This Episode #4 - An introduction to Triad's Sensor Processor Design Idea.Welcome back everyone. Sorry for the delay in getting Episode #4 posted. I've been on the road quite abit and I've had some technical problems trying to record on the road. I'm looking to get those fixed (with Bert's help) so that even if I'm out visiting customers we can still get the podcast recorded and published.(Download Triad Alliance PodcastEpisode#4 for August 13, 2005)(clickthis button to automatically subscribe to the podcast via iTunes)!!!!! MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT !!!!!We are moving servers for the podcast and the blog for the next show.If you subscribe to the show through iTunes, iPodder, or Odeo hopefully everything will get taken care of automatically but it you find out that by next weekend you podcast catcher software hasn't downloaded the latest show you may need to manually resubscribe to the show through those programs.Our new podcast/blog server address where you can get our RSS podcast feed will be:http://triadsemi.com/?feed=rss2&category_name=podcastSorry for this inconenience. We are switching over from Blogger to Wordpress because Wordpress integrated directly with our website, supports podcasting enclosures directly, and will allow us to get information out with better formatting in the future.I will post a message to the old RSS feed location giving you audio directions on how to find the new show so if you get the "here's how to find the new show message" then you aren't pointing to the new feed. The Triad Alliance Newsletter for the week of Aug 15 will also contain directions for getting the new podcast feed setup.ContestSeems like a lot of you are having a good time with the decode contest so I'll keep it running for at least one more show. Refer to previous posts and podcasts to determine how to download the wave file and what you need to do to win a T-Shirt.Congradulations to Ray Silva our latest contest winner.TSX-SP Sensor ProcessorThe TSX-SP is a Design Idea. We haven't committed the design to silicon yet but all of the pieces for the Sensor Processor are in place within silicon. This one of the most exciting things about Triad's solution to me. As I talked about on Epsiode #3, our reusable analog and digital intellectual property (IP) allows us to quickly realize new mixed-signal products. The TSX-SP Sensor Processor is a very powerfull Sensor-to-Information computation unit. The analog front end (AFE) is the analog section from our in production TSX1 standard product combined with a complete microprocessor subsystem that we have integrated. I've always found it easy integrated new digital features into an FPGA flow. Now, you can do the same with analog and digital features together. After looking at the TSX-SP design idea you might say:"hmmm....that's close...I like the idea but I wish it had 7 analog acquisition channels instead of 3"Well, using the TSX-SP design as a starting point you could quickly and easily create schematics for a 7-input OpAmp section followed by a 7-1 analog mux and you'd have a 7-channel sensor interface design. By leveraging proven building blocks you can get started with software development using an FPGA for the microprocessor subsystem while your team designs the analog sections. We are literally talking days and weeks here - Not months and years.

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FREE Reusable Analog IP(Download Triad Alliance Podcast Episode #3)

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Today's ShowThis is episode #3 of the Triad Alliance Podcast and on today's show our "guest" will be Programmable Gain Instrumentation Amplifier (PGIA). Stay tuned to learn more about Reusable Analog IP on Triad MSSA platforms.(Download Triad Alliance Podcast Episode #3)AnnouncementsNew version of the website is online. Be sure and visit Triad's website to become a registered user. Once you are registered you get:Ability to post to the online forumReceive the weekly Triad Alliance Newsletter (you can opt-out at anytime)Download the MSSA Design Kit (MDK)Request that your company be listed in the Triad Alliance Member's directoryAnd, of course, be eligible to win the ultimate Triad Alliance Gear (we like to call it Ligerwear)Also, new info is being added to the website daily and weekly so visit often to stay up todate on the latest developments at Triad Semi.ContestThe Triad Audio Decryption Contest is still going on...(see early podcast for wave file to download)Hint: Get rid of a sine wave at a particular frequencyI used Goldwave to create and encode the message. You can use Goldwave or a similar program to analyze and decode the message. The first 5 people to decode the message win a T-Shirt from the Triad Alliance. Once you have the answer, send an email to reid@triadsemi.com with the answer and if you are one of the first 5 to respond with the right answer I will send you a T-Shirt.Triad Alliance NewsWelcome our newest Triad Alliance Member:Carilion Biomedical InstituteCarilion Biomedical Institute is dedicated to improving the health and lives of people worldwide by partnering with scientists, researchers, and the medical and business communities to create major advances in healthcare. CBI fosters biomedical research at the University of Virginia and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (popularly known as Virginia Tech) and...(read more)... FREE Reusable Analog IPTriad MSSA analog circuits are designed out of our fine to medium-grained analog building blocks such as:OTA (Operational Transconductance Amplifiers)Output StagesOpAmps (General Purpose, Low Power, Wideband)ResistorsCapacitorsSwitchesIndividual TransistorsThe functions are not designed at the GDSII (polygon) level -- we've already done that for you -- You design your circuit by interconnecting these elements at the schematic level and then spice and mixed-signal simulating the design.Once your design pass simulation you now have a reusable piece of Analog IP.On today's show we discuss an analog macro or analog IP block the:Programmable Gain Instrumentation Amplfier or (PGIA)The PGIA has 8 digitally controlled gain settings ranging from -6 dB to +30 dB. The gain is selected by a 3-bit digital word. This is a good first IP block to release and review because not only is it a usefull functional block but also because it isn't overly complex. If you look thru the PGIA Analog IP Documentation on the Triad website, I think that you will get a pretty good idea of what it takes to design a function using the Triad approach. The online documentation gives you an overview of the macro and shows how much of the MSSA's available resources are utilized to create the PGIA (not much). Other pages in the PGIA area show the schematics and Verilog code used to implement the PGIA. In a couple of days we will post the Mentor Design Architect schematics and spice models for the PGIA. I will let you know when that information is available.

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Today?s ShowStay tuned for Triad Alliance News and we will talk about Triad MSSA technology in a some more detail.(Download Triad Alliance July21, 2005 Episode #2)Website LocationIf you are new to the show be sure and visit our website at www.triadsemi.comIf you have questions or comments about the show please email me at reid@triadsemi.comAnnouncementsWow ? I wasn?t sure anybody would actually listen to the show.Thanks for all the feedback?If there are things you like to hear about or change good or bad email me or give me a call on Gizmo (rwender).Good week here in Knoxville ? hot but nice.My 7 year-old and are building a little Parallax robot. My son loves it. So, a call out to Chip Gracey, president of Parallax ? thanks for the design kit. Chip?s definitely an engineer that loves what he is doing and man he sure has the coolest toys!ContestHey no pressure here EEs but my brother the mechanical engineer "crank-head" downloaded the wave file and decoded it so get cracking and decode audio message. (Download Contest wav file) I used Goldwave to create and encode the message. You can use Goldwave or a similar program to analyze and decode the message. The first 5 people to decode the message win a T-Shirt from the Triad Alliance. I?ll put up a link to the wav file that you can download and decode (filter). Once you have the answer, send an email to reid@triadsemi.com with the answer and if you are one of the first 5 to respond with the right answer I will send you a T-Shirt.Triad Alliance NewsWe will be launching a new version of the website in the next few days and we will be rapidly adding more Alliance information in the coming days and weeks.Welcome to new Triad Alliance Member Pegasus Technology ? Specialists in RF and analog design. (visit www.pegasustech.com) Telesensors ? Analog and Mixed-Signal ASIC design group focused on medical and homeland security semiconductor designs. (visit www.telesensors.com) If you?d like to be featured as an Alliance member let me know and we can setup an interview.MSSA Technology OverviewWe are making a website change so for now the information talked about in this section can be found in the show notes.http://www.siligraphy.com/page/Mixed-Signal-ArchitectureNext Week?s ShowBe sure and listen next week?we will be talking about the first analog IP block that we will be releasing to Alliance Members. The IP block is a Programmable Gain Instrumentation Amplifier that you can use and modify for your designs for FREE.Thanks for listening..Contact infoReid Wender:Visit: http://www.triadsemi.com/ for show notes.Email me at reid@triadsemi.comSkype or Gizmo me at: rwender

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Hello everyone, I?m Reid Wender, and welcome to the Triad Alliance Podcast. The podcast dedicated to mixed signal ASIC development using Triad Semiconductor?s Mixed Signal Structured ASIC technology. To listen to the Triad Alliance Podcast, Episode #1, for July 13, 2005: (download Episode #1 - MP3 format) Website Location If you are new to the show be sure and visit our website at www.triadsemi.com If you have questions or comments about the show please email me at reid@triadsemi.com (that?s r-e-i-d @triadsemi.com). Here on our first show I will introduce you to · Triad Semiconductor · The Triad Alliance ? Just what is it · And, a little bit about myself, Reid Wender, the host of the Triad Alliance Podcast · Triad Alliance Show Format (every Thursday) ContestI used Goldwave to create and encode the message. You can use Goldwave or a similar program to analyze and decode the message. The first 5 people to decode the message win a T-Shirt from the Triad Alliance. Once you have the answer, send an email to reid@triadsemi.com with the answer and if you are one of the first 5 to respond with the right answer I will send you a T-Shirt. (download contest.wav file) The Triad Alliance ? Just what is it In a nutshell - Start your own Fabless Semiconductor companyResource to learn more about mixed signal structured ASICsForum and community of Triad users sharing development ideas and solutionsPortal where you can list your mixed signal company and offer your services, products, IP.Network with other companies in the alliance to solve problems efficientlyIP MarketplaceOnline store where alliance members and customers can purchase your mixed signal ICs that you develop with Triad technology. And, Reid Wender, your host ASIC Designer for the past 17 years FPGA user for 17 years First ASIC ? a 3500 gate Onscreen Display Processor Last ASIC ? 4 million gate 3D wavelet image compression CODEC Living and working in East Tennessee and at the Triad offices in Winston-Salem, NC (enough about me?I?ll give you more bio information on a slow news day in the future) Format Interviews with Alliance Members Tips & Techniques for Mixed Signal ASIC Design Analog IP, Mixed Signal IP, & Digital IP Access to low-cost and even free development tools Introduce new products developed by Alliance members Contests, Humors, and Funs Featured Engineer Music Closing remarks Thanks for listening.. Contact info Reid Wender: Visit: www.triadsemi.com. Email me at reid@triadsemi.com Skype me at: rwender

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