttling or even shut down to prevent damage from overheating.

Secure Boot and Encryption: Some GDDR6 executions support secure boot and encryption features. Secure boot guarantees that only authenticated and trusted firmware can be stacked onto the memory device, mitigating the risk of unauthorized access or malicious code execution.

Physical Security Measures: Physical security features like tamper-evident bundling and coatings, as well as anti-tamper mechanisms, might be executed to safeguard against physical attacks on the memory device.

IP Trends in GDDR6 Memory Devices

High-Density Memory Designs

As interest in higher memory capacity develops, there is a pattern toward creating GDDR6 memory modules with higher capacity densities. This empowers devices to handle larger datasets and more complex applications.

Enhanced Power Efficiency

Persistent efforts are being made to further develop the power efficiency of GDDR6 memory devices. This remembers headways for process innovation, circuit plans, and power management techniques to convey better performance per watt.

Integration with AI and Machine Learning

Given the rising integration of machine learning and AI in different applications, there is a pattern toward improving GDDR6 memory for these responsibilities. This might include explicit memory configurations or enhancements custom-made for artificial intelligence handling.

Advanced Packaging Technologies

Developments in bundling advancements, like 3D stacking and advanced interconnects, are being investigated to improve the exhibition and thickness of GDDR6 memory devices.

GDDR6 IP Developments and Legal Considerations

WCK Clocking

The GDDR6 SGRAM supports two operating modes for WCK frequency which differ in the DQ/DBI_n pin to WCK clock frequency ratio. The GDDR6 SGRAM supports DDR and QDR operating modes for WCK frequency which differ in the DQ/DBI_n to WCK clock frequency ratio.

Block Diagram of an Example Clock System

The JEDEC GDDR6 JESD250D standard (source: JEDEC)

IP Landscape

The intellectual property landscape for GDDR6 innovation is dynamic and advancing. Organizations in the semiconductor industry are continuously creating and licensing developments connected with GDDR6 memory configuration, fabricating processes, and related advancements. Licensing agreements and cross-licensing arrangements assume a vital part in permitting organizations to get to and use these IP resources.

Patent Challenges and Litigations

With the rising competitive nature of the innovation business, patent disputes and litigations can emerge. Organizations should be cautious in surveying the potential infringement risks related to GDDR6-related technologies and should participate in due diligence before creating items to stay away from legal complications.

Licensing Strategies

Licensing GDDR6-related IP is a typical methodology for organizations to get to the innovation without wasting time. Licensing arrangements frame the terms under which an organization can utilize licensed innovations, and they might include royalty payments or other monetary considerations. Developing a sound licensing procedure is fundamental to guarantee that organizations can use GDDR6 innovation while regarding IP rights. Intel Corp. holds a maximum number of patents followed by Samsung and Micron.

IP Trends - Company vs. Number of Patents

The https://www.lens.org/ (source: https://www.lens.org/lens/search/patent/list?q=GDDR6%20Memory%20Devices%20%20Security%20Features )

Legal status over time
publication status over time

The https://www.lens.org/ (source: https://www.lens.org/lens/search/patent/list?q=GDDR6%20Memory%20Devices%20%20Security%20Features )

Conclusion

GDDR6 memory devices have established themselves as a foundation of superior execution memory innovation. Their blend of high transmission capacity, low power utilization, and security features make them an imperative part of modern computing systems. As innovation keeps on developing, we can anticipate further progressions in limit, power effectiveness, and mix with arising advancements like simulated intelligence and AI. Keeping an eye on these trends will be significant for remaining at the forefront of GDDR6 memory technology.

Meta Data

Delve into GDDR6 memory: Security features & IP trends for high-performance computing.

Categories
Electronics

Haptic Feedback Displays and Disney’s ‘Feeling Fireworks

HAPTICS:

Haptic technology, also known as haptics, is a technology that creates an experience of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user. It targets the user’s sense of touch and can be used to create virtual objects in computer simulations, control virtual objects, and enhance remote control of machines and devices. Haptic devices often incorporate tactile sensors that measure forces exerted by the user on the interface.

Here are some key points about haptic technology:

  • 1. Haptic technology can create haptic feedback through the application of force, vibration, and motion
  • 2. It can be used in various fields such as medicine, aviation, entertainment, and more
  • 3. Haptic technology has been used in video game controllers, smartphones (vibrations), and other consumer devices to provide tactile feedback
  • 4. It has the potential to enhance user experiences and engagement by stimulating the sense of touch
  • 5. Haptic technology has been explored in the medical field, particularly in surgical robots, to improve accuracy and reduce tissue damage

The future of haptic technology holds possibilities for more realistic and immersive experiences, but cost, power consumption, and size remain challenges

Overall, haptic technology provides a way to engage users’ tactile senses and enhance their interaction with digital and physical environments. It has applications in various industries and has the potential to create more immersive and realistic experiences.

What are Haptics feedback displays?

Haptic feedback displays are interfaces that provide tactile feedback to users through the application of forces, vibrations, or motions. Haptic feedback displays can be used in various fields such as medicine, aviation, entertainment, and more. 

Here are some types of haptic feedback displays:

  • 1. Surface haptics: Surface haptics provide programmable haptic effects on physical surfaces, making interfaces come to life. Surface haptics can be used to create fully programmable textures on a physical surface, allowing users to experience textures such as bumps, edges, and collisions.
  • 2. Graspable haptic devices: Graspable haptic devices, such as joysticks, are used in applications like robot control.
  • 3. Touchable haptic devices: Touchable haptic devices are used to create virtual objects in computer simulations and control virtual objects.
  • 4. Wearable haptic devices: Wearable haptic devices are worn on the body and can be used to provide feedback to users in various applications such as gaming and sports.

Haptic feedback displays can be used to enhance user experiences and engagement by stimulating the sense of touch. They have the potential to create more immersive and realistic experiences in various industries. However, cost, power consumption, and size remain challenges for the development of haptic feedback displays.

Disney Research created fireworks display you can feel with your hands:

Disney Research has created a “Feeling Fireworks” display that offers haptic feedback, allowing visually impaired guests to experience the pyrotechnic display through vibrations they can feel. The technology consists of a latex screen mounted on a frame in front of the fireworks, which is then streamed with water through a variety of nozzles to create vibrations that simulate the sound waves and light patterns of the fireworks.

The vibrations are strong enough to be felt by a person’s hands, providing a tactile experience of the fireworks. The tactile fireworks display is for aesthetic purpose, envisioned to bring all crowd members together to enjoy the experience of feeling fireworks. However, there are no plans to implement this technology in any of the Disney parks at the moment. The technology behind Feeling Fireworks would make it possible to make large tactile screens at a reasonable price.

How does it work?

Disney Research has developed a “Feeling Fireworks” display that offers haptic feedback, allowing visually impaired guests to experience the pyrotechnic display through vibrations they can feel. Here’s how it works:

  • 1. The technology consists of a latex screen mounted on a frame in front of the fireworks, which is then streamed with water through a variety of nozzles to create vibrations that simulate the sound waves and light patterns of the fireworks
  • 2. The vibrations are strong enough to be felt by a person’s hands, providing a tactile experience of the fireworks
  • 3. While there are no current plans to implement the technology in any of the Disney parks, the prototype has been tested on sighted users and demonstrated that the tactile effects are meaningful analogs to the visual fireworks that they represent.

Disney Researches Feeling Fireworks for the Blind:

Disney Research has developed a “Feeling Fireworks” display that offers haptic feedback, allowing visually impaired guests to experience the pyrotechnic display through vibrations they can feel.

  • Feeling Fireworks” is a tactile firework show aimed at making fireworks more inclusive for blind and visually impaired guests
  • The technology consists of a latex screen mounted on a frame in front of the fireworks, which is then streamed with water through a variety of nozzles to create vibrations that simulate the sound waves and light patterns of the fireworks
  • The vibrations are strong enough to be felt by a person’s hands, providing a tactile experience of the fireworks

A Patent related to the technology : US10555153B2

Categories
Computer Science Electronics

Popular microcontrollers and their architecture

Microcontrollers

A microcontroller is a programmable processing element with an embedded memory system and multiple programmable input and output peripherals. The peripherals can be advanced GPU, coprocessors, or other electronic components. Microcontrollers are used in different electronic devices for implementing various applications.

It can be used in the device, which can be automatically controlled. Further, it is mostly used in automobiles, computer systems, and different appliances

There are multiple manufacturers of microcontrollers in the market. Such as 

  1. Cypress Semiconductor
  2. NXP Semiconductor
  3. Silicon labs
  4. ARM
  5. MIPS
  6. Maxim Integrated
  7. Renesas
  8. Intel 
  9. Microchip technology

we will learn about the different components of the popular microcontrollers from three manufacturers.

Texas Instrument C2000 MCU

Texas Instrument makes multiple products ranging from all electronic devices, including MCUs. Different MCUs being produced by Texas Instruments are ARM-based MCUs, C2000 MCUs, DSPs, and MSP430 microcontrollers. The most popular MCUs of Texas Instruments are C200 MCUs, used in various electronic devices to perform different control operations, such as digital power and motor control.

C2000 MCUs:

Each C2000 MCU is a combination of multiple configurable blocks that are interconnected. Each CLC can be configured to perform custom operations as per configuration information.

Feature of C2000 Microcontrollers:

1. It provides high computational capabilities with an advanced floating-point data processing unit. 

2. It implements a highly accurate ADC converter

3. It implements integrated comparators for performing comparison operations. 

4. It implements a very high communication interface for the communication of signals and data.

Implementation of C2000 Microcontrollers

Implementation of C2000 Microcontrollers:

The microcontroller can help us to make independent custom logic units to perform different custom logical operations. The MCUs implement multiple Configurable Logic Cells (CLC) in the system, which can be configured or programmed for custom operations. Multiple custom logical units are connected using different local or Universal buses. Each CLC is associated with a PWM module for powering up the CLC. The global bus further connects multiple CLBs.

The input of one CLB can be inputted to another CLB to create a cascading effect.

CLB System Arhitecture
CLB unit modules and CLB sub-modules

Each CLB unit includes multiple CLB sub-modules, namely:

  1. 4-Input Look-up table (LUT) submodules – LUT unit helps to create any boolean operations using up to 4 inputs
  2. 4-State Finite State Machine (FSM) – 4-State FSM generates up to 4 states based on input received.
  3. Counter unit – The counter can act as a counter, shifter, or adder. As a counter, it can count up or down; as a shifter, it can shift right or left; as an adder, it can add or subtract. 
  4. Output Look-up table (LUT) – The output LUT can be configured with boolean operations. 
  5. High-Level Controller (HLC) – The HLC can perform different control operations in the system. The HLC performs data exchange or interrupt operations.
TMS320F28004x Real-Time Microcontrollers

Link to documentation of TI C2000 MCUs are:

https://www.ti.com/microcontrollers-mcus-processors/c2000-real-time-control-mcus/overview.html

https://www.ti.com/lit/ml/slyp681/slyp681.pdf?ts=1655705809321&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F

https://www.ti.com/lit/an/spracn0f/spracn0f.pdf?ts=1702390944874

https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/spruii0e/spruii0e.pdf?ts=1702390956144

https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/spruin7b/spruin7b.pdf?ts=1702390972904

NXP S32V2 Processors

NXP has been active in the microcontroller market for a long time. NXP S32V2 MCUs form vision processors for processing images using its APEX-2 vision accelerators in sensing apparatus. It offers an image signal processor and a 3D graphics processing unit (GPU). They are extensively used in ADAS to detect object and image recognition operations.

S32V2 Processor:

The MCU features an APEX-2 vision accelerator for implementing image processing operations using the APEX core framework and an APEX graph tool for sensing different objects ahead of it. The NXP MCu has been implemented in the Bluebox engine for autonomous driving.

Implementation of S32V2 Processor:

  1. Cortex processor A53 for processing different inputs.
  2. APEX-2 vision accelerators:
  3. GPU and Hardware security encryption mechanism
  4. Fabric and internal memory
APEX-2 vision accelerators: GPU and Hardware security encryption mechanism Fabric and internal memory

The APEX processing unit implements two APUs and 16 computational units (CU), and each CU includes four functional units: Multiplier, Load-store, ALU, and shifter unit. 

Each APU is a parallel processor for processing different computational operations. The APU manages the execution and data movement by dispatching instructions to different CUs. 

It has been extensively used in 3D content creation, advanced driver assistance, and video surveillance for recognizing different objects. And people.

G2-APEX-642 ICP Core
APEX ICP Core - Data Flow Management & HW Acceleration

The ACP is a 32-bit RISCV-based processor. The APU implements both scaler and SIMD capabilities. The scaler processing is performed in the Array control processor (ACP) unit. Vector processing is done at the Vector processing unit.

S32V234 Vision Processor - Architecture

Link to documentation of NXP S32V2 MCUs are:

https://www.nxp.com/products/processors-and-microcontrollers/arm-processors/s32-automotive-processors/s32v2-processors-for-vision-machine-learning-and-sensor-fusion:S32V234

https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/data-sheet/S32V234.pdf

https://www.nxp.com/webapp/Download?colCode=S32V234RM

Silabs EFM8 Busy Bee MCU

Silicon Labs’s Laser Bee MCU includes analog-intensive MCUs. This MCU offers high computational operations, including 14-bit ADC, temperature sensors, and high-speed communication peripherals in packages.

Silabs EFM8 Busy Bee MCU

Implementation of Silabs EFM8 Busy Bee:

  1. It includes up to four configurable logic cells.
  2. They are used in different apps and locations that require programmable operations.
  3. Each unit supports 256 other combinational logic functions. Such as AND, OR, XOR, and multiplexing.
  4. Each CLU has a look-up logic (LUT) logic function that can be used to perform 256 different operations. Each CLU contains a D flip-flop, whose input is the LUT output. Multiple CLUs can be cascaded together to achieve some functions.
Silabs EFM8 Busy Bee Architecture

Link to documentation of TI C2000 MCUs are:

https://www.silabs.com/mcu/8-bit-microcontrollers/efm8-laser-bee

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/training/mcu/em8-mcu-overview.pdf

https://www.silabs.com/mcu/8-bit-microcontrollers/efm8-bb5

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/application-notes/AN921.pdf

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/training/mcu/efm8-lb1-clu.pdf