Optimize the power of always-on logic with SESAME eLV library, a Dolphin Integration solution in TSMC 55 ULP / ULP-eF process

Grenoble, France – January 25, 2016 -- Devices for mobile applications (Wearables, Smart devices etc.) spend most of the time in deep-sleep mode. Thus, it is crucial to minimize the energy drawn by the always-operating functions, i.e. the always-on domain, in order to extend battery lifetime. Indeed, even if the always-on logic represents usually a small part of the SoC, its weight in the overall power consumption can be very significant.

Relying on years of experience designing low-power standard cell libraries, Dolphin Integration has developed a trustworthy methodology for defining the minimum operating voltage, based on a trade-off between operating speed and power consumption, while guaranteeing the best yield. The standard cell validation and characterization flow is tuned for ensuring both accuracy and reliability.

The extremely low-voltage SESAME eLV library benefits both from this advanced design methodology and a patented flip-flop to achieve minimal power consumption.

SESAME eLV is designed to operate down to the minimum data retention voltage (0.55 V at TSMC 55nm uLPeFlash) allowing the designer to share the same supply voltage for always-on logic and retention RAM, if any. The advantage is to avoid a dedicated regulator for always-on logic, saving both area and power.

Operating at such a low voltage allows very significant power savings: power consumption can be divided by more than 2 when supplying the always-on logic at 0.55 V compared to 1.2 V!

However, ultra-low voltage operation also comes with a trade-off on maximum operating frequency. Therefore, the SESAME eLV library is available in different configurations (6 & 9 tracks, SVT & HVT, different PVT corners) in order to cover a wide range of needs. For TSMC 55 nm uLPeFlash, standard deliverables include characterization at 0.55 V for designs operating at a few tens of kHz – typically, an RTC at 32 kHz – and at 0.75 V for operation at a few MHz – typically, a wake-up trigger based on Voice Activity Detection (VAD).

Sesame eLV features

Dolphin Integration provides a complete set of complementary products to build an ultra low-power always-on block:

• qLR Della Aon – Dual Output : an optimized cap-less LDO with dual output that enables supplying both standard IO cells and the ultra low-power always-on block.
• Ultra low-power RC and crystal oscillators
• qCMPH comparator, a low-power voltage trigger
• Whisper Trigger, our new low-power Voice Activity Detection (VAD) trigger

Our FAE team is at your disposal to analyze your design constraints and to define with you the optimal always-on configuration enabling to meet your application challenges. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any query.

About Dolphin Integration

Dolphin Integration contributes to "enabling low-power Systems-on-Chip" for worldwide customers - up to the major actors of the semiconductor industry - with high-density Silicon IP components best at low-power consumption.

The "Foundation IP" of this offering involves innovative libraries of standard cells, register files and memory generators. The "Fabric IP" of voltage regulators, Power Island Construction Kits and their control network MAESTRO enable a flexible assembly with their loads. They especially star the "Feature IP": from high-resolution converters for audio and measurement applications to power-optimized 8 or 16 and 32 bit micro-controllers.

Over 30 years of experience in the integration of silicon IP components, providing services for ASIC/SoC design and fabrication with its own EDA solutions, make Dolphin Integration a genuine one-stop shop addressing all customers' needs for specific requests.

It is not just one more supplier of Technology, but the provider of the DOLPHIN INTEGRATION know-how!

The company strives to incessantly innovate for its customers’ success, which has led to two strong differentiators:

•  state-of-the-art “panoplies of Semiconductor IP components” for high-performance applications securing the most competitive SoC architectural solutions,
•  a team of Integration and Application Engineers supporting each user’s need for optimal application schematics, demonstrated through EDA solutions enabling early performance assessments.

Its social responsibility has been from the start focused on the design of integrated circuits with low-power consumption, placing the company in the best position to now contribute to new applications for general power savings through the emergence of the Internet of Things.