Vitesse Gigabit Ethernet IP cores enable proliferation of Ethernet apps

CAMARILLO, USA: Vitesse Semiconductor Corp. has introduced a portfolio of Gigabit Ethernet intellectual property (IP) cores for simple and efficient integration of 10/100/1000BASE-T functionality into Ethernet IC solutions for consumer electronics, broadband access, network security, printer, smart grid, storage, and other applications.

Ethernet is the most broadly deployed networking technology in the world. According to Cisco’s Visual Networking Index, global Internet traffic will quadruple from 2010 to 2015 with video comprising 62% of all consumer Internet traffic in 2015. Given the demand for connectivity, Ethernet has been migrating to appliances, digital televisions, home theater equipment, game consoles, printers, network-attached storage, and other electronic applications.

With energy efficiency mandates such as Energy Star’s upcoming Small Network Equipment specification and IEEE 802.3az 2010 Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE), low power is critical for new Ethernet products. Vitesse’s Gigabit Ethernet IP cores deliver industry-leading power dissipation below 390 mW per port and feature Vitesse’s EcoEthernet 2.0 power saving technology. EcoEthernet includes fully compliant IEEE 802.3az EEE that can reduce power by 60 percent in idle mode. Additionally, an ActiPHY enabled mode reduces power by over 75 percent for ports with no link.

“Design constraints we faced mandated that we use a highly characterized Gigabit Ethernet PHY technology, and one with extremely low power dissipation,” said Cheng-Te Chuang, corporate vice president of MediaTek, a vendor already in production with multiple ports of Vitesse’s Gigabit Ethernet IP core. “Vitesse’s solution embedded all of the necessary transceiver features for our applications to efficiently reach the market with integrated Ethernet connectivity.”

Vitesse’s Gigabit Ethernet IP core portfolio offers hard and soft macros for maximum flexibility, specifically including:

* Single port 10/100/1000BASE-T hard macro for TSMC 40LP (VSC9905-01);
* Four port 10/100/1000BASE-T hard macro for TSMC 65GP (VSC9903-01);
* Single port 10/100/1000BASE-T hard macro for TSMC 65GP (VSC9902-01); and
* Soft IP package (VSC9901-01) for porting the module-oriented PHY design to other fabrication processes or enabling the technology in ASIC design flows.

The cores are based on a power efficient voltage-mode architecture with integrated line side resistors and low-EMI line drivers that provide extra margin for meeting residential emission standards. Their cable impairment active correction technology and robust DSP capabilities filter out cable noise and support remote cable diagnostics functionality. Carrier Ethernet (CE) versions of each core are also available. The CE versions offer multiple recovered clock outputs and fast link failover support ideal for use in G.8261 Synchronous Ethernet applications.

The hard macros, each fully routed designs that can improve time-to-market and reduce project risk, are provided with encrypted Verilog models; LVS netlist, GDS-II, and frame view LEF files; timing models; test benches for functional verification and production test-vector generation; Application Programming Interface source code; and documentation. The soft IP package (VSC9901-01) deliverables also include analog schematics, I/O cell netlists, RTL, and Verilog synthesis scripts.

“Vitesse’s Gigabit Ethernet IP cores enable licensees to increase market penetration by offering broader, platform level solutions to their customers and to focus more of their resources on developing other differentiating features in their chips,” said Brian Jaroszewski, senior product marketing manager of IP licensing at Vitesse. “Leveraging Vitesse’s low power, mixed-signal design expertise allows our licensees to expedite time-to-market on their SoCs targeted at a variety of high-volume markets and applications.”

The VSC9901-01, VSC9902-01 and VSC9903-01 are available immediately.