Gaming Graphics Get More Flashy

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Avo Kanadjian

About 5 months ago, a very interesting point-and-click adventure game called Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP was released for the Apple iPad. Was it because it has outstanding, immersive gameplay? No, it was released with incredible 8-bit visuals, challenging puzzles and an awesome soundtrack. Indeed, it was quite different than the predominate trend in gaming: more realistic and more immersive interactive graphics.

From Casual Handheld to Professional Simulations

The push for more action and realism is driving higher requirements for performance and capacity in NOR memory within embedded devices from simple handheld gaming devices to high-end professional games and simulations. One can say that “the flashiness of the game is driving the flashiness in the system” – all pun intended!

Three key memory characteristics are critical to graphics processing in these systems: data throughput, initial response times and total storage capacity. Unfortunately, balancing these tradeoffs against one another is a tricky proposition. Without superior data throughput, the gaming experience would be lost as jittery graphics would destroy the illusion; yet, fast initial response times are needed to handle fast random reads due to the interactivity of the gameplay. Traditionally, NOR Flash has handled these requirements quite well. High performance is enabled through burst mode and simultaneous read/write operations for fast boot and quick application loading.

The drive for greater, more comprehensive realism has also increased capacity requirements. When one thinks of higher capacity requirements and flash memory, one immediately thinks of solid-state disks (SSDs). Undoubtedly, SSDs are driving the limit for higher capacity with NAND flash devices and will continue for the foreseeable future. NAND Flash (64Gbit) clearly can scale to larger densities than NOR flash (now 4Gbit), but with the cost of a significant impact on initial access times due to NAND’s parallel configuration of multiplexed address and data buses. However, the push for higher capacity combined with superior performance is creating demand for another growth segment in the market, high-density NOR.

Spansion recently introduced the industry’s first 4Gb NOR Flash at 65nm. Built for speed, the chip has fast random read for interactive operation, fast programming for time efficient software development, and very high reliability for long-term operation. With these types of advancements, dual requirements of performance and capacity are best delivered by high-density NOR; particularly for 2D and 3D graphics, animation and video used in games, learning devices and automotive infotainment and instrumentation clusters.

There’s More Than SSDs at Flash Memory Summit

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Stephan Rosner

This week you are probably going to hear a lot about SSDs at Flash Memory Summit. They are an impressive technological advancement; my 128GB SSD has literally rejuvenated my old laptop. However, NOR flash has also been revolutionizing the embedded market as well. This was the key discussion in the session today, “NOR Flash Memory: Instant-on Experience in Electronics.”

I moderated the session featuring a panel discussion with industry partners, Jameel Hussein, technical marketing manager, Xilinx and Tony Xia, product marketing manager, NXP, along with my colleague, Avo Kanadjian, VP of marketing, Spansion. The session opened with a presentation by Spansion Fellow, Cliff Zitlaw, describing the Instant-On experience NOR delivers in electronics.

NOR Flash memory has distinct advantages in embedded applications

As Cliff presented, NOR Flash memory currently provides the lowest initial latency and highest data integrity of all non-volatile memory products. This has been the case since its inception and it continues today as performance and pin efficiency increases with interface enhancements. For many applications, NOR’s key advantage is its initial access speed. To illustrate, in the time it takes to complete one NAND access of a 128B file transfer, a NOR device can complete 71 transfers. But just how does this advantage enable today’s advanced electronics?

With Xilinx FPGA applications, NOR Flash memory is used to store configuration bitstreams, user data storage and code storage. NOR’s high throughput and error-free operation is critical for fast configuration of the FPGA. PCIe, CAN network, handheld and consumer FPGA applications all require very fast configuration to meet end-user performance expectations.

Likewise, the high throughput of quad-mode Serial flash memory in particular is opening up entirely new uses for NXP’s low-power microcontrollers. With the Flash memory operating at 70-95% of the core frequency, you can XiP right out of the Flash and bypass the need for any additional memory thanks to the SPIFI Flash interface in NXP MCUs. SPIFI exposes the SPI Flash in the main memory map and is treated like on-chip Flash, allowing for maximum performance. Graphics, like LCD images, can stream from the Flash and even raster directly– all from a very pin efficient footprint provided by the serial interface.

Making a difference in life

2D and 3D graphics, animation and video are finding a home in games, learning devices and even automotive instrument clusters; requiring the fast random read performance of NOR Flash memory. Since consumers today are requiring a more immersive, instant-on experience from all their electronics, you could say that “the flashiness of the game is driving the flashiness in the system” – all pun intended.

All of this 24×7 connectivity is having an effect on power consumption. The set-top box in particular is becoming one of the largest power drains in the home, consuming more energy than a refrigerator according to a recent New York Times article. To combat this, devices will need to use deep power-down sleep modes which creates another need for instant-on performance to turn on programming.

Beyond the tablets, smartphones and enterprise SSDs, NAND and NOR Flash memory is growing and making an impact throughout all our lives at work, on the road, at home and at play.

Leveraging Technology for Energy Innovation

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Winnie Wu

There are industries and then there is the global energy market. Very few other industries have as profound an effect on the global economy as the energy market. Industry reports forecast it to reach more than $11,250B by the end of 2014, its growth and importance will accelerate even more.

Business as usual in the energy sector is not sustainable. Not surprisingly, governments throughout the world are investing in developing various energy generation and management applications, including renewable energy, smart grid, smart energy management, and various green appliances and transportation options. What links all these options together? Advanced technology.

Innovative Use of Technology

Technology advances have been brought to bear to solve the most difficult energy challenges: intelligently predict and generate energy for consumption and efficiently using renewable resources generation. Smart grids are being created to convert the industry from the traditional one way “send the energy from the core to all consumers” consumption-based approach to a more effective and efficient demand and response and monitoring system.

Intelligent electric meters and embedded devices are installed to connect consumers and suppliers and to monitor their energy consumption behavior. By matching the demand to the energy supply, utilities can provide a more cost effective, reliable and sustainable service.

Not only will distributed demand be better understood, distributed supply through renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar, will be better managed. Traditional grids were designed for one-way flow to the consumer, while our smart grid future includes two-way flows of energy that can be hazardous if not properly managed.

Smart Grids Are Only One Example

And it goes far beyond just smart grids. We are seeing technology applied for innovations in all parts of the value chain. As a semiconductor company, Spansion is acutely aware of the energy challenges of the future. Over the next few months, I will elaborate more about our efforts to provide technology solutions for the energy market. Exciting times are ahead.

Our panel discussion on “Instant-on Experience in Electronics” at the Flash Memory Summit

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Mark Franken

Now… as consumers, we want it now. Instant gratification has become the rule as opposed to the exception. Consequently, an “instant-on experience” has become critical for the practical use, and eventual customer satisfaction, of electronics.

Join us in session 108 – NOR Flash Memory: Instant-on Experience in Electronics on Tuesday August 9^th from 3:30-4:45PM at the Flash Memory Summit at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Chaired by Stephan Rosner – Spansion, the program will include a presentation by Cliff Zitlaw – Spansion on the Future of NOR Flash Memory as well as what promises to be an exciting and informative panel discussion with Avo Kanadjian – Spansion, Jameel Hussein – Xilinx, and Rob Cosaro – NXP Semiconductors.

The session is an open to all conference attendees. See you there!