XiP memories optimized for embedded AI and Bluetooth

New Products | August 14, 2020

By Nick Flaherty

Dialog Semiconductor has optimized memories from its Adesto Technologies acquisition for embedded IoT designs.

The low power EcoXiP octal xSPI non-volatile memory (NVM) is now optimized for the Renesas RZ/A2M Arm-based processors for embedded AI imaging in smart appliances, service robots and industrial machinery.

At the same time the FusionHD Quad NOR flash memories, which also came from Adesto, is qualified for use with Dialog’s SmartBond DA1469x Bluetooth low energy (BLE) microcontrollers.

The EcoXiP memory enables ultra-fast boot for instant-on capability and real-time system responsiveness, with efficient storing of AI weights for low-power AI inference. In addition, EcoXiP enables MPUs such as the RZ/A2M to operate in eXecute-in-Place (XiP) mode for code execution directly from external flash memory.

“With RZ/A2M MPUs featuring Renesas’ exclusive Dynamically Reconfigurable Processor (DRP) technology, we bring real-time, low-power image processing to IoT endpoints,” said Shigeki Kato, Vice President of Enterprise Infrastructure Business Division at Renesas. “We are delighted to welcome Dialog’s EcoXiP device to the ever-growing ecosystem around our MPUs. We look forward to working with Dialog in order to show how our MPUs and EcoXiP can benefit a growing number of applications, accelerating intelligence at the IoT edge.”

“Together with Renesas’ RZ/A2M, we are able to demonstrate multiple facets of EcoXiP’s performance and power consumption benefits,” said Gideon Intrater, CTO of the Industrial Business at Dialog. “With its RZ/A2M, Renesas is addressing the need for more powerful processing and real-time operation to enable embedded AI imaging in IoT endpoints. As an external companion flash memory, EcoXiP provides a balanced tradeoff of performance and power advantages for a broad range of emerging IoT applications that can benefit from AI imaging.”

EcoXiP is one of the first NOR flash devices to support the Expanded Serial Peripheral Interface (xSPI) communication protocol, with concurrent read-while-write (RWW) capability, enabling higher transfer rates and lower latency for flash memory for XiP . This provides advantages for over-the-air updates and data logging by avoiding the need for on-chip embedded flash.

However, the FusionHD NOR flash memories for Dialog’s BLE chips, which also came from Adesto, support code storage, over-the-air updates and data logging for wearables, hearables, sensor edge devices and industrial IoT systems with 7nA sleep power consumption, 70 percent than other serial flash devices. It also supports QSPI operation with continuous read XiP capability for direct code execution from the host DA1469x MCUs.

“FusionHD non-volatile memory devices are designed to extend a system’s battery life without sacrificing power or performance and features an incredible low power 7nA sleep mode making it ideal for our DA1469x family of wireless MCUs in IoT and industrial products,” said Raphael Mehrbians, VP of Industrial Business at Dialog.

“Making this announcement following closely on the completion of the Adesto acquisition, demonstrates the great synergy between our wireless connectivity portfolio and our new NOR flash memories and is a perfect example of how with the addition of Flash memory to Dialog’s portfolio we now have the unique ability to provide a more competitive and differentiated solution to our customers,” he said.

The SmartBond DA1469x family includes a Sensor Node Controller (SNC), advanced power management unit, software programmable protocol engine, advanced multi-level security, and a high level of integration for savings on bill of materials and PCB area in IoT designs.

www.dialog-semiconductor.com/products/memory/octal-xspi-memory; www.dialog-semiconductor.com/products/dual-quad-spi-memory

XiP memories optimized for embedded AI and Bluetooth

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