BANGALORE, INDIA: Infineon Technologies AG announced that its unique chip-based asymmetric authentication solution has been ported to Intel vPro technology, providing the basis for IT system administrators, OEM Tech Support and Warranty Services to improve the integrity of computer systems.
At the recent Intel Developer Forum 2009, Infineon demonstrated how chip-based authentication can help implement authentication of PC peripherals and improve the integrity of enterprise systems. The Infineon ORIGA (SLE 95050) chip makes it possible to recognize if a peripheral or accessory, such as external storage devices and graphics cards, is original equipment or cloned.
Cloned devices, which may not offer the same level of reliability, quality and warranty as authorized original equipment, cannot be operated on a system configured to work only with authenticated hardware. In environments with Intel vPro technology, IT administrators and other authorized users can use Intel Active Management Technology (AMT) to authenticate system components and perform inventory checks of networked assets.
“Authentication of devices can enhance system security by restricting access if an unauthorized PC peripheral or accessory is attached to a client device,” said Paolo Cocchiglia, Vice President, ASIC and Power IC, Infineon Technologies North America Corp.
“In conjunction with Intel vPro technology, it can also improve reliability and help to reduce maintenance issues by preventing deliberate or accidental use of cloned devices, since an administrator can readily identify any cloned or unauthorized devices attached to a system and address the issue before it causes problems. Together with energy efficiency and communication, security is one of the three focus areas of Infineon.”
“We are committed to creating an ecosystem of suppliers and partners to enhance the native capabilities of Intel vPro technology,” said Larry Wiklund, Director Business Development, Business Client Group, Intel.
“Infineon’s demonstration of hard-wired authentication for system components and peripherals shows how IT administrators can gain access to a new and powerful tool to enhance the integrity of systems and help validate that all hardware in a digital office environment complies with corporate requirements.”
In the demonstration, a USB-stick containing the ORIGA chip acted as a peripheral to be authenticated. In practice, manufacturers of peripherals and accessories, including graphics cards, external storage devices, networking cards, user interface accessories, notebook and netbook batteries, etc., would integrate the chip into their products, working with Infineon to implement a secure authentication supply chain.
The demonstration utilizes the IDE_REDIRECT feature of Intel AMT to illustrate how remote secure manageability from Intel can be coupled with strong and secure authentication technology from Infineon to deliver solutions for a secure digital office.
Infineon’s authentication chip, the ORIGA (SLE 95050), provides asymmetric authentication based on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC). The low-power chip, with single wire bus interface, can be operated in a bus-powered mode and contains a hardware-protected private key that is integrated into the peripheral device.
The host device only contains a software resident public key that is used in the authentication process. ECC is a more advanced encryption/decryption algorithm than today’s asymmetric systems (i.e. RSA) and the public/private key algorithms are recognized as more secure than symmetric, shared key systems like AES and DES.
The ECC asymmetric authentication technology allows different host-to-peripheral authentication which is independent of the location of the peripheral or the communication interface (wireless, local, wired, chip-to-chip, etc.).
Additional applications of ORIGA technology include allowing service providers (i.e. Internet, data service, media provider) to use secure authentication technology to deliver content to the rightful subscriber or owner, and providing consumers with a tool for secure digital home environments.
Showing posts with label Infineon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Infineon. Show all posts
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Monday, 24 August 2009
Infineon remains No. 1 in power semiconductors
ENGLAND: According to latest analysis from IMS Research, Infineon Technologies remained the largest supplier to the global power semiconductor (discrete and module) market in 2008, for the sixth consecutive year and increased its share to 10.2 percent.
The research reveals that the global power discrete and module market was worth $13.9 billion in 2008 having grown by just 0.7 percent from 2007 due to a dismal fourth quarter.
IMS Research’s latest report on “The World Market for Power Semiconductor Discretes & Modules”, projects the overall market will fall by 22 percent in 2009. Power discretes will see the worst decline, with revenues falling by over $2.5 billion and half of the decline will be from power MOSFETs and protected MOSFETs.
Like most others, this market experienced a terrible Q1 and Q2, however, a steady pickup is predicted for suppliers in Q3.
Market Analyst, Josh Flood commented: “Revenues from power semiconductors are predicted to fall significantly in 2009. However, compared to projections for the overall semiconductor market, the picture is less gloomy. The power semiconductor market is forecast to make a steady recovery in the second half of 2009, and several suppliers have revised their projection for the second half of the year.”
IMS Research anticipates healthy growth for the power semiconductor market in 2010, with market growth of around 7 percent, with many of the larger western economies now beginning to stabilise from the economic downturn.
The research reveals that the global power discrete and module market was worth $13.9 billion in 2008 having grown by just 0.7 percent from 2007 due to a dismal fourth quarter.
IMS Research’s latest report on “The World Market for Power Semiconductor Discretes & Modules”, projects the overall market will fall by 22 percent in 2009. Power discretes will see the worst decline, with revenues falling by over $2.5 billion and half of the decline will be from power MOSFETs and protected MOSFETs.
Like most others, this market experienced a terrible Q1 and Q2, however, a steady pickup is predicted for suppliers in Q3.
Market Analyst, Josh Flood commented: “Revenues from power semiconductors are predicted to fall significantly in 2009. However, compared to projections for the overall semiconductor market, the picture is less gloomy. The power semiconductor market is forecast to make a steady recovery in the second half of 2009, and several suppliers have revised their projection for the second half of the year.”
IMS Research anticipates healthy growth for the power semiconductor market in 2010, with market growth of around 7 percent, with many of the larger western economies now beginning to stabilise from the economic downturn.
Friday, 14 August 2009
Infineon's single-chip XWAY WAVE100 family for 802.11n WLAN home gateways
NEUBIBERG, GERMANY: Infineon Technologies AG introduced a new family of single-chip WLAN ICs. The new XWAY WAVE100 ICs provide a high-performance and cost-effective solution for wireless network access points that are compliant to the 802.11n draft standard for data rates up to 150Mbit/s as well as the 802.11 b/g standard.
The XWAY WAVE100 family lowers the total system cost for home gateway manufacturers, with a significantly reduced RBOM (Rest of Bill-of-Material) and improved manufacturing throughput. Additionally, it is fully compliant to the European Union Code of Conduct (CoC) for broadband equipment energy efficiency.
The single-chip XWAY WAVE100 family integrates the WLAN Baseband, Media Access Controller (MAC), RF, Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) and Power Amplifier (PA) functionalities.
Systems based on the XWAY WAVE100 family require the industry’s lowest number of external components and need no external memory. This results in a RBOM which is about 25 percent lower than existing solutions in the market and up to 70 percent smaller board-space.
In the manufacturing of WLAN equipment, the production throughput largely depends on the trimming of the WLAN device to achieve optimum performance. Trimming adjusts for the characteristics of analog components which vary with the silicon process, temperature and life-time.
With the XWAY WAVE100 family, Infineon provides an innovative integrated tool-box to support on-the-fly trimming with temperature, voltage and supply monitoring during standard operation mode. This provides savings on expensive RF test equipment, in many cases makes external trimming during manufacturing unnecessary, and minimizes calibration time during manufacturing.
“With the new XWAY WAVE100 family, Infineon enables customers to meet growing consumer demand for high-speed wireless connectivity by offering WLAN 802.11n 1x1 with up to four times more speed than earlier generation WLANs at the price of legacy 802.11b/g systems,” said Christian Wolff, President of the Wireline Communications Division at Infineon Technologies.
“By combining our system know-how with expertise in chip design, we focus on product innovations to reduce the total system manufacturing cost for our customers.”
The XWAY WAVE100 family lowers the total system cost for home gateway manufacturers, with a significantly reduced RBOM (Rest of Bill-of-Material) and improved manufacturing throughput. Additionally, it is fully compliant to the European Union Code of Conduct (CoC) for broadband equipment energy efficiency.
The single-chip XWAY WAVE100 family integrates the WLAN Baseband, Media Access Controller (MAC), RF, Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) and Power Amplifier (PA) functionalities.
Systems based on the XWAY WAVE100 family require the industry’s lowest number of external components and need no external memory. This results in a RBOM which is about 25 percent lower than existing solutions in the market and up to 70 percent smaller board-space.
In the manufacturing of WLAN equipment, the production throughput largely depends on the trimming of the WLAN device to achieve optimum performance. Trimming adjusts for the characteristics of analog components which vary with the silicon process, temperature and life-time.
With the XWAY WAVE100 family, Infineon provides an innovative integrated tool-box to support on-the-fly trimming with temperature, voltage and supply monitoring during standard operation mode. This provides savings on expensive RF test equipment, in many cases makes external trimming during manufacturing unnecessary, and minimizes calibration time during manufacturing.
“With the new XWAY WAVE100 family, Infineon enables customers to meet growing consumer demand for high-speed wireless connectivity by offering WLAN 802.11n 1x1 with up to four times more speed than earlier generation WLANs at the price of legacy 802.11b/g systems,” said Christian Wolff, President of the Wireline Communications Division at Infineon Technologies.
“By combining our system know-how with expertise in chip design, we focus on product innovations to reduce the total system manufacturing cost for our customers.”
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Infineon’s wireline division to become LANTIQ
NEUBIBERG, GERMANY: Infineon Technologies AG and Golden Gate Capital announced that Infineon’s Wireline Communications Division will become LANTIQ after the closing of the recently announced transaction.
On July 7, 2009, Infineon Technologies announced that it had agreed to sell its Wireline Communications Division (WLC) to the private equity investor Golden Gate Capital. The deal is expected to close in fall 2009, at which time LANTIQ will assume all the products, projects and locations of the present WLC.
The new standalone company will have unique capabilities to combine traditional Wireline technologies with leading-edge Access and Home Networking technologies.
“During the last few years we have gained a very strong position and significant momentum in the wireline market, based on our broad and innovative product portfolio,” stated Christian Wolff, who is designated to be the CEO of LANTIQ.
“We are fully committed to the Wireline communications market and we see a tremendous opportunity in the market for IPTV, Home Networking and Next-Generation IP-based networks.”
“The junction where broadband access meets the digital home is a very hot area in the market today. Exciting new services like IPTV and VoIP depend on a seamless wideband connection from the central office to every point within the consumers’ home,” said Lee Ratliff, Senior Analyst, Broadband Digital Home and IPTV at iSuppli Corp.
“LANTIQ is positioned at the intersection of this activity with a portfolio that includes infrastructure and Home Networking products ranging from ADSL and VDSL to network processors, VoIP, and DECT/CAT-Iq.”
“WLC, and in the future LANTIQ, is a very exciting company representing an attractive investment opportunity for GGC. We are especially impressed with the leadership and integrity of the senior management team as well as the capabilities of the entire employee base. The people, technologies, and customer relationships make LANTIQ an attractive platform for us”, said John Knoll, Managing Director at Golden Gate Capital.
LANTIQ will be among the Top 15 fabless semiconductor companies worldwide and be a one-stop solution provider for the wireline communication and broadband access markets. It will be one of the very few vendors offering a complete DSL end-to-end portfolio and have a unique ability to integrate DSL, VoIP and home connectivity into complex SOCs.
LANTIQ will build on a strong foundation of more than 20 years in the industry, and will continue to drive innovation and integration in the telecommunications network, working with the leading players around the world to develop next-generation networks.
LANTIQ will be at the Broadband World Forum in Paris CNIT, September 7-9, 2009, at booth (#245).
On July 7, 2009, Infineon Technologies announced that it had agreed to sell its Wireline Communications Division (WLC) to the private equity investor Golden Gate Capital. The deal is expected to close in fall 2009, at which time LANTIQ will assume all the products, projects and locations of the present WLC.
The new standalone company will have unique capabilities to combine traditional Wireline technologies with leading-edge Access and Home Networking technologies.
“During the last few years we have gained a very strong position and significant momentum in the wireline market, based on our broad and innovative product portfolio,” stated Christian Wolff, who is designated to be the CEO of LANTIQ.
“We are fully committed to the Wireline communications market and we see a tremendous opportunity in the market for IPTV, Home Networking and Next-Generation IP-based networks.”
“The junction where broadband access meets the digital home is a very hot area in the market today. Exciting new services like IPTV and VoIP depend on a seamless wideband connection from the central office to every point within the consumers’ home,” said Lee Ratliff, Senior Analyst, Broadband Digital Home and IPTV at iSuppli Corp.
“LANTIQ is positioned at the intersection of this activity with a portfolio that includes infrastructure and Home Networking products ranging from ADSL and VDSL to network processors, VoIP, and DECT/CAT-Iq.”
“WLC, and in the future LANTIQ, is a very exciting company representing an attractive investment opportunity for GGC. We are especially impressed with the leadership and integrity of the senior management team as well as the capabilities of the entire employee base. The people, technologies, and customer relationships make LANTIQ an attractive platform for us”, said John Knoll, Managing Director at Golden Gate Capital.
LANTIQ will be among the Top 15 fabless semiconductor companies worldwide and be a one-stop solution provider for the wireline communication and broadband access markets. It will be one of the very few vendors offering a complete DSL end-to-end portfolio and have a unique ability to integrate DSL, VoIP and home connectivity into complex SOCs.
LANTIQ will build on a strong foundation of more than 20 years in the industry, and will continue to drive innovation and integration in the telecommunications network, working with the leading players around the world to develop next-generation networks.
LANTIQ will be at the Broadband World Forum in Paris CNIT, September 7-9, 2009, at booth (#245).
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Infineon expects capital increase to be fully placed
NEUBIBERG, GERMANY: Infineon Technologies AG announced that a fund managed by Apollo Global Management LLC will subscribe for the approximately 14 million shares from the capital increase, which are still available as a result of unexercised subscription rights, at a subscription price of Euro 2.15.
This corresponds to approximately 1.3 percent of Infineon’s increased share capital totaling Euro 2.173 billion, assuming the capital increase is fully placed.
This move takes the total number of shares which are issued under the capital increase at a subscription price of Euro 2.15 to 337,000,000. In addition to the shares taken by Apollo, approximately 323 million shares are purchased by the exercise of subscription rights, leading to a 100 percent exercise of the subscription rights, including Apollo.
The gross amount from the capital increase presumably will be around Euro 725 million. Infineon expects trading in the new shares issued pursuant to the rights issue to begin on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on Friday, August 7, 2009.
“This overall successful completion of our refinancing underlines the confidence of our shareholders in our company. The result is a stable financial situation that creates the base for a successful future of Infineon,” says Peter Bauer, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG.
This corresponds to approximately 1.3 percent of Infineon’s increased share capital totaling Euro 2.173 billion, assuming the capital increase is fully placed.
This move takes the total number of shares which are issued under the capital increase at a subscription price of Euro 2.15 to 337,000,000. In addition to the shares taken by Apollo, approximately 323 million shares are purchased by the exercise of subscription rights, leading to a 100 percent exercise of the subscription rights, including Apollo.
The gross amount from the capital increase presumably will be around Euro 725 million. Infineon expects trading in the new shares issued pursuant to the rights issue to begin on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on Friday, August 7, 2009.
“This overall successful completion of our refinancing underlines the confidence of our shareholders in our company. The result is a stable financial situation that creates the base for a successful future of Infineon,” says Peter Bauer, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG.
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Infineon's Q3 revenues up 13 percent Q-on-Q
NEUBIBERG, GERMANY: Infineon Technologies AG reported results for the third quarter of the 2009 fiscal year, ended June 30, 2009.
Infineon’s revenues in third quarter were Euro 845 million, up 13 percent compared to the second quarter and down 18 percent year-over-year. Infineon’s third quarter Segment Result improved significantly compared to the previous quarter, net loss was Euro 23 million.
“Thanks to higher sales, higher factory loading and the cost savings from our IFX10+
cost-reduction program, we improved our operational performance considerably during
the third quarter compared to the previous quarter. Together with strict cash
management, we generated positive free cash flow from continuing operations of Euro
152 million and reduced our net debt position significantly”, said Peter Bauer, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG.
During the third quarter, Infineon implemented a series of measures to improve its balance sheet and to achieve a more focussed product portfolio. The company launched a cash tender offer for a portion of its outstanding bonds and issued new convertible bonds.
In July 2009, it announced the sale of its Wireline Communications business and launched the pending rights offering, backstopped by Apollo. “If successful, these steps would complete the refinancing of the company”, said Peter Bauer.
The sequential increase in revenues reflects increased revenues in all of the company’s five operating segments. The Wireless Solutions (WLS) segment achieved by far the strongest percentage increase in revenues, with the segments Industrial & Multimarket (IMM), Automotive (ATV), Wireline Communications (WLC), and Chip Card & Security (CCS) following at some distance.
Third quarter earnings improved significantly compared to the second quarter. The drivers of the improvement included significant cost reductions, mainly due to the IFX10+ cost-reduction program, higher factory loading as Infineon carefully adjusted production according to the improved demand environment, and higher sales levels driven by the company’s strong product portfolio.
All of the company’s operating segments achieved positive Segment Result, except the ATV segment which posted a Segment Result of negative Euro 17 million.
Net loss from continuing operations for the third quarter was Euro 20 million, resulting in basic and diluted loss per share from continuing operations of Euro 0.03. For the second quarter, net loss from continuing operations was Euro 150 million, and basic and diluted loss per share from continuing operations was Euro 0.20.
Infineon reported loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes, of Euro 3 million for the third quarter. As a result of Qimonda’s application to open insolvency proceedings on January 23, 2009, Infineon deconsolidated Qimonda during the second quarter.
For the third quarter, Infineon reported group net loss of Euro 23 million, and basic and diluted loss per share of Euro 0.03.
In the third quarter, Infineon’s free cash flow from continuing operations was Euro 152 million, compared to a free cash flow from continuing operations of negative Euro 22 million in the second quarter. This strong improvement was driven by improved operating results and the company’s strict cash management.
Infineon’s revenues in third quarter were Euro 845 million, up 13 percent compared to the second quarter and down 18 percent year-over-year. Infineon’s third quarter Segment Result improved significantly compared to the previous quarter, net loss was Euro 23 million.
“Thanks to higher sales, higher factory loading and the cost savings from our IFX10+
cost-reduction program, we improved our operational performance considerably during
the third quarter compared to the previous quarter. Together with strict cash
management, we generated positive free cash flow from continuing operations of Euro
152 million and reduced our net debt position significantly”, said Peter Bauer, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG.
During the third quarter, Infineon implemented a series of measures to improve its balance sheet and to achieve a more focussed product portfolio. The company launched a cash tender offer for a portion of its outstanding bonds and issued new convertible bonds.
In July 2009, it announced the sale of its Wireline Communications business and launched the pending rights offering, backstopped by Apollo. “If successful, these steps would complete the refinancing of the company”, said Peter Bauer.
The sequential increase in revenues reflects increased revenues in all of the company’s five operating segments. The Wireless Solutions (WLS) segment achieved by far the strongest percentage increase in revenues, with the segments Industrial & Multimarket (IMM), Automotive (ATV), Wireline Communications (WLC), and Chip Card & Security (CCS) following at some distance.
Third quarter earnings improved significantly compared to the second quarter. The drivers of the improvement included significant cost reductions, mainly due to the IFX10+ cost-reduction program, higher factory loading as Infineon carefully adjusted production according to the improved demand environment, and higher sales levels driven by the company’s strong product portfolio.
All of the company’s operating segments achieved positive Segment Result, except the ATV segment which posted a Segment Result of negative Euro 17 million.
Net loss from continuing operations for the third quarter was Euro 20 million, resulting in basic and diluted loss per share from continuing operations of Euro 0.03. For the second quarter, net loss from continuing operations was Euro 150 million, and basic and diluted loss per share from continuing operations was Euro 0.20.
Infineon reported loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes, of Euro 3 million for the third quarter. As a result of Qimonda’s application to open insolvency proceedings on January 23, 2009, Infineon deconsolidated Qimonda during the second quarter.
For the third quarter, Infineon reported group net loss of Euro 23 million, and basic and diluted loss per share of Euro 0.03.
In the third quarter, Infineon’s free cash flow from continuing operations was Euro 152 million, compared to a free cash flow from continuing operations of negative Euro 22 million in the second quarter. This strong improvement was driven by improved operating results and the company’s strict cash management.
Friday, 24 July 2009
One-two punch knocks wireless semicon market back to 2003
EL SEGUNDO, USA: The combination of the global recession and excess inventory has set back the wireless semiconductor market to levels not seen since 2003, according to iSuppli Corp.
Global revenue for wireless semiconductors, the majority of which are used in mobile handsets, is set to decline to $39.4 billion in 2009, down a stunning 26.7 percent from $53.8 billion in 2008. This is the lowest level of annual revenue for the wireless semiconductor industry since it generated $34.7 billion in 2003.
“While all major application markets for the semiconductor industry will contract this year, the wireless area arguably will post the worst performance,” said Francis Sideco, senior analyst for wireless communications at iSuppli. “Wireless semiconductors were hit in the first half by the one-two punch of soft end-market demand and an inventory correction.”
The figure presents iSuppli’s forecast of global annual wireless semiconductor revenue. This figure consists of revenue from sales of all semiconductors used for wireless applications, including mobile handsets, wireless infrastructure equipment, WLANs and connectivity products.
Source: iSuppli, July 2009
While 2009 will be a poor year by any measure, conditions are improving markedly in the second half.
“As the wireless semiconductor market enters the second half of 2009, iSuppli expects a return to normal seasonality and growth, which will continue into 2010 and beyond,” Sideco said. “With that return comes opportunities to not only survive but also to thrive for those companies properly positioned to take advantage of new product trends, driving the next round of growth.”
MIDs deliver max opportunity
One new product trend is the accelerating momentum behind Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and mobile consumer electronics. These devices and their requirements have created a veritable arms race in the mobile wireless semiconductor market.
At the heart of this race is the fact that just as MIDs fill the space between notebooks and smart phones, their requirements will also dictate that performance be optimized for processing capability and power consumption.
However, although these two parameters were traded off by chipset and system design in traditional devices, chipset solutions targeting this space can no longer afford to do the same sort of exchange and remain competitive.
Two main microprocessor architectures are being used today and will continue to be employed by MID-class devices: X86 and ARM. X86-based architectures from companies such as Intel and AMD traditionally have been used in compute platforms such as desktops and notebooks.
In contrast, ARM-based architectures such as those solutions from Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, ST-Ericsson and Infineon typically have been used in mobile phones.
Consequently—or at least historically—X86 microprocessors are optimized for processing capabilities while ARM-based devices have been tailored for low power consumption—in line with the requirements of their respective target markets.
ARM vs. X86
“The difference in historically optimized capabilities between the two architectures represents the crux of one of the most competitive races ever to be contested by semiconductor chipset manufacturers,” Sideco said.
“The issue simply is that MID-class devices are unique in that in most cases, they require the processing capabilities of compute platforms and the power consumption performance of mobile devices. This begs the question: Is it easier for a processing-optimized architecture to now solve the power consumption problem or for a power-optimized architecture to solve the processing problem?”
iSuppli believes that companies with a focus on optimizing the balance between these two parameters for specific target devices can achieve an advantage by more quickly addressing the requirements of MID-class devices.
Next-gen rising
Another such trend that iSuppli has identified as a key inflection point is the upcoming wave of upgrades for next-generation technologies and networks, such as HSPA+ and LTE, as well as the corresponding backhaul and upgrades of core networks that are required to fully take advantage of the advances in these radio access technologies.
While these upgrades are not forecasted to really occur until 2010-2011, product cycles require that in order to meet this window, semiconductor suppliers should now be aligning their R&D efforts to best catch this upcoming wave.
Global revenue for wireless semiconductors, the majority of which are used in mobile handsets, is set to decline to $39.4 billion in 2009, down a stunning 26.7 percent from $53.8 billion in 2008. This is the lowest level of annual revenue for the wireless semiconductor industry since it generated $34.7 billion in 2003.
“While all major application markets for the semiconductor industry will contract this year, the wireless area arguably will post the worst performance,” said Francis Sideco, senior analyst for wireless communications at iSuppli. “Wireless semiconductors were hit in the first half by the one-two punch of soft end-market demand and an inventory correction.”
The figure presents iSuppli’s forecast of global annual wireless semiconductor revenue. This figure consists of revenue from sales of all semiconductors used for wireless applications, including mobile handsets, wireless infrastructure equipment, WLANs and connectivity products.
Source: iSuppli, July 2009While 2009 will be a poor year by any measure, conditions are improving markedly in the second half.
“As the wireless semiconductor market enters the second half of 2009, iSuppli expects a return to normal seasonality and growth, which will continue into 2010 and beyond,” Sideco said. “With that return comes opportunities to not only survive but also to thrive for those companies properly positioned to take advantage of new product trends, driving the next round of growth.”
MIDs deliver max opportunity
One new product trend is the accelerating momentum behind Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and mobile consumer electronics. These devices and their requirements have created a veritable arms race in the mobile wireless semiconductor market.
At the heart of this race is the fact that just as MIDs fill the space between notebooks and smart phones, their requirements will also dictate that performance be optimized for processing capability and power consumption.
However, although these two parameters were traded off by chipset and system design in traditional devices, chipset solutions targeting this space can no longer afford to do the same sort of exchange and remain competitive.
Two main microprocessor architectures are being used today and will continue to be employed by MID-class devices: X86 and ARM. X86-based architectures from companies such as Intel and AMD traditionally have been used in compute platforms such as desktops and notebooks.
In contrast, ARM-based architectures such as those solutions from Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, ST-Ericsson and Infineon typically have been used in mobile phones.
Consequently—or at least historically—X86 microprocessors are optimized for processing capabilities while ARM-based devices have been tailored for low power consumption—in line with the requirements of their respective target markets.
ARM vs. X86
“The difference in historically optimized capabilities between the two architectures represents the crux of one of the most competitive races ever to be contested by semiconductor chipset manufacturers,” Sideco said.
“The issue simply is that MID-class devices are unique in that in most cases, they require the processing capabilities of compute platforms and the power consumption performance of mobile devices. This begs the question: Is it easier for a processing-optimized architecture to now solve the power consumption problem or for a power-optimized architecture to solve the processing problem?”
iSuppli believes that companies with a focus on optimizing the balance between these two parameters for specific target devices can achieve an advantage by more quickly addressing the requirements of MID-class devices.
Next-gen rising
Another such trend that iSuppli has identified as a key inflection point is the upcoming wave of upgrades for next-generation technologies and networks, such as HSPA+ and LTE, as well as the corresponding backhaul and upgrades of core networks that are required to fully take advantage of the advances in these radio access technologies.
While these upgrades are not forecasted to really occur until 2010-2011, product cycles require that in order to meet this window, semiconductor suppliers should now be aligning their R&D efforts to best catch this upcoming wave.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Infineon single-chip voltage regulator simplifies design of active antenna systems
NEUBIBERG, GERMANY: Further expanding its product portfolio for automotive infotainment applications, Infineon Technologies AG today introduced a world first single-chip linear voltage regulator with integrated diagnosis and car radio system protection functions.
Designed for active antenna applications in automotive infotainment systems, the TLF 4277 low drop out (LDO) voltage regulator has adjustable output voltage to support the majority of standard active antennas, including FM/AM, DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast), and the XM and SIRIUS satellite radio bands.
With its integrated current monitor and adjustable current limitation, the TLF 4277 enables reduction in the number of discrete components for active antenna applications by approximately 50 percent.
Over 95 percent of all cars now produced worldwide feature active antennas for radio program reception. Active antennas are small enough to easily fit into the windscreen, front bumper or the stub antenna on the car’s roof.
According to current market researchers, about 52 to 55 million cars are expected to be produced globally in the year 2009. On average, cars are typically equipped with two active antennas and as a result with two active antenna voltage regulators.
Infineon is the first chip supplier in the world to produce a monolithic single-chip voltage regulator with integrated current monitor function for diagnosis and system protection as well as adjustable current limitation.
The integration of the functions improves reliability of car radios. The monitor function of the TLF 4277 allows easy detection of failures and simple integration of a failure analysis function in an infotainment system.
The AEC-Q100 qualified device is protected against failure situations, such as short-circuit of the output against ground or battery voltage, overtemperature and over-current.
Designed for active antenna applications in automotive infotainment systems, the TLF 4277 low drop out (LDO) voltage regulator has adjustable output voltage to support the majority of standard active antennas, including FM/AM, DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast), and the XM and SIRIUS satellite radio bands. With its integrated current monitor and adjustable current limitation, the TLF 4277 enables reduction in the number of discrete components for active antenna applications by approximately 50 percent.
Over 95 percent of all cars now produced worldwide feature active antennas for radio program reception. Active antennas are small enough to easily fit into the windscreen, front bumper or the stub antenna on the car’s roof.
According to current market researchers, about 52 to 55 million cars are expected to be produced globally in the year 2009. On average, cars are typically equipped with two active antennas and as a result with two active antenna voltage regulators.
Infineon is the first chip supplier in the world to produce a monolithic single-chip voltage regulator with integrated current monitor function for diagnosis and system protection as well as adjustable current limitation.
The integration of the functions improves reliability of car radios. The monitor function of the TLF 4277 allows easy detection of failures and simple integration of a failure analysis function in an infotainment system.
The AEC-Q100 qualified device is protected against failure situations, such as short-circuit of the output against ground or battery voltage, overtemperature and over-current.
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Infineon to sell wireline communications business to US investor
NEUBIBERG, GERMANY: Infineon Technologies AG has agreed to sell its Wireline Communications (WLC) business to an affiliate of US based investor Golden Gate Capital for Euro 250 million. The contracts were signed yesterday.
This transaction means Infineon will focus in future on four segments: Automotive (ATV), Industrial & Multimarket (IMM), Chipcard & Security (CCS) and Wireless Solutions (WLS). In making this move, Infineon can concentrate its resources more closely on growth and leadership in these four market segments. The transaction will significantly improve Infineon’s financial situation. Closing is expected in autumn 2009.
“The divestiture of the WLC segment is an important step in our overall refinancing process. Furthermore, our stronger focus enables us to expand our leading technological position in the three key sectors energy efficiency, communications and security”, says Peter Bauer, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG.
As the Wireline Communications segment is relatively independent from the working and production processes of the company as a whole, the carve-out will involve reasonable effort.
"WLC is well positioned to stand on its own feet. With the financial backing of Golden Gate Capital, we are well positioned to continue our investment in innovative broadband products for our customers, and therefore benefit from growth opportunities in the market,” says Christian Wolff, designated CEO of the new company. Wolff has led the division for many years, and has also held leading positions in the Wireline segment for 14 years.
“Golden Gate Capital is extremely excited to be partnering with Wireline management to build upon the advanced technologies, innovative products, and collaborative customer relationships that make Infineon Wireline a leader in its markets,” says John Knoll, Managing Director of Golden Gate Capital.
Over the past few years, Infineon’s Wireline Communications segment has succeeded in continuously increasing its worldwide market share which is currently more than 20 percent. As a result, WLC is number one in the target market of broadband access solutions.
Leading carriers worldwide use WLC products to offer VoIP telephony services, fast Internet connections and interactive services via DSL. Despite the economic downturn, the segment achieved a positive result in the past few quarters.
All products, locations and development projects will be continued by the new company. Around 800 patent families will be transferred. As a consequence, continuity for customers is ensured in every respect.
Employment contracts for approximately 600 WLC employees will be transferred to the new company. Furthermore, an estimated 300 employees from Infineon central functions who already work on behalf of the WLC segment today are also designated to join the new company
This transaction means Infineon will focus in future on four segments: Automotive (ATV), Industrial & Multimarket (IMM), Chipcard & Security (CCS) and Wireless Solutions (WLS). In making this move, Infineon can concentrate its resources more closely on growth and leadership in these four market segments. The transaction will significantly improve Infineon’s financial situation. Closing is expected in autumn 2009.
“The divestiture of the WLC segment is an important step in our overall refinancing process. Furthermore, our stronger focus enables us to expand our leading technological position in the three key sectors energy efficiency, communications and security”, says Peter Bauer, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG.
As the Wireline Communications segment is relatively independent from the working and production processes of the company as a whole, the carve-out will involve reasonable effort.
"WLC is well positioned to stand on its own feet. With the financial backing of Golden Gate Capital, we are well positioned to continue our investment in innovative broadband products for our customers, and therefore benefit from growth opportunities in the market,” says Christian Wolff, designated CEO of the new company. Wolff has led the division for many years, and has also held leading positions in the Wireline segment for 14 years.
“Golden Gate Capital is extremely excited to be partnering with Wireline management to build upon the advanced technologies, innovative products, and collaborative customer relationships that make Infineon Wireline a leader in its markets,” says John Knoll, Managing Director of Golden Gate Capital.
Over the past few years, Infineon’s Wireline Communications segment has succeeded in continuously increasing its worldwide market share which is currently more than 20 percent. As a result, WLC is number one in the target market of broadband access solutions.
Leading carriers worldwide use WLC products to offer VoIP telephony services, fast Internet connections and interactive services via DSL. Despite the economic downturn, the segment achieved a positive result in the past few quarters.
All products, locations and development projects will be continued by the new company. Around 800 patent families will be transferred. As a consequence, continuity for customers is ensured in every respect.
Employment contracts for approximately 600 WLC employees will be transferred to the new company. Furthermore, an estimated 300 employees from Infineon central functions who already work on behalf of the WLC segment today are also designated to join the new company
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
iPhone 3G S BOM and manufacturing cost $178.96
EL SEGUNDO, USA: With the new iPhone 3G S’s Bill of Materials (BOM) and feature set nearly the same as the previous model in the iPhone line, you might think the product’s component selection would be virtually unchanged. However, a dissection conducted by iSuppli Corp.’s Teardown Analysis Service reveals some interesting changes in the parts and suppliers.
“The entry-level, 16Gbyte version of Apple Inc.’s new iPhone 3G S carries a BOM cost of $172.46 and a manufacturing expense of $6.50, for a total of $178.96,” said Andrew Rassweiler, director and principal analyst, teardown services, for iSuppli.
“This is slightly higher than iSuppli’s estimate of $174.33 for the original low-end 8Gbyte iPhone 3G based on pricing in July 2008. Although the retail price of the 16Gbyte iPhone 3G S is $199, the same as for the 8Gbyte version of the original iPhone 3G, the actual price of the phone paid by the service provider is considerably higher, reflecting the common wireless industry practice of subsidizing the upfront cost of a mobile phone and then making a profit on subscriptions.”
The table presents a summary of the major component cost drivers in the iPhone 3G S.
Source: iSuppli, June 2009
The table and cost data presented in this article consist only of the iPhone 3G S’s BOM. The total does not include other costs, including software development, shipping and distribution, packaging, royalty fees and miscellaneous accessories included with each phone.
Source: iSuppli, June 2009
This year’s model
Beyond faster performance, the iPhone 3G S differentiates itself from the original 3G with the addition of video capture, an autofocus 3-Megapixel camera—compared to 2 Megapixels before—and a built-in digital compass. Besides these extras, the 3G S hardware feature set is not much different from that of the 3G.
“From a component and design perspective, there’s also a great deal of similarity between the 3G and the 3G S. By leveraging this commonality to optimize materials costs, and taking advantage of price erosion in the electronic component marketplace, Apple can provide a higher-performing product with more memory and features at only a slightly higher materials and manufacturing cost,” Rassweiler said. “Nonetheless, there are a few key differences in component selection compared to the iPhone 3G introduced a year ago.”
Broadcom and Dialog dial in to iPhone
One of the more noteworthy changes in hardware is the use of a Broadcom Corp. single-chip Bluetooth/FM/WLAN device, costing $5.95. This represents the ongoing industry trend of moving to higher levels of integration, by putting all of these functions into one chip.
Previously, to implement these functions, the 3G employed two devices: a Marvell Technology Group Ltd. WLAN chip and a Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) Bluetooth Integrated Circuit (IC).
Making its debut in the iPhone line is Dialog Semiconductor with its power management IC serving the 3G S’s applications processor. At an estimated cost of $1.30, the Dialog chip replaces a corresponding NXP Semiconductors device in the 3G.
STMicroelectronics and AKM find way into 3G S
To implement the digital compass feature, the iPhone 3G S adds AKM Semiconductor Inc.’s electronic compass and STMicroelectronics’ accelerometer, both of which are 3-axis devices.
The STMicroelectronics part allows the 3G S to determine device orientation or inclination, while the AKM sensor detects device movement relative to magnetic north, supporting the 3G S’s capability to reorient a map displayed on the screen to correspond with the direction the user is facing.
Infineon and TriQuint hold down the fort
Prior the 3G S introduction, speculation was rife that Qualcomm Inc. might displace Infineon Technologies AG as the supplier of the phone’s critical baseband chip. However, Infineon has held onto this critical spot with its PMB8878 baseband chip, which accounts for $13 of the 3G S component costs.
Similarly, TriQuint has kept its slot as the 3G power amplifier module supplier, supporting the tri-band HSPA functionality of the phone.
Major cost drivers
Toshiba Corp. scored the biggest single design win in the 3G S, with its 16Gbyte Multilevel-Cell (MLC) NAND flash costing $24. With the price of NAND flash having risen in recent months due to supply constraints, this represents a lucrative design win for Toshiba.
However, while Toshiba was the supplier of the NAND in the specific 3G S torn down by iSuppli, the part is available from other sources that Apple is likely to use, most notably Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
Samsung also maintained its position as iPhone’s applications processor supplier. Priced at $14.46, the applications processor is the fourth most costly component in the iPhone 3G S after the NAND flash, the display module and the touch-screen assembly.
The applications processor plays a key role in the 3G S’s faster performance. In the 3G, the processor used an ARM RISC microprocessor with 400MHz clock speed; the 3G S employs a 600MHz version.
“The entry-level, 16Gbyte version of Apple Inc.’s new iPhone 3G S carries a BOM cost of $172.46 and a manufacturing expense of $6.50, for a total of $178.96,” said Andrew Rassweiler, director and principal analyst, teardown services, for iSuppli.
“This is slightly higher than iSuppli’s estimate of $174.33 for the original low-end 8Gbyte iPhone 3G based on pricing in July 2008. Although the retail price of the 16Gbyte iPhone 3G S is $199, the same as for the 8Gbyte version of the original iPhone 3G, the actual price of the phone paid by the service provider is considerably higher, reflecting the common wireless industry practice of subsidizing the upfront cost of a mobile phone and then making a profit on subscriptions.”
The table presents a summary of the major component cost drivers in the iPhone 3G S.
Source: iSuppli, June 2009The table and cost data presented in this article consist only of the iPhone 3G S’s BOM. The total does not include other costs, including software development, shipping and distribution, packaging, royalty fees and miscellaneous accessories included with each phone.
Source: iSuppli, June 2009This year’s model
Beyond faster performance, the iPhone 3G S differentiates itself from the original 3G with the addition of video capture, an autofocus 3-Megapixel camera—compared to 2 Megapixels before—and a built-in digital compass. Besides these extras, the 3G S hardware feature set is not much different from that of the 3G.
“From a component and design perspective, there’s also a great deal of similarity between the 3G and the 3G S. By leveraging this commonality to optimize materials costs, and taking advantage of price erosion in the electronic component marketplace, Apple can provide a higher-performing product with more memory and features at only a slightly higher materials and manufacturing cost,” Rassweiler said. “Nonetheless, there are a few key differences in component selection compared to the iPhone 3G introduced a year ago.”
Broadcom and Dialog dial in to iPhone
One of the more noteworthy changes in hardware is the use of a Broadcom Corp. single-chip Bluetooth/FM/WLAN device, costing $5.95. This represents the ongoing industry trend of moving to higher levels of integration, by putting all of these functions into one chip.
Previously, to implement these functions, the 3G employed two devices: a Marvell Technology Group Ltd. WLAN chip and a Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR) Bluetooth Integrated Circuit (IC).
Making its debut in the iPhone line is Dialog Semiconductor with its power management IC serving the 3G S’s applications processor. At an estimated cost of $1.30, the Dialog chip replaces a corresponding NXP Semiconductors device in the 3G.
STMicroelectronics and AKM find way into 3G S
To implement the digital compass feature, the iPhone 3G S adds AKM Semiconductor Inc.’s electronic compass and STMicroelectronics’ accelerometer, both of which are 3-axis devices.
The STMicroelectronics part allows the 3G S to determine device orientation or inclination, while the AKM sensor detects device movement relative to magnetic north, supporting the 3G S’s capability to reorient a map displayed on the screen to correspond with the direction the user is facing.
Infineon and TriQuint hold down the fort
Prior the 3G S introduction, speculation was rife that Qualcomm Inc. might displace Infineon Technologies AG as the supplier of the phone’s critical baseband chip. However, Infineon has held onto this critical spot with its PMB8878 baseband chip, which accounts for $13 of the 3G S component costs.
Similarly, TriQuint has kept its slot as the 3G power amplifier module supplier, supporting the tri-band HSPA functionality of the phone.
Major cost drivers
Toshiba Corp. scored the biggest single design win in the 3G S, with its 16Gbyte Multilevel-Cell (MLC) NAND flash costing $24. With the price of NAND flash having risen in recent months due to supply constraints, this represents a lucrative design win for Toshiba.
However, while Toshiba was the supplier of the NAND in the specific 3G S torn down by iSuppli, the part is available from other sources that Apple is likely to use, most notably Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
Samsung also maintained its position as iPhone’s applications processor supplier. Priced at $14.46, the applications processor is the fourth most costly component in the iPhone 3G S after the NAND flash, the display module and the touch-screen assembly.
The applications processor plays a key role in the 3G S’s faster performance. In the 3G, the processor used an ARM RISC microprocessor with 400MHz clock speed; the 3G S employs a 600MHz version.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Synopsys IC Compiler with Zroute achieves successful tapeout for Infineon automotive MCU
MOUNTAIN VIEW, USA: Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNPS), a world leader in software and IP for semiconductor design, verification and manufacturing, announced that IC Compiler with Zroute technology drove silicon success for automotive microcontrollers of Infineon Technologies AG.
IC Compiler's Zroute provided a near 100 percent redundant via rate, enabling leading-edge device reliability and allowing Infineon to successfully tape out the lead product of its high-performance automotive 32-bit MCU platform in an advanced embedded Flash technology.
In addition, by deploying a hierarchical design implementation flow together with intelligent Multi Corner Multi Mode (MCMM) optimization across different scenarios, IC Compiler achieved outstanding quality of results, meeting the high performance, area and power targets, specifically of the Infineon TriCore 32-bit MCUs.
"Being on the leading edge of automotive applications, Infineon is striving to supply intelligent chips that increase the energy efficiency and safety of vehicles while offering optimal quality and reliability," said Hartmut Hiller, senior director, Design Methodology and Implementation at Infineon. "As single vias are one of the major factors impacting reliability, we are always looking for design implementation tools that deliver the highest redundant via rate possible."
Zroute's unique architecture takes advantage of best-in-class routing technologies to meet the demands of companies like Infineon that are developing complex chips with high reliability targets to fulfill the ever increasing quality requirements of automotive tier1 and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) all over the world.
Utilizing concurrent design-for-manufacturability (DFM) optimization techniques, including soft rules and via redundancy, Zroute makes an efficient trade-off between manufacturability and the traditional design goals of timing, area, power and signal integrity. In addition, Zroute's native multicore support takes advantage of the latest microprocessor architectures to deliver near-linear scalability of runtimes as the number of cores increase.
"The selection of IC Compiler by Infineon and the recent complex automotive device tapeouts with Zroute are examples of Synopsys' IC Compiler technology driving customer success across the board," said Antun Domic, senior vice president and general manager of Synopsys' Implementation Group. "Synopsys values the relationship with Infineon and is committed to working closely with Infineon to evolve our product and methodologies based on feedback and requirements from the design teams of their leading-edge automotive applications."
IC Compiler's Zroute provided a near 100 percent redundant via rate, enabling leading-edge device reliability and allowing Infineon to successfully tape out the lead product of its high-performance automotive 32-bit MCU platform in an advanced embedded Flash technology.
In addition, by deploying a hierarchical design implementation flow together with intelligent Multi Corner Multi Mode (MCMM) optimization across different scenarios, IC Compiler achieved outstanding quality of results, meeting the high performance, area and power targets, specifically of the Infineon TriCore 32-bit MCUs.
"Being on the leading edge of automotive applications, Infineon is striving to supply intelligent chips that increase the energy efficiency and safety of vehicles while offering optimal quality and reliability," said Hartmut Hiller, senior director, Design Methodology and Implementation at Infineon. "As single vias are one of the major factors impacting reliability, we are always looking for design implementation tools that deliver the highest redundant via rate possible."
Zroute's unique architecture takes advantage of best-in-class routing technologies to meet the demands of companies like Infineon that are developing complex chips with high reliability targets to fulfill the ever increasing quality requirements of automotive tier1 and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) all over the world.
Utilizing concurrent design-for-manufacturability (DFM) optimization techniques, including soft rules and via redundancy, Zroute makes an efficient trade-off between manufacturability and the traditional design goals of timing, area, power and signal integrity. In addition, Zroute's native multicore support takes advantage of the latest microprocessor architectures to deliver near-linear scalability of runtimes as the number of cores increase.
"The selection of IC Compiler by Infineon and the recent complex automotive device tapeouts with Zroute are examples of Synopsys' IC Compiler technology driving customer success across the board," said Antun Domic, senior vice president and general manager of Synopsys' Implementation Group. "Synopsys values the relationship with Infineon and is committed to working closely with Infineon to evolve our product and methodologies based on feedback and requirements from the design teams of their leading-edge automotive applications."
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Jump in smartphone orders in Q2 lifting silicon MEMs mics
NEW TRIPOLI, USA: Q2 2009 smartphone orders, up nearly 15 percent sequentially, will lift the silicon MEMs microphone market from its worst year since they became commercially available, according to the report: “Silicon Microphones and Speakers: Technology, Market Analysis, and End-Applications,” recently published by The Information Network.
Orders for smartphones reached 41.5 million units in Q2 2009 in anticipation of early Q3 introduction of several new models. Nokia's Ovi Store launched on May 26. On June 6, the long-awaited Palm Pre will launch on the Sprint Network. LG comes back to the market with two new touchscreen-based cellphones. New BlackBerrys are also rumored to be hitting stores soon. I anticipate the iPhone 2009 will be announced next Monday at the Apple WWDC and the new iPhone 2009 out near the end of June.
"The MEMS silicon microphone market has become a hotbed of activity, spurred by record-breaking growth in consumer electronics products such as hearing aids, cellular phones, cordless phones, headsets, and headphones," noted Dr. Robert Castellano, President of The Information Network. "Initial entrants that included Knowles Acoustics, Akustika, and Sonion (Denmark) has grown to include Analog Devices, Wolfson Microelectronics (UK), Freescale, STMicroelectronics, Infineon, and Omron (Germany)."
China suppliers entered the market in recent years and include Shangdong Goer Acoustics Technology Co. Ltd, Suzhou MEMSensing Microsystems Co. Ltd, and AAC Acoustic Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd.
For 2009, the report forecasts a 5 percent downturn in the cellphone market, from 1,216 million units in 2008 to 1,156 million units in 2009. The smartphone market, which includes the iPhone, will grow 21 percent from 196 million units in 2008 to 238 million units in 2009. This sector is the key growth area for the MEMS microphone.
Orders for smartphones reached 41.5 million units in Q2 2009 in anticipation of early Q3 introduction of several new models. Nokia's Ovi Store launched on May 26. On June 6, the long-awaited Palm Pre will launch on the Sprint Network. LG comes back to the market with two new touchscreen-based cellphones. New BlackBerrys are also rumored to be hitting stores soon. I anticipate the iPhone 2009 will be announced next Monday at the Apple WWDC and the new iPhone 2009 out near the end of June.
"The MEMS silicon microphone market has become a hotbed of activity, spurred by record-breaking growth in consumer electronics products such as hearing aids, cellular phones, cordless phones, headsets, and headphones," noted Dr. Robert Castellano, President of The Information Network. "Initial entrants that included Knowles Acoustics, Akustika, and Sonion (Denmark) has grown to include Analog Devices, Wolfson Microelectronics (UK), Freescale, STMicroelectronics, Infineon, and Omron (Germany)."
China suppliers entered the market in recent years and include Shangdong Goer Acoustics Technology Co. Ltd, Suzhou MEMSensing Microsystems Co. Ltd, and AAC Acoustic Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd.
For 2009, the report forecasts a 5 percent downturn in the cellphone market, from 1,216 million units in 2008 to 1,156 million units in 2009. The smartphone market, which includes the iPhone, will grow 21 percent from 196 million units in 2008 to 238 million units in 2009. This sector is the key growth area for the MEMS microphone.
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Could Infineon become leading automotive semiconductor supplier in 2009?
LONDON, UK: England According to Semicast Research, Infineon Technologies could pass Freescale to become the largest supplier of automotive semiconductors for the first time in 2009.
Semiconductor revenues in the automotive sector hit the skids last year, with Semicast estimating an annual decline of approximately 5 percent to $19.1 billion in 2008, from $20.0 billion in 2007.
Auto sales have gone into reverse recently as consumers have chosen to defer new car purchases, leaving Chrysler and GM receiving government funding and even Toyota making a loss. With car manufacturing plants on extended shutdown and consumer confidence still low, a further fall in sales in 2009 now looks certain.
Semicast’s analysis shows Freescale and Infineon as joint largest semiconductor supplier to the automotive sector in 2008, each with an estimated market share of 9.1 percent. Freescale comes out as the supplier most impacted by the automotive slowdown over recent months, losing almost a whole percentage point of share, while Infineon, which has benefited from a strong Euro, has held steady.
STMicroelectronics is judged to have remained third largest supplier, with NXP Semiconductor and Bosch, who both also benefited from a strong Euro, moving up the rankings.
Colin Barnden, Principal Analyst at Semicast Research, commented: “Few semiconductor suppliers will view themselves as winners in the automotive market in 2009. Those who perform best are likely to be those who do less badly than their competitors, or are simply luckier.”
Semiconductor revenues in the automotive sector hit the skids last year, with Semicast estimating an annual decline of approximately 5 percent to $19.1 billion in 2008, from $20.0 billion in 2007.
Auto sales have gone into reverse recently as consumers have chosen to defer new car purchases, leaving Chrysler and GM receiving government funding and even Toyota making a loss. With car manufacturing plants on extended shutdown and consumer confidence still low, a further fall in sales in 2009 now looks certain.
Semicast’s analysis shows Freescale and Infineon as joint largest semiconductor supplier to the automotive sector in 2008, each with an estimated market share of 9.1 percent. Freescale comes out as the supplier most impacted by the automotive slowdown over recent months, losing almost a whole percentage point of share, while Infineon, which has benefited from a strong Euro, has held steady. STMicroelectronics is judged to have remained third largest supplier, with NXP Semiconductor and Bosch, who both also benefited from a strong Euro, moving up the rankings.
Colin Barnden, Principal Analyst at Semicast Research, commented: “Few semiconductor suppliers will view themselves as winners in the automotive market in 2009. Those who perform best are likely to be those who do less badly than their competitors, or are simply luckier.”
2008 industrial semiconductor revenues overtake automotive; Infineon, ST top two suppliers
LONDON, UK: According to analysis by Semicast Research, revenues for semiconductors in the industrial sector exceeded those in the automotive sector for the first time in 2008. Semicast estimates that industrial semiconductor revenues grew to $22.1 billion in 2008, a rise of almost 11 percent from $20.0 billion in 2007.
Semiconductor revenues in the industrial (including medical) sector have been broadly similar to those in automotive for several years. However auto sales have gone into reverse recently as consumers have chosen to defer new car purchases, with Chrysler and GM receiving government funding and even Toyota making a loss.
The worldwide automotive semiconductor market is estimated to have fallen by around 5 percent in 2008 and with car manufacturing plants on extended shutdown and consumer confidence still low, a further fall in 2009 looks certain.
Although industrial does not benefit from the hype and glamour of other sectors, neither does it exhibit the “boom-and-bust” cycle so typical of the semiconductor industry as a whole.
Further its broad applications base (encompassing areas as diverse as medical imaging, lighting control and farm machinery) and correspondingly fragmented customer base, help to ensure a spread of risk and uncertainty during these unprecedented times. Colin Barnden, Principal Analyst at Semicast Research, commented, “In the current economic climate, industrial is one sector which semiconductor vendors can look to as a safe haven for more dependable revenues”.
The industrial semiconductor market continues to have no clear number one supplier and Infineon Technologies and STMicroelectronics again competed for the position of largest supplier in 2008. With less than one percentage point of market share between them, Semicast judges Infineon to have recorded fractionally higher sales than ST in the industrial sector in 2008, although with such a fine margin that the Euro-to-Dollar exchange rate plays a decisive role.
The analysis clearly shows that in 2008, as in 2007, these two suppliers were the market leaders, ahead of Texas Instruments and Renesas, who themselves compete for third place. The largest suppliers are typically leaders in either standard linear, power discretes or microcontrollers, with Intel the only major exception to this rule among the top ten.
Although the industrial sector is by no means immune to the effects of the global recession, the diversity of its application and customer bases offers a strong foundation to support demand over the short term.
In addition, economic stimulus plans to raise government spending during the downturn are certain to be concentrated in areas of high political importance, such as energy conservation, medical electronics and security, all of which will benefit semiconductor demand in the industrial sector. Semicast predicts another fierce battle between Infineon and ST in 2009, although as recent events have clearly shown, be ready to expect the unexpected.
Market share estimates for semiconductor suppliers to industrial sector in 2008
1, Infineon Technologies 8 percent
2. STMicroelectronics 7 percent
3. Texas Instruments 6 percent
4. Renesas Technology 6 percent
5. Analog Devices 4 percent
6. Intel 3 percent
7. Vishay 3 percent
8. Toshiba 3 percent
9. National Semiconductor 2 percent
10. Freescale 2 percent
11. Others 56 percent
Notes:
Margin of error +/- 0.5%. All percentages are rounded.
Rate of Exchange: US$ 1 = EUR 0.683.
Source: Semicast Research (May 2009)
Semiconductor revenues in the industrial (including medical) sector have been broadly similar to those in automotive for several years. However auto sales have gone into reverse recently as consumers have chosen to defer new car purchases, with Chrysler and GM receiving government funding and even Toyota making a loss.
The worldwide automotive semiconductor market is estimated to have fallen by around 5 percent in 2008 and with car manufacturing plants on extended shutdown and consumer confidence still low, a further fall in 2009 looks certain.
Although industrial does not benefit from the hype and glamour of other sectors, neither does it exhibit the “boom-and-bust” cycle so typical of the semiconductor industry as a whole.
Further its broad applications base (encompassing areas as diverse as medical imaging, lighting control and farm machinery) and correspondingly fragmented customer base, help to ensure a spread of risk and uncertainty during these unprecedented times. Colin Barnden, Principal Analyst at Semicast Research, commented, “In the current economic climate, industrial is one sector which semiconductor vendors can look to as a safe haven for more dependable revenues”.
The industrial semiconductor market continues to have no clear number one supplier and Infineon Technologies and STMicroelectronics again competed for the position of largest supplier in 2008. With less than one percentage point of market share between them, Semicast judges Infineon to have recorded fractionally higher sales than ST in the industrial sector in 2008, although with such a fine margin that the Euro-to-Dollar exchange rate plays a decisive role.
The analysis clearly shows that in 2008, as in 2007, these two suppliers were the market leaders, ahead of Texas Instruments and Renesas, who themselves compete for third place. The largest suppliers are typically leaders in either standard linear, power discretes or microcontrollers, with Intel the only major exception to this rule among the top ten.
Although the industrial sector is by no means immune to the effects of the global recession, the diversity of its application and customer bases offers a strong foundation to support demand over the short term.
In addition, economic stimulus plans to raise government spending during the downturn are certain to be concentrated in areas of high political importance, such as energy conservation, medical electronics and security, all of which will benefit semiconductor demand in the industrial sector. Semicast predicts another fierce battle between Infineon and ST in 2009, although as recent events have clearly shown, be ready to expect the unexpected.
Market share estimates for semiconductor suppliers to industrial sector in 2008
1, Infineon Technologies 8 percent
2. STMicroelectronics 7 percent
3. Texas Instruments 6 percent
4. Renesas Technology 6 percent
5. Analog Devices 4 percent
6. Intel 3 percent
7. Vishay 3 percent
8. Toshiba 3 percent
9. National Semiconductor 2 percent
10. Freescale 2 percent
11. Others 56 percent
Notes:
Margin of error +/- 0.5%. All percentages are rounded.
Rate of Exchange: US$ 1 = EUR 0.683.
Source: Semicast Research (May 2009)
Monday, 4 May 2009
Power-One licenses Z-One technology to Infineon
CAMARILLO, USA: Power-One Inc., a leading provider of power conversion and power management solutions, today announced that it has entered into a non-exclusive Field of Use agreement to license its digital power technology patents to Infineon Technologies AG.
“Infineon is a market leader in the power semiconductors industry and Power-One is pleased to license its Z-One technology to Infineon for incorporation into their products,” said Richard Thompson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Power-One.
"This agreement with Infineon furthers Power-One’s goal of providing industry leading technology solutions to its partners and customers and opening the digital power control market for future growth. Our IP will allow our customers to monitor, control and configure board mounted power applications resulting in the delivery of high efficiency, high power density and high reliability products," he added.
"Being at the forefront of power semiconductor and module development for many years, we are committed to maintaining our leading position and dedicated to enabling ever more efficient use of the electrical energy available, with excellent price-performance ratios for our customers," said Sandro Cerato, Vice President and General Manager, ASIC & Power IC at the Industrial & Multimarket division of Infineon Technologies.
"Infineon and its wholly owned subsidiary, Primarion, target to allow new concepts in digital power management and control applications, i.e. in telecommunication systems and servers."
“Infineon is a market leader in the power semiconductors industry and Power-One is pleased to license its Z-One technology to Infineon for incorporation into their products,” said Richard Thompson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Power-One.
"This agreement with Infineon furthers Power-One’s goal of providing industry leading technology solutions to its partners and customers and opening the digital power control market for future growth. Our IP will allow our customers to monitor, control and configure board mounted power applications resulting in the delivery of high efficiency, high power density and high reliability products," he added.
"Being at the forefront of power semiconductor and module development for many years, we are committed to maintaining our leading position and dedicated to enabling ever more efficient use of the electrical energy available, with excellent price-performance ratios for our customers," said Sandro Cerato, Vice President and General Manager, ASIC & Power IC at the Industrial & Multimarket division of Infineon Technologies.
"Infineon and its wholly owned subsidiary, Primarion, target to allow new concepts in digital power management and control applications, i.e. in telecommunication systems and servers."
Infineon, IIT Bombay achieve major breakthrough for advanced CMOS technologies
BANGALORE & MUMBAI, INDIA: Infineon Technologies and IIT Bombay recently announced that a joint Infineon-IIT Bombay research team has achieved a major breakthrough in integration of high voltage functionality for advanced CMOS technologies.
The collaboration between Infineon and IIT Bombay, which began in 2007, conducts advanced research in the areas of IO device design and multi-gate MOSFETs for the sub 45nm node CMOS technologies.
A major break-through was recently achieved when the joint team of IIT Bombay and Infineon was able to explain the mechanisms behind electrostatic discharge (ESD) events in high voltage FET devices.
Weak ESD robustness against exposure to high ESD stress at the end-user side had been a roadblock for the construction of high voltage interfaces at 10 V and beyond in advanced CMOS technologies. The insight into the physics of the high voltage devices now allows the optimization of the layout of high voltage IO devices.
Based on this, high voltage functionality ranging from USB interfaces to high voltage line drivers can be integrated into “system-on-silicon” solutions in 45nm CMOS and below. The results will be presented at the International Reliability Physics Symposium 2009 at Montreal in April.
Previously, another outcome of this collaboration addressing the optimization of multi-gate MOSFET devices has been demonstrated at the International Electron Device Meeting in December 2008.
Dr. Harald Gossner, Senior Principal Engineer, who represents ESD research activity at Infineon stated that this is indeed one of finest examples of academia-industry interaction, which has resulted in a substantial value addition to the two collaborating partners. "This collaboration has been very helpful to us in understanding the complex nature of some of the existing device reliability issues, and the solutions proposed significantly improve our products”, Dr. Gossner said. “The high quality of the graduate students at IIT Bombay and their academic preparation has definitely been an asset to this projec," he added.
Dr. Rajiv Jain, Managing Director, Infineon Technologies India, said, "This project shows Infineon’s strong commitment to semiconductor innovation in India. In our Bangalore centre we are working on critical products in the areas of automotive electronics, broadband, mobile communications and secured chip cards. There is great potential for synergies with high caliber institutions like the IIT-B and I look forward to many more such innovations."
Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, who is leading this effort from IIT Bombay, said that this collaboration has been extremely helpful in exposing them to challenging real world industry problems, and has provided them a chance to closely interact with one of the world’s leading semiconductor companies.
“Though we have been interacting with many semiconductor industries for a long time now, this interaction with Infineon is particularly different because of the immense trust Infineon had in our capabilities and the information that they were willing to share. Since the industries in the semiconductor business survive on their intellectual property (IP), it was important for us to realize the value of IP, and we sometimes had to go that extra mile in educating our students specifically on these aspects. We are happy that this interaction between IIT Bombay & Infineon is turning out to be a win-win situation for both the parties involved”, Prof. Rao stated.
Prof. Devang Khakhar, Director, IIT Bombay, added that the institute accords considerable importance to such interactions with the industry and that it particularly wishes to strengthen such collaborations as it provides the students an opportunity to conduct directed research.
“We are happy that investments we have recently made in strengthening the Nanoelectronics activities at IIT Bombay are really bearing fruit. We have world class research activities taking place in the Centre for Excellence in Nanoelectronics, and the new development is a testimony to the quality research being done”, he said.
There are currently four Ph.D. students supported by Infineon under this collaboration at IIT Bombay, including regular visits by these students to Infineon headquarters for internships.
The collaboration between Infineon and IIT Bombay, which began in 2007, conducts advanced research in the areas of IO device design and multi-gate MOSFETs for the sub 45nm node CMOS technologies.
A major break-through was recently achieved when the joint team of IIT Bombay and Infineon was able to explain the mechanisms behind electrostatic discharge (ESD) events in high voltage FET devices.
Weak ESD robustness against exposure to high ESD stress at the end-user side had been a roadblock for the construction of high voltage interfaces at 10 V and beyond in advanced CMOS technologies. The insight into the physics of the high voltage devices now allows the optimization of the layout of high voltage IO devices.
Based on this, high voltage functionality ranging from USB interfaces to high voltage line drivers can be integrated into “system-on-silicon” solutions in 45nm CMOS and below. The results will be presented at the International Reliability Physics Symposium 2009 at Montreal in April.
Previously, another outcome of this collaboration addressing the optimization of multi-gate MOSFET devices has been demonstrated at the International Electron Device Meeting in December 2008.
Dr. Harald Gossner, Senior Principal Engineer, who represents ESD research activity at Infineon stated that this is indeed one of finest examples of academia-industry interaction, which has resulted in a substantial value addition to the two collaborating partners. "This collaboration has been very helpful to us in understanding the complex nature of some of the existing device reliability issues, and the solutions proposed significantly improve our products”, Dr. Gossner said. “The high quality of the graduate students at IIT Bombay and their academic preparation has definitely been an asset to this projec," he added.
Dr. Rajiv Jain, Managing Director, Infineon Technologies India, said, "This project shows Infineon’s strong commitment to semiconductor innovation in India. In our Bangalore centre we are working on critical products in the areas of automotive electronics, broadband, mobile communications and secured chip cards. There is great potential for synergies with high caliber institutions like the IIT-B and I look forward to many more such innovations."
Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, who is leading this effort from IIT Bombay, said that this collaboration has been extremely helpful in exposing them to challenging real world industry problems, and has provided them a chance to closely interact with one of the world’s leading semiconductor companies.
“Though we have been interacting with many semiconductor industries for a long time now, this interaction with Infineon is particularly different because of the immense trust Infineon had in our capabilities and the information that they were willing to share. Since the industries in the semiconductor business survive on their intellectual property (IP), it was important for us to realize the value of IP, and we sometimes had to go that extra mile in educating our students specifically on these aspects. We are happy that this interaction between IIT Bombay & Infineon is turning out to be a win-win situation for both the parties involved”, Prof. Rao stated.
Prof. Devang Khakhar, Director, IIT Bombay, added that the institute accords considerable importance to such interactions with the industry and that it particularly wishes to strengthen such collaborations as it provides the students an opportunity to conduct directed research.
“We are happy that investments we have recently made in strengthening the Nanoelectronics activities at IIT Bombay are really bearing fruit. We have world class research activities taking place in the Centre for Excellence in Nanoelectronics, and the new development is a testimony to the quality research being done”, he said.
There are currently four Ph.D. students supported by Infineon under this collaboration at IIT Bombay, including regular visits by these students to Infineon headquarters for internships.
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Infineon, Nokia to collaborate in EDGE
NEUBIBERG, GERMANY: Infineon Technologies AG announced a collaboration with Nokia, the world’s number one manufacturer of mobile devices and a leader in the converging Internet and communications industries. The Infineon solution will allow Nokia to offer affordable mobile devices and enables easy access to the Internet.
Infineon will supply its XMM 2130 EDGE platform to Nokia, enabling the mobile device manufacturer to bring a new breed of internet capable devices to the market.
“We are grateful to expand our successful collaboration with Nokia beyond our two ULC products, the XMM 1010 and the XMM 1100, now to our EDGE products,” states Peter Bauer, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG. “Our solution offers affordable access to the fast growing internet market on mobile devices. We consider this solution as best in class in terms of performance, integration, scalability and cost position.”
Infineon offers a mobile phone platform featuring an EDGE Modem, audio player, stereo RDS FM radio receiver, stereo headset, USB interface as well as interfaces for memory cards. The XMM 2130 is manufactured in a 65nm process.
Infineon will supply its XMM 2130 EDGE platform to Nokia, enabling the mobile device manufacturer to bring a new breed of internet capable devices to the market.
“We are grateful to expand our successful collaboration with Nokia beyond our two ULC products, the XMM 1010 and the XMM 1100, now to our EDGE products,” states Peter Bauer, CEO of Infineon Technologies AG. “Our solution offers affordable access to the fast growing internet market on mobile devices. We consider this solution as best in class in terms of performance, integration, scalability and cost position.”
Infineon offers a mobile phone platform featuring an EDGE Modem, audio player, stereo RDS FM radio receiver, stereo headset, USB interface as well as interfaces for memory cards. The XMM 2130 is manufactured in a 65nm process.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Infineon on India's e-passport and semicon industry
If you have ever been a resident of Hong Kong, you'd know what an e-passport looks like! You would have even used it! For example, if you were crossing over into Shenzhen, China, from Lo Wu, which is on the borders of Luohu district within Hong Kong and the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong province, China, [having reached there via the KCR (Kowloon-Canton Railway)] -- you can easily use your Hong Kong e-passport to get past the immigration point and enter China!
It is really easy! Simply drop your e-passport into the e-passport reader slot and place your finger on the fingerprint reader for it to scan and read. Once your e-passport comes out, move over to the other side to another e-passport reader, repeat the same exercise, and you're done! All it takes is less than a minute!
All Indians could soon have e-passports!
Well, such an e-passport can become a reality in India soon! If you haven't heard it, Infineon Technologies recently supplied contactless security microcontrollers (MCUs) for India's electronic passport (e-passport) program! The Indian e-passport rollout started with Indian diplomats and officials being issued e-passports -- around 30,000 to be issued in phase one. It is likely that by September 2009, the e-passports will be extended to the general public.
The rollout has started with the issuance of electronic passports to Indian diplomats and officials. It is expected that in this first phase, up to 30,000 electronic passports shall be issued. By September 2009, the program is likely to be expanded to include passports used by the general public. Today, around 6 million passports are being annually issued in India. I believe, the government of India has invited a new tender for interested stakeholders to bid for 20 million e-passports.
So, being a Hong Kong e-passport holder, I was interested in knowing whether the Indian version is as smart as that particular one? By the way, Hong Kong's e-passport also doubles up as your Hong Kong ID (HKID) card. If you don't have one, you simply cannot do business in Hong Kong! Your HKID number is unique and remains unchanged!
Dr. Rajiv Jain, Vice President and Managing Director, Infineon Technologies India Pvt Ltd, said that both Hong Kong and India are using the same product family from Infineon. "The security levels of both e-passports are based on the Common Criteria EAL 5+, the highest possible security certification for MCUs. In addition, both comply to ICAO requirements, the international standard for e-passports."
Infineon’s SLE 66CLX800PE security MCU provides advanced performance and high execution speeds, and was specifically designed for use in electronic passports, identity cards, e-government cards and payment cards. Sounds very interesting!
Highlights of Infineon's security MCU
The security MCU features a crypto-coprocessor and can operate at very high transaction speeds of up to 848kbits/s even if the elevated encryption and decryption operations have to be calculated.
The SLE 66CLX800PE offers all contactless proximity interfaces on a single chip: the ISO/IEC 14443 type B interface and type A interface, and both used for communication between electronics passports and the respective readers; and the ISO/IEC 18092 passive mode interface, which is used in transport and banking applications. The SLE 66CLX800PE features 80 kilobytes (kb) of EEPROM, 240kb of ROM, and 6kb of RAM.
The SLE 66PE contactless controller family, which includes the SLE 66CLX800PE, is certified according to Common Criteria EAL 5+ high (BSI-PP-0002 protection profile) security certification. Infineon’s security in MCUs used in e-passports builds on the underlying hardware-based integral security, with data encryption, memory firewall system and other security mechanisms to safeguard the privacy of data.
The SLE 66PE product family comprises a whole product portfolio designed for use in basic-security to high-security smart card systems, with the EEPROM sizes ranging from 4kb to144kb, and covering different applications including government ID, transportation and payment.
Infineon's perception of Indian semiconductor industry
So much about the e-passport! I can't wait to get my hands on one! Since I was in a discussion with Infineon, it naturally turned toward the Indian semiconductor industry and what needs to be done!
Dr. Jain said: "The Indian semiconductor industry has seen its share of successes and misses. The in-depth technical talent required for design and development is omni-present (TI, Intel, Infineon, Wipro, etc., to name a few). For example, we are doing critical R&D in the areas of automotive electronics, broadband, mobile communications and secured ID solutions at Infineon India, and the fact that it is one of the largest centres in Infineon’s global R&D network, is a testimony to India’s importance as the destination for cutting edge research. This has also led to creation of home-grown design houses offering services to the larger companies.
"We are also seeing in some small, but growing numbers, products and ideas for local markets. As the local markets evolve, so will the ability of these companies to deliver innovation for these local markets, which can then be taken globally."
He added that an area of debate has been the need for semiconductor manufacturing in India. For example, having fabs, test and packaging plants, and EMS. "There have been government initiatives with a few successes. However, financial, tax-related and custom-related investment in these areas needs to come together and be centrally driven from a long-term perspective, as these institutions, which can provide a stable manufacturing base, need larger efforts to be successful."
Hopefully, we will finally get to see some action on all of these areas post the Indian general elections due shortly.
PS: Just to let all of my friends know, I am no longer associated with either CIOL or its semiconductors web site.
It is really easy! Simply drop your e-passport into the e-passport reader slot and place your finger on the fingerprint reader for it to scan and read. Once your e-passport comes out, move over to the other side to another e-passport reader, repeat the same exercise, and you're done! All it takes is less than a minute!
All Indians could soon have e-passports!
Well, such an e-passport can become a reality in India soon! If you haven't heard it, Infineon Technologies recently supplied contactless security microcontrollers (MCUs) for India's electronic passport (e-passport) program! The Indian e-passport rollout started with Indian diplomats and officials being issued e-passports -- around 30,000 to be issued in phase one. It is likely that by September 2009, the e-passports will be extended to the general public.
The rollout has started with the issuance of electronic passports to Indian diplomats and officials. It is expected that in this first phase, up to 30,000 electronic passports shall be issued. By September 2009, the program is likely to be expanded to include passports used by the general public. Today, around 6 million passports are being annually issued in India. I believe, the government of India has invited a new tender for interested stakeholders to bid for 20 million e-passports.
So, being a Hong Kong e-passport holder, I was interested in knowing whether the Indian version is as smart as that particular one? By the way, Hong Kong's e-passport also doubles up as your Hong Kong ID (HKID) card. If you don't have one, you simply cannot do business in Hong Kong! Your HKID number is unique and remains unchanged!
Dr. Rajiv Jain, Vice President and Managing Director, Infineon Technologies India Pvt Ltd, said that both Hong Kong and India are using the same product family from Infineon. "The security levels of both e-passports are based on the Common Criteria EAL 5+, the highest possible security certification for MCUs. In addition, both comply to ICAO requirements, the international standard for e-passports."Infineon’s SLE 66CLX800PE security MCU provides advanced performance and high execution speeds, and was specifically designed for use in electronic passports, identity cards, e-government cards and payment cards. Sounds very interesting!
Highlights of Infineon's security MCU
The security MCU features a crypto-coprocessor and can operate at very high transaction speeds of up to 848kbits/s even if the elevated encryption and decryption operations have to be calculated.
The SLE 66CLX800PE offers all contactless proximity interfaces on a single chip: the ISO/IEC 14443 type B interface and type A interface, and both used for communication between electronics passports and the respective readers; and the ISO/IEC 18092 passive mode interface, which is used in transport and banking applications. The SLE 66CLX800PE features 80 kilobytes (kb) of EEPROM, 240kb of ROM, and 6kb of RAM.
The SLE 66PE contactless controller family, which includes the SLE 66CLX800PE, is certified according to Common Criteria EAL 5+ high (BSI-PP-0002 protection profile) security certification. Infineon’s security in MCUs used in e-passports builds on the underlying hardware-based integral security, with data encryption, memory firewall system and other security mechanisms to safeguard the privacy of data.
The SLE 66PE product family comprises a whole product portfolio designed for use in basic-security to high-security smart card systems, with the EEPROM sizes ranging from 4kb to144kb, and covering different applications including government ID, transportation and payment.
Infineon's perception of Indian semiconductor industry
So much about the e-passport! I can't wait to get my hands on one! Since I was in a discussion with Infineon, it naturally turned toward the Indian semiconductor industry and what needs to be done!
Dr. Jain said: "The Indian semiconductor industry has seen its share of successes and misses. The in-depth technical talent required for design and development is omni-present (TI, Intel, Infineon, Wipro, etc., to name a few). For example, we are doing critical R&D in the areas of automotive electronics, broadband, mobile communications and secured ID solutions at Infineon India, and the fact that it is one of the largest centres in Infineon’s global R&D network, is a testimony to India’s importance as the destination for cutting edge research. This has also led to creation of home-grown design houses offering services to the larger companies.
"We are also seeing in some small, but growing numbers, products and ideas for local markets. As the local markets evolve, so will the ability of these companies to deliver innovation for these local markets, which can then be taken globally."
He added that an area of debate has been the need for semiconductor manufacturing in India. For example, having fabs, test and packaging plants, and EMS. "There have been government initiatives with a few successes. However, financial, tax-related and custom-related investment in these areas needs to come together and be centrally driven from a long-term perspective, as these institutions, which can provide a stable manufacturing base, need larger efforts to be successful."
Hopefully, we will finally get to see some action on all of these areas post the Indian general elections due shortly.
PS: Just to let all of my friends know, I am no longer associated with either CIOL or its semiconductors web site.
Friday, 16 May 2008
Top 20 global semicon companies -- DRAM, Flash suppliers drop out
IC Insights recently published the May update to The McClean Report, featuring the Top 20 global semiconductor companies. Not surprisingly, there have been some significant movers and shakers. The most telling -- quite a few of the major DRAM and Flash suppliers have dropped out of the Top 20 list!
First the movers! Fabless supplier Qualcomm jumped up four spots, ranking as the 10th largest semiconductor supplier in Q1-08. Next, Broadcom, the third largest fabless supplier, also moved up four positions, up to the 20th position. Panasonic (earlier, Matsushita), moved up to the 19th position, while NEC of Japan moved up to the 13th position.
TSMC, the leading foundry, moved up one position, registering the highest -- 44 percent -- year-over-year Q1-08 growth rate, besides being ranked 5th. Nvidia, the second largest fabless supplier, was another company registering a high YoY growth rate of 37 percent, and moved into the 18th position. Some others like Infineon, Sony and Renesas also climbed a place higher each, respectively. The top four retained their positions -- Intel, Samsung, TI and Toshiba.
And now, the shakers! The volatile DRAM and Flash markets have ensured the exit of several well known names such as Qimonda, Elpida, Spansion, Powerchip, Nanya, etc., from the list of the top 20 global semiconductor companies, at least for now.
Among the others in the list, the biggest drops were registered by NXP, which dropped to 14th from 11th last year, and AMD, which dropped two places, from 10th to 12th. Two memory suppliers -- Hynix and Micron -- also slipped two places, to 9th and 15th places, respectively. STMicroelectronics also slipped from 5th to 6th. IBM too slipped out of the top 20 list.
The top 20 global semiconductor firms comprises of eight US companies (including three fabless suppliers), six Japanese, three European, two South Korean, and one Taiwanese foundry (TSMC). Also, looking at the realities of the foundry market, TSMC's lead is now unassailable. If TSMC was an IDM, it would be No. 2, challenging Intel and passing Samsung, said one analyst, recently, a thought shared by many.
IC Insights has reported that since the Euro and the Yen are strong against the dollar, this effect will impact global semiconductor market figures when reported in US dollars this year.
There are some other things to watch out for. Following a miserable 2007, the global DRAM module market is likely to rebound gradually in 2008 due to the projected recovery in the overall memory industry, according to an iSuppli report. That remains to be seen.
Some new DRAM camps -- such as Elpida-Qimonda, and Micron-Nanya -- have been formed. It will be interesting to see how these perform, as will be the performance of ST-backed Numonyx.
Further, the oversupply of NAND Flash worsened in Q1-08, impacted by the effect of the US sub-prime mortgage loan and a slow season, according to DRAMeXchange. The NAND Flash ASP fell about 35 percent compared to Q4-07. Although the overall bit shipment grew about 30 percent compared to Q4-07, the total Q1-08 sales of branded NAND Flash makers fell 15.8 percent QoQ to US$3.24bn. Will the NAND Flash market recover and by when?
First the movers! Fabless supplier Qualcomm jumped up four spots, ranking as the 10th largest semiconductor supplier in Q1-08. Next, Broadcom, the third largest fabless supplier, also moved up four positions, up to the 20th position. Panasonic (earlier, Matsushita), moved up to the 19th position, while NEC of Japan moved up to the 13th position.TSMC, the leading foundry, moved up one position, registering the highest -- 44 percent -- year-over-year Q1-08 growth rate, besides being ranked 5th. Nvidia, the second largest fabless supplier, was another company registering a high YoY growth rate of 37 percent, and moved into the 18th position. Some others like Infineon, Sony and Renesas also climbed a place higher each, respectively. The top four retained their positions -- Intel, Samsung, TI and Toshiba.
And now, the shakers! The volatile DRAM and Flash markets have ensured the exit of several well known names such as Qimonda, Elpida, Spansion, Powerchip, Nanya, etc., from the list of the top 20 global semiconductor companies, at least for now.
Among the others in the list, the biggest drops were registered by NXP, which dropped to 14th from 11th last year, and AMD, which dropped two places, from 10th to 12th. Two memory suppliers -- Hynix and Micron -- also slipped two places, to 9th and 15th places, respectively. STMicroelectronics also slipped from 5th to 6th. IBM too slipped out of the top 20 list.
The top 20 global semiconductor firms comprises of eight US companies (including three fabless suppliers), six Japanese, three European, two South Korean, and one Taiwanese foundry (TSMC). Also, looking at the realities of the foundry market, TSMC's lead is now unassailable. If TSMC was an IDM, it would be No. 2, challenging Intel and passing Samsung, said one analyst, recently, a thought shared by many.
IC Insights has reported that since the Euro and the Yen are strong against the dollar, this effect will impact global semiconductor market figures when reported in US dollars this year.
There are some other things to watch out for. Following a miserable 2007, the global DRAM module market is likely to rebound gradually in 2008 due to the projected recovery in the overall memory industry, according to an iSuppli report. That remains to be seen.
Some new DRAM camps -- such as Elpida-Qimonda, and Micron-Nanya -- have been formed. It will be interesting to see how these perform, as will be the performance of ST-backed Numonyx.
Further, the oversupply of NAND Flash worsened in Q1-08, impacted by the effect of the US sub-prime mortgage loan and a slow season, according to DRAMeXchange. The NAND Flash ASP fell about 35 percent compared to Q4-07. Although the overall bit shipment grew about 30 percent compared to Q4-07, the total Q1-08 sales of branded NAND Flash makers fell 15.8 percent QoQ to US$3.24bn. Will the NAND Flash market recover and by when?
Saturday, 15 December 2007
Top 10 semicon firms of 2007 by revenue
According to Gartner, the top 10 semiconductor firms for 2007 by revenue are: Intel, Samsung Electronics, Toshiba, Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, Infineon Technologies (including Qimonda), Hynix Semiconductor, Renesas Technology, NXP Semiconductors, and NEC Electronics.
Worldwide semiconductor revenue totaled $270.3 billion in 2007, a 2.9 percent increase from 2006, according to preliminary results from Gartner Inc.
Vendor performances were mixed with two vendors in the top 10 that experienced double-digit growth and two vendors that showed declines in revenue.
"Semiconductor vendors need to watch the performance of their end customers even closer as a major part of the industry becomes increasingly tied to consumer spending patterns," said Andrew Norwood, research vice president at Gartner. "Loss of market share in an end-user application, such as a mobile phone, by a customer (a mobile phone manufacturer) can have a dramatic effect on a vendor's business."
Intel grew revenue more than twice as fast as the semiconductor market average, and it is likely to edge up its market share to 12.2 percent in 2007 from 11.6 percent in 2006.
Intel’s growth came primarily from strong shipments of mobile PCs. Armed with a strong product lineup for enthusiast desktops and servers, Intel regained lost share in those markets from AMD.
While the global market for dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) is expected to decline in 2007 due to a severe drop in prices caused by oversupply, Samsung Electronics is likely to increase its revenue by slightly higher than the overall global semiconductor market growth rate (DRAM is one the firm's main products).
Samsung's growth is driven by steady revenue growth in NAND flash memory and strong revenue growth in nonmemory areas such as application processors, media integrated circuits (IC), complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, smart card ICs and LCD driver ICs.
Toshiba’s revenue increased 27.8 percent in 2007 to $12,504 million, gaining three places in the rankings and moving into third place. The rapid gains mainly came from NAND flash memory.
Toshiba also increased production of CMOS image sensors for mobile phones and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs)/application-specific standard products (ASSPs) revenue for digital consumer electronics, including LCD TVs, next-generation DVDs (HD DVDs) and video game consoles.
Worldwide semiconductor revenue totaled $270.3 billion in 2007, a 2.9 percent increase from 2006, according to preliminary results from Gartner Inc.
Vendor performances were mixed with two vendors in the top 10 that experienced double-digit growth and two vendors that showed declines in revenue.
"Semiconductor vendors need to watch the performance of their end customers even closer as a major part of the industry becomes increasingly tied to consumer spending patterns," said Andrew Norwood, research vice president at Gartner. "Loss of market share in an end-user application, such as a mobile phone, by a customer (a mobile phone manufacturer) can have a dramatic effect on a vendor's business."
Intel grew revenue more than twice as fast as the semiconductor market average, and it is likely to edge up its market share to 12.2 percent in 2007 from 11.6 percent in 2006.
Intel’s growth came primarily from strong shipments of mobile PCs. Armed with a strong product lineup for enthusiast desktops and servers, Intel regained lost share in those markets from AMD.
While the global market for dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) is expected to decline in 2007 due to a severe drop in prices caused by oversupply, Samsung Electronics is likely to increase its revenue by slightly higher than the overall global semiconductor market growth rate (DRAM is one the firm's main products).
Samsung's growth is driven by steady revenue growth in NAND flash memory and strong revenue growth in nonmemory areas such as application processors, media integrated circuits (IC), complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, smart card ICs and LCD driver ICs.
Toshiba’s revenue increased 27.8 percent in 2007 to $12,504 million, gaining three places in the rankings and moving into third place. The rapid gains mainly came from NAND flash memory.
Toshiba also increased production of CMOS image sensors for mobile phones and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs)/application-specific standard products (ASSPs) revenue for digital consumer electronics, including LCD TVs, next-generation DVDs (HD DVDs) and video game consoles.
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