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Just as its predecessors did, the LPDDR4 specification is aiming to double its data rates while slashing power consumption in half, but the first publication of the spec by JEDEC won't be until 2014. And even though LPDDR3 is still working to gain traction, most mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets) are still equipped with LPDDR2.
The LPDDR4 Low Power Memory Device Standard, like its previous incarnations, will be designed to meet the performance and memory density demands of the latest generation of mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, ultra-thin notebooks, on the latest, fastest networks.
Hung Vuong, chairman of JEDEC's JC-42.6 Subcommittee for Low Power Memories, tells me the group is finalizing the definition of LPDDR4, and the goal is to publish the specification next year. JEDEC published an update to the LPDDR3 — first published in the first quarter of 2012 — in August 2013. The update supports a data rate of 2,133 Mbit/s.
Key features in the LPDDR3 specification include write-leveling and command/address training to allow the memory controller to compensate for signal skew while making sure data input setup and hold timing (as well as command and address input timing) requirements are met. An optional on-die termination feature enables a light termination to LPDDR3 data lanes to improve high-speed signaling with minimal impact on power consumption, system operation, and pin count. In addition, LPDDR3 features low I/O capacitance.
“The challenge for LPDDR3 was time to market,” Vuong said. LPDDR2 was published and available to the market for three years before work was started for LPDDR3 in 2011. For LPDDR4, JEDEC is aiming to have twice the data rate at 3,200 Mbit/s over LPDDR3 while using 50% less power. “The challenge is how to achieve that energy reduction at 32 Mbit/s, and the sub-committee had to look at architectural, signaling, and voltage changes.”
Beyond data rate and power consumption improvements, he said, there are three things device and system manufacturers need to understand regarding LPDDR4. First, there is the architectural change. For a LPDDR4 die, architecturally it is now a two-channel x16 DRAM. “The objective is to improve timing closure, as well as reducing internal DRAM die power.”
The interface has been changed, as well, with new signaling defined for LPDDR4 using low-voltage swing terminated logic. The signaling is now defined at 350 mVpp max with configurable termination. In addition, data bus inversion has been added to improve signal integrity.
The third significant change is voltage; LPDDR4 has been defined to operate at 1.1 V, though migration to 1.0 V could be an option for the future if there is a need.
“Our goal was to double the bandwidth performance, but also we took a much harder look at the power usage,” said Dan Skinner, director of architecture development at Micron Technology and a JC-42.6 Subcommittee member.
For mobile systems, power consumption is always the top priority when developing a memory architecture, he said, but for PC and server memory, power consumption generally trails cost and performance, though that is starting to change as datacenter power use becomes more important. In addition, battery form factors tend to be static, so it falls on the memory design to address power issues and strive for improvement.
Skinner said there is a minimum performance requirement that is targeted, “but once that performance level is reached, then doing so at the best power point is the top priority.”
No firm date has been set for the release of LPDDR4. Vuong said JEDEC JC-42.6 continues its work, which includes extending LPDDR4 to 4,266 Mbit/s.
This article originally appeared in EETimes.
Double the rate at half the power……sounds like magic. I guess there will be a much larger burden on the signal processing TX and RX as the rates are going up and voltages are going down so the signal to noise ratio must be significantly reduced.
Guys,
This one (to me personally) sounds like a No-Brainer.
Its The very fact that Containerization(and Better Quality of it) which makes a massive-massive Difference to Supply Chains Globally.
If you can increase their Efficency by say 15-18% you will be able to Achieve a Significant Deal of Success.
As far as Apple are concerned;It feels good to know that its the most frequently hacked system by the NSA currently.
So much for Better “Security via Apple”.
http://www.spiegel.de/static/happ/netzwelt/2014/na/v1/pub/img/Handy/S3222_DROPOUTJEEP.jpg
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/photo-gallery-spying-on-smartphones-fotostrecke-101201.html
Suzanne, I really feel bad for the Chinese. No matter how much they improve quality of their products, their reputation is that of a secondary quality manufacturer. However, despite their reputation, their cost advantage has attracted a lot of investment in their country. Every big manufacturer of electronics has some sort of manufacturing arrangement in China if not all.
From electronic devices' point of view, I would like to see how tablets position themselves between smartphones and laptops. Also, in 2014 I would like to see whether Africa starts developing it into investors' new China or it still requires few years to flourish as such.
I would like to comment the Number 1 and number 10 :
N1 : I could not agree more with this statement, everybodyis waiting for the next big product from Apple and with that move the company will consolidate its place.
N2 : I would like to see that but I hope the companies will help to reform Africa and not to destroy the Countries (pollution, etc.).
@wasqasAltaf, The season Africa would meet your expectation on that is approaching but not fast approaching. There are still more hurdles for Africa to cross before she can finally arrive.
Africa is not like China and we must be very careful with our moves. I can understand the main reason of this move (cheap products) but the point would be to respect the new land and not to destroy it.
@WaqasAlaf, the IT security realities today (which often center around hackers in china) further give china a bad reputation. It's going to be a hard one to shake off.
How well african countries move forward on the conflct mineral front will be crucial. I'm sure we'll be writing about and talking about that a lot more.
Suzanne,
What a nice compilation! 🙂 I have to add that in 2014 there are going to be even more exciting news in the 4D printing field. Stay tuned. 😀
-Susan
2014 should see design, manufacturing returning to USA and helping reduce unemployment. Google, Apple, GE and other will be main contributors.
Suzanna, there is no doubt that 4/5D printing may be hot topics in 2014. Apart from that I think new offerings from OEMs (mobile, robotics, wearable devices etc) in terms of products and technology can be more prominent in market.
“2014 should see design, manufacturing returning to USA and helping reduce unemployment. Google, Apple, GE and other will be main contributors.”
HM, I think in 2014 the process of job migration can be speed up and other countries may join with this fray.
So Apple has occupied all tech news in 2013. Hope it continues in 2014.
Adeniji, with the problems that Africa has faced over the past few decades for e.g. femine, corruption, diseases, etc. it is likely to face a lot more hurdles even in the area of business because of these problems. However, the direction must be right and incremental changes in the countries can attract even more investors. There is no doubt that after China, this is the place to invest in.
“So Apple has occupied all tech news in 2013. Hope it continues in 2014.”
SP, you meant about Apples plan for home land manufacturing or any other thing?
Hailey. I personally am not really convinced when I see biased coverage of Chinese economy by the Western media. It is not just the Chinese; many are involved in counterfeiting. People don't really talk much about how the global manufacturing industry is currently reliant on China.
Nemos, if you look at the stats relating to Africa, its poverty and condition of its land, it is already destroyed. Only urbanization can help Africa to enter the mainstream modernization of the global economy. Having said that, every country must take measures itself and restrict the private sector from using land only to an acceptable extent.
>>Africa is not like China and we must be very careful with our moves<<
You can never have a transformation all of sudden as you are expecting it to happen, China did not become China of today overnight, bear in mind.
Many works are on-going in some African nations – Nigeria for instance, the country has been troubled and, slowing in economic growth, these boil down to one thing, electricity. But this is becoming a thing of the past since electricity sector has been liberalized by the government of Nigeria. In IT sector, unprecedented development is also being recorded there, with the likes of IBM tapping massively from the huge markets as well as resources. While, major cities like Port Harcourt and Lagos are having intra-rail networks going on. GE's planning a $1 billion service and manufacturing facility in Calabar, the Cross River State capital in Nigeria.
I think rebuilding already destroyed place is a massive opportunity for private engineering/utilities and OEM firms. Watch Lagos (Nigeria) Light Rail Project YouTube video
Wale, true. Like it is said. Opportunity lies in a problem. However, too weak infrastructure and lack of availability of local skilled staff makes things tougher for new investors. Some organizations have to join hands with the government and work for infrastructure development and in return, get a promise for either subsidies or tax free operations when other foreign and local investors are paying taxes.
>> lack of availability of local skilled staff makes things tougher for new investors<<
Sure in some other areas in Africa, shortage of expertize issue. But in Nigeria not the case, Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world with highly skilled and educated people, not just 1st degrees but MSc/PhD holders in engineering/science with sound and immense experiences.
@Susan. I think you may be right! It's going to be fun to watch.
_HM, the re-shoring move will likely continue. I think this big OEM examples that you point to will be a leader that will encourage other organizations to consider it. I bet we get plenty more examples by the end of the year.
@Waqas, whether it is malware or electronics manufacturing, we do have a lot of examples of China being problemantic. I know that China isn't the whole problem. Where would you point as being an equally large part of the issue? Over reliance on china, as you say, is a problem too…
Hailey, I agree. We don't have anyone being an equal competitor of China when it comes to counterfeiting. Furthermore, we also want any other nation that does decrease reliance of blue chip companies on China. When power is handed over to one, problems always arise.