Mobile chip revolution and design considerations

It is estimated that our planet is now full of billions of mobile devices from smartphones to other "portable" communications, and this number will only increase in the future and will not decrease. Today's consumers are hard to imagine the days when mobile devices could not be used all day. Whether it's sending an email to a colleague, getting directions to a restaurant, watching an emergency news broadcast, or experiencing the Internet for the first time, there is no difference. Mobile devices are one of the most important connection points to communicate with the outside world. The chips in these mobile companions play a media role, creating a personal experience that can fully meet the unique needs of consumers.

Due to the market to be developed on such a scale, equipment manufacturers are constantly looking for semiconductor solutions that can provide a new generation of "killer" equipment for the target market at a reasonable price. Suppliers use chips that can fully meet consumer expectations for devices such as processing, power consumption, and connectivity to actively respond to this demand. These tiny miracles are densely packed on the circuit boards of mobile devices. They are the brains of consumers' favorite devices, and each chip has a unique design. The following will introduce some of the components that enable the coordination of various parts of mobile devices, as well as several major trends that promote the development of current and future mobile chip designs.

Trend 1: Use discrete processors to achieve true differentiation

There is no "all-in-one" solution in the mobile market, and every user wants to obtain a device that can meet their personal needs. The real mobile device differentiation depends on the software running on the application processor, which can define the final product. The application processor and modem can work closely together to achieve a wonderful user experience, functions, and applications. The modem can receive signals or data from the antenna, convert the data into a usable format, and then send it to the application processor. The application processor helps achieve the end user experience, using modem data as the data needed to implement various experiences such as high-definition 1080p video decoding, user interface graphics rendering, and Internet browsing comparable to PCs. Discrete application processor solutions with modems and application processors on separate chips can help mobile device manufacturers quickly and efficiently expand software to achieve unique features that can fully meet the needs of various markets. In contrast, integrated solutions that integrate modems and application processors in a unified package often require compromise and sacrifice in innovation and time to market.

There are many reasons for separating modem and application processor functions, including the speed of technology development and the time-to-market process between each generation of modem and application processor. As processor design and mobile device PCB design have become more convenient, the current time to market for discrete application processors is 6 to 12 months faster than the time to market for integrated modem / application processor design solutions. In fact, compared to integrated solutions, stand-alone "thin modems" can more easily accelerate the time to market for innovative products. In addition, because there are also huge differences in the speed of innovation, the use of independent solutions can more efficiently convert between different versions.

In addition to differences in time, discrete application processors also have advantages in development and design. For example, a discrete processor can enable an open source community, giving device manufacturers the advantage of collaborative software development. In addition, they can further improve the voice path to achieve the latest features and higher voice quality.

Trend 2: Advanced processor features, the latest reality

Application processors not only ensure faster and more innovative designs at the moment, but also support future expansion investments. In addition, they also represent an important development trend in the entire mobile product field: make each product a perfect combination of low power consumption and high performance, rather than give up one after another. In short, a mobile device is not a good product if the battery is easily depleted and there is a serious conflict between weight / size and battery size. Similarly, product differentiation requires sufficient performance space to be reserved in the product series. Using discrete application processors as the core of the design, manufacturers have a high degree of flexibility to meet the power and performance needs of various products.

The optimal balance of power consumption and performance continues to revolutionize the portable experience, and a new generation of application processors will soon realize features such as contactless gestures, 3D high-definition video and imaging. The new mobile operation brought by human-computer interaction (HDI) will also completely change the way consumers connect with devices and the outside world. HDI is a series of technologies that can improve the way people interact with mobile devices in a natural and intuitive way. For example, a standard 2D camera will track and recognize body movements and gestures on the device, and use gestures to convert touch commands into non-contact interactions.

With powerful processing capabilities, the enhanced capabilities of stereoscopic video and video will also change the way we collect and view content. Everyday 2D images will be converted into interactive 3D HD memories. By projecting mobile content on any plane, information sharing will transform from a one-to-one experience to a one-to-many experience, while traditional phones will transform into data centers through face, logo, and object recognition. Future application processors can transform these functions from pure design ideas into real experiences, changing the way users “move” their lives.

Trend 3: Integrated connection technology can achieve strong connection performance to the outside world

Similar to the low power consumption and high performance required by consumers, the connection function of mobile devices is also becoming a hot spot. Bluetooth (Bluetooth), GPS, FM radio and mobile wireless local area network technologies can provide richer information and a wider range of connections, thereby improving the practicality of mobile devices. Like application processors, these connection technologies must provide robust functionality at a reasonable price without shortening battery life, reducing cellular service quality or performance.

But on the other side of the mobile world, the discrete approach of connection technology cannot be compared with the discrete approach of discrete application processors. In fact, an integrated connection solution that integrates one or more mobile radio technologies on a unified chip can continue to reflect its value in meeting the needs of consumers and manufacturers. The multi-radio integrated solution not only saves space and minimizes power consumption, but also simplifies the mobile phone bill of materials, thereby saving system costs and simplifying the manufacturing process. Current integrated solutions can achieve excellent connection performance, and the new generation of chips can integrate up to 4 technologies on a unified bare chip to further improve functionality. Using multiple connection points, multi-tasking, sharing and overall communication can reach a new height.

In the design of the integrated solution, various power consumption reduction features are also used, including a complete processor that provides communication flow management, which can handle the entire communication load according to the corresponding connection technology. Except when communicating with larger systems, these devices can operate without the intervention of the host processor. Therefore, when the integrated solution handles communication tasks, the mobile phone host processor and other functions can enter a low-power mode, which can save power and extend the battery life between two charges.

Although the integrated solution has extremely high value, its development process has not been smooth for semiconductor engineers. Bluetooth, GPS, WLAN, and FM solutions all require different transmission and reception technologies. Adding one or more of these functions to the device requires collecting parallel communications from the multiplying RF function. Signal interference between different RF technologies, especially the Bluetooth and WLAN technologies that use the 2.4GHz band, may also cause users to have difficulty in use, reduce call reliability, and even drop calls. Out of consideration for these and other factors, providers face many challenges when creating devices that enable RF connections for multiple communication tasks to run successfully on a unified silicon chip. Sharing the same antenna between different technologies has exacerbated these conflicts and increased the need for enhanced designs.

A new chapter of mobile has been unveiled

A few years ago, the mention of "mobile" was reminiscent of mobile phones or smartphones. Today, "mobile" technology has touched a large number of products, and these products are usually using these application processors and connection technologies in some form. In emerging markets, the importance of high-flexibility design is becoming increasingly prominent, and by repeating the same technology for new markets, the need for versatility is also maximized. Take emerging e-book products as an example. Manufacturers use platform-level integration to reuse mobile technology and software to build this new field.

The current generation of e-books uses relatively small processors based on ARM7 or ARM9, and these two processors are being replaced by processors based on ARM Cortex-A8. The new generation of e-books need to use ARM Cortex-A8 processor, consumers need more features, more ideal reading experience (such as faster page turning, etc.), larger screen (12 inches and above) and higher performance (Faster PDF document opening and viewing). Similarly, in the "near" future, the ARM dual-channel Cortex-A9 SMP processor will enter the e-book field, which not only supports a larger color electronic paper / color TFT LCD display, but also achieves a highly interactive and feature-rich Content of e-books, including embedded 3D animation and 720p / 1080p HD video. The Cortex-A8 and Cortex-A9 processors are evergreen in the mobile industry, and can open up a smooth path for manufacturers who are looking for a more convenient way to implement e-book design. Derivatives of previous generation mobile processors and connection technologies can significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of e-books, while comprehensive optimized solutions from experienced mobile manufacturers are an important tool for success.

With the powerful performance achieved by discrete application processors, high robust connectivity options, and power management technologies, we are opening a new chapter in e-book products, as well as new chapters in other mobile devices that are still in the conception stage. . With a solid mobile technology foundation and enthusiastic consumers, they will surely have a brilliant future.

Brilliant tomorrow

When designing mobile devices from feature phones to smart phones and e-books, it is necessary to understand the user's expectations and experience in depth. Consumers are increasingly demanding the types of applications they want mobile devices to support. Therefore, the ability to update products quickly and meet higher expectations is the key to success.

Mobile device circuit boards are covered with tiny chips, which play a central role in the brain, and each chip has a unique design purpose. Important components, including discrete application processors and integrated connectivity solutions, enable coordinated operation of various parts of mobile devices. Successful implementation of future designs will require advanced silicon chips and wireless technology. Only by choosing the best can we continue to build even higher personal experience and external world connectivity ... Mobile technology will have a bright future in future generations!

Author:

Eran Sandhaus TI Wireless Business Unit Wireless Connectivity Solutions Marketing Director

Robert Tolbert Director of OMAP Platform Marketing, TI Wireless Business Unit

We are a unique name in the industry to provide our prestigious clients an exclusive range of Solar Home Solution. Offered Inverter is uniquely manufactured using the optimum quality basic material and modern technology in synchronization with the set industry standards. Owing to its high durability and excellent look, this Inverter is very popular among our clients. Further more, to ensure the best quality, the provided Inverter is stringently tested by our quality auditors.The high quality EVA film layer with anti-uv agent, antioxidant and curing agent is used as the sealing agent of solar cell and the connection between glass and TPT. It has high transmittance and anti-aging ability.  

250W 120AH Solar Home Power

250W 120AH Solar Home Power,120AH Solar Home Power,250W Solar Home Power

Yangzhou Bright Solar Solutions Co., Ltd. , https://www.cnbrightsolar.com