Embedded nonvolatile memory (eNVM) IP company Kilopass Technology Inc. (San Jose, Calif.) is using Y2K-era technology to target the low-power, data-heavy Internet of Things. Using 10-times less power than other eNVM memories, Kilopass's Gusto eNVM line, showing at ARM TechCon (Santa Clara, Calif.) this week, uses one-time programmable nonvolatile memory to reduce read power.

One-time programmable (OTP) nonvolatile memory (NVM)--a type of NVM that has been around for years, holding data such as the security ID for TV set-top boxes and repair data for DRAM--can track historical data streams more cheaply, making them perfect for IoT sensors, infrastructure tracking, and wearables, according Kilopass. Kilopass has patented one-transistor (1T), 1.5T, 2T, 3T, and 3.5T antifuse nonvolatile bit-cells, also known as OTP, since 2001.

NVMs are now in many IoT devices, but Kilopass says it is cutting eNVM read power by 10-times and enabling consumer IoT device to keep a permanent, one-time programmable (OTP) memory of everything, from a baby's first Ma-Ma to a life record as viewed by a Go-Pro.

"The new X2Bit bit-cell uses ohmic programming of its N-MOS transistors and controls the location of oxide breakdown in the region of the source and drain region rather than in the middle of the channel, enabling us to achieve our 10-times lower power goal," executive vice president of technology, Harry Luan told EE Times.

Kilopass says all other components are going down in energy except memory, underlining the importance of its ultra-low power eNVM using 10-times less power (in their 2T bit-cells) than the wireless circuitry and 10-times less than other eNVM memories. When active, Kilopass's new eNVM consumes less than 10 microAmps per MegaHertz (uA/MHz) in total current, according to the company. Equally low-power is its standby power. The X2Bit technology enables most circuits to shutdown, resulting in less than 250 nano-Amps (nA) in standby current. The secret to Kilopass’s low-power success, according to Cheng, Kilopass’ CEO is that a new novel way to program a 2T transistor.

Instead of the traditional voltage potential, programming current, and programming pulses, a new programming biasing condition has enabled this ohmic bit-cell behavior after programming. As a result, new eNVM macros using X2Bit arrays can uses a lower read voltage--just 0.75 volts, unregulated--which is ideal for Ultra-Low-Power (ULP) processes recently introduced by foundries to enable low Vdd operations of 0.9V or even 0.8V.

Most applications using Kilopass eNVM put enough memory into they device to last the lifetime of the product. For example, in tire sensors, industrial infrastructure, water pressure monitoring, wind monitoring and pollution tracking, measurements are only made every few minutes and sent out periodically with the whole history of the device's parameters available for historical analysis.

The X2Bit configuration of its 2-T bit cell, will be deployed in a new version of the Gusto product line targeting IoT, and its SecretCode OTP chips, use foundries’ 55 and 65 nanometer processes. The company plans to release specific information about the Gusto product in Q1, 2016 when it tapes out.

By: DocMemory
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