New-Tech Europe Magazine | April 2019

April 2019

16 DOCSIS* - The Data Over Cable Standard 20 Using Hardware Emulation to Verify AI Designs 22 High Performance Data Converters for Medical Imaging Systems 26 FMC Developments Support Legacy and Next-Gen Data Needs 30 Wireless options for the IoT

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Intelligent Condition Monitoring Box – an open development platform for Condition Based Monitoring (CBM) of industrial equipment, assets and structures. ICOMOX monitors operating conditions from the surface of the equipment to identify potential faults and reduce risks associated with equipment operation and maintenance. This extends the lifetime of the equipment, reduces unplanned downtime, cuts maintenance costs and unlocks potential for energy savings. ICOMOX KEY FEATURES • Multi-sensing: vibration, magnetic field, temperature and sound sensors • High dynamic range and exceptional SNR for vibration analysis • High performance acoustic emission detection

• Non-invasive current sensing for motor current signature analysis • Ultra-low power consumption with SensorStrobe™ technology • Highly reliablewireless SmartMesh™ IP2.4GHz 802.15.4e communication for tough industrial environments • Open embedded sensor-to-cloud platform • Embedded SW and analytics for early detection of machine failures in CBM applications • Ability to configure warning and alarm levels and timestamp events for each sensor • CE and FCC certified with IP66 enclosure • Very compact form factor for external and under hood mounting • Various mounting adapters to accommodate a wide range of monitored equipment • Easy to install, use and maintain platform concept

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April 2019

About New-Tech Magazines Group Read To Lead ‘New-Tech Magazines’ A world leader in publishing high-tech and electronics, producing top quality publications read by tens of thousands professionals from all over the world especially from Europe, innovative electronics, IoT, microwave, homeland security, aerospace, automotive and technological industries. Our specialized target audiences prefer New-Tech Europe because they know that our publications are a reliable source of the latest information in their respective fields. Our multidimensional editorials, news items, interviews and feature articles provide them with a full, well-rounded picture of the markets in which they operate - an essential asset for every technological leader striving to stay ahead, make the right decisions, and generate the next global innovation. Moreover, as an attractive platform for advertisers from around the world, New-Tech Europe has become a hub for bustling international commercial activity. Here, through ads and other promotional materials, Israeli readers obtain crucial information about developers and manufacturers worldwide, finding the tools, instruments, systems and components they need to facilitate their innovative endeavors. Targeting the needs of both the global and european industries and global advertisers, New-Tech Magazines Group constantly expands and upgrades its services. Over the years, the company has been able to formulate a remarkably effective, multi-medium mix of offerings, combining magazine publications with useful online activities, newsletters and special events and exhibitions.

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8 l New-Tech Magazine Europe

Contents

14 LATEST NEWS 16 DOCSIS* - The Data Over Cable Standard 20 Using Hardware Emulation to Verify AI Designs 22 High Performance Data Converters for Medical Imaging Systems 26 FMC Developments Support Legacy and Next-Gen Data Needs 30 Wireless options for the IoT

16

34 OUT OF THE BOX 36 NEW PRODUCTS 44 INDEX

20

22

26

www. new- t echeurope . com

New-Tech Magazine Europe l 9

Latest News

Optoelectronics, Sensors/Actuators, and Discretes Hit Record Sales Again

Combined sales of optoelectronics, sensors and actuators, and discrete semiconductors (known collectively as O-S-D devices) increased 9% in 2018 to reach a ninth consecutive record-high level of $82.4 billion, according to IC Insights’ new 2019 O-S-D Report—A Market Analysis and Forecast for Optoelectronics, Sensors/Actuators, and Discretes. The new annual report shows total O-S-D sales growing 6% in 2019 to reach a record-high $87.1 billion. For the second year in a row, all three segments of O-S-D achieved all-time high sales in 2018 with different growth rates being driven by a variety of factors and market conditions in the year, says the new 350-page report. O-S-D products accounted for 16% of the world’s $504.1 billion in total semiconductor sales in 2018 with the rest of the revenues coming from integrated circuits. The 2018 increase in total O-S-D sales was nearly 1.5x the average annual growth rate for these semiconductors since the mid-1990s. The O-S-D Report’s five-year forecast shows revenue growth in optoelectronics, sensors/actuators, and discretes declining in 2019 and 2020 with the global economy slowing in the next two years (Figure 1). All three O-S-D market segments are once again forecast to reach record-high revenues in 2019 Ericsson and ABB, the technology leader focused on digital industries, have strengthened their collaboration to accelerate the industrial ecosystem for flexible wireless automation. The partnership will enable enhanced connected services, Industrial IoT and artificial intelligence technologies in the future. The partners established their joint vision for future flexible production with automation and wireless communication by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Hannover Messe 2019. This comes in the era of Industry 4.0 and 5G,

with a “soft landing” expected to occur in most product categories during the slowdown in 2020.

While the expansion of total O-S-D sales was strong in 2018, this diverse group of semiconductors displayed a mixed bag of substantial and below-normal growth rates with average selling prices (ASPs) heading in different directions in the three market segments during the year, based on the findings of the new O-S-D Report. Strong unit growth in optoelectronics (+18%) offset a significant drop in ASPs (-7%) to lift revenues in the opto market by 9% to $40.3 billion in 2018. Meanwhile, inventory corrections and pullbacks in purchases of many sensors and actuators held back sales growth in this market segment, resulting in a modest 6% increase to $14.7 billion in 2018. For the second year in a row, the commodity-filled discretes market increased by more than double its historical average annual growth rate, rising 11% in 2018 to $27.4 billion. Discretes sales were exceptionally strong last year because continued shortages in power transistors, diodes, and other widely used devices, which caused the ASP for all discretes to surge by 12% in 2018, says the new O-S-D Report. as businesses realize the benefits of increased productivity through automation and digitalization. The MoU confirms the partners’ agreement to: continue their strong research collaboration, explore improvements in manufacturing processes and automation, and discover new business opportunities for the industrial ecosystem. Ulrich Spiesshofer, CEO, ABB, says: “We are very excited to extend our partnership with Ericsson as the world moves closer to the era of 5G technology. ABB’s leadership in digital industries combined with Ericsson’s pioneering

Ericsson and ABB join forces to accelerate wireless automation for flexible factories

10 l New-Tech Magazine Europe

Latest News

of a new generation of intelligent factory technologies, with Ericsson deploying an intelligent automation system at its manufacturing facilities in Tallinn, Estonia. ABB is providing a fully automated flexible robot cell solution for the final assembly of 5G radios. At Hannover Messe 2019, Ericsson and ABB are

work in connectivity will open up new opportunities for customers to enhance productivity and competitiveness by digitalizing their businesses.” Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, says: “Ericsson and ABB already have a strong collaboration in research for 5G and Industrial IoT technologies.

With this MoU, we strengthen our partnership to accelerate the industrial ecosystem and realize the full potential of flexible automation, unlocking new business opportunities enabled by combining 5G and Industry 4.0.” The two partners are already fast-tracking the introduction

showcasing how they are enabling the “Factory of the Future” by exhibiting their latest and most innovative technologies in flexible robotics, wireless technologies, 5G, Industrial IoT and motion control.

CPI Welcomes Clients to New Printable Electronics Centre

CPI has welcomed Silent Sensors, Datatecnics Corporation and HP1 as new tenants to its cutting-edge Printable Electronics Centre. The printable electronics centre, based at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has welcomed Silent Sensors, Datatecnics Corporation and HP1 as tenants, along with Wootzano and PST Sensors at its original site on NETPark, in Sedgefield, also County Durham. Moving into incubator space, the companies will benefit from CPI’s technical expertise and cutting-edge equipment as they seek to take innovative products to commercialisation. CPI’s facility supports the advancement of smart label and tag technology, which allows everyday physical objects to wirelessly communicate and exchange data across the Internet of Things. It has the capacity to create rolls of thin, flexible inlays containing multiple electronic components that can be converted into labels or embedded into smart products or wearable goods. This technology is already prevalent in devices enabling remote monitoring of heating and domestic appliances from smartphones, while it also holds great potential in the healthcare sector, where patients can be prompted to take medication via a smartphone reminder. CPI’s facility holds the key to companies being able to both develop prototypes and then rapidly scale up to levels to test manufacturing quantities.

Silent Sensors has moved into the facility to build upon existing work with CPI at the latter’s NETPark-based printable electronics hub. The initial collaboration, funded by Innovate UK, was focused upon improving existing antennae designs and incorporating printed sensors into the tyre-making process and supply chain. A second Government-backed Innovate UK funded project looked at incorporating energy harvesting technology into the sensor tags as well. The current collaboration with CPI, at Newton Aycliffe, is funded through the EU’s current innovation framework Horizon 2020, with the ‘OnTrack’ project for Intelligent Tyre Life-Cycle Management. By developing such an intelligent tyre life-cycle management system, users will benefit from accurate, real-time data on tyre condition and performance – enabled by the Internet of Things – to increase safety and efficiency. Datatecnics Corporation are pioneers of intelligent infrastructure systems. The award-winning company designs, develops, and commercialises technologies that embed electronics into physical civil structures enabling its clients to conduct real- time condition monitoring and predictive analytics. Its flagship technology, the Critical Infrastructure Pipeline Protection System ® (CIPPS ® ), harnesses flexible electronics to deliver the world’s first truly ‘intelligent pipe’ system capable of predicting bursts and preventing water loss at a vast scale.

New-Tech Magazine Europe l 11

Latest News CIPPS ® combines real- time machine learning

“We are delighted to welcome our new clients. They have all recognised the potential of our investment and value us as a trusted partner with the resources and expertise that will help them develop their technology.” Sharon Boyes-Schiller, Chief Operations Officer at Silent

and AI with mechanical deterioration models to provide an ‘Estimated Time to Pipe Failure’ to utilities. The solution can be installed on existing assets and newly extruded pipes and supports pipeline operators in moving from reactive repair to proactive maintenance.

Wootzano is known in the flexible electronics field for its Wootzkin product, which is one of the world’s first commercially-available highly-sensitive and fully-compliant force and pressure sensor embedded with temperature sensors. Working as an electric skin, Wootzkin makes a robot more intelligent, with piezoelectric and piezoresistive sensing capabilities enabling it to grasp various delicate objects with greater ease. HP1 Technologies will use CPI’s facilities to continue work on creating a low-cost printable pressure sensor capable of measuring high force values. The technology was initially designed for integration into crash helmets, to collect data about head impacts and resulting head injuries from collisions for sports and leisure helmets. HP1 Technologies has also started work on a military helmet system. Following the proof of concept development of a 64 and 128 sensor array, the company has created a platform technology and is developing new designs for integration into client’s helmet lines and skull caps that can be connected to systems that enable data to be captured and transferred, as well as exploring with commercial partners, other markets including aerospace, utilities and manufacturing. PST Sensors has developed a suite of temperature sensing systems, which include fully-flexible and large-area temperature sensing systems and sensor arrays. At the heart of its product range is a silicon nanoparticle negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor, which can be printed on almost any material including paper, fabric and polymer film. John Cocker, CPI’s Director of Printable Electronics, said: “Our Newton Aycliffe centre provides us with cutting-edge facilities, leaving us uniquely placed to provide clients with thin, flexible electronics at an unparalleled scale to meet future technological needs.

Sensors, said: “Working together with CPI over the last three projects has enabled us to move farther much faster in our funded projects than we could have on our own. “This is due to the deep knowledge and experience available through CPI’s team and the wide array of leading-edge equipment we can utilise for pilot line and prototyping work.” Mohammed Zulfiquar, Chief Executive at Datatecnics, who conceived the company’s CIPPS® system, said: “As a company, we’re keen to be in the most technologically- advanced R&D environments. “CPI’s new facility grants us access to state-of-the-art printable electronics equipment, not available elsewhere in the UK, as well as a wealth of knowledge from leading electronics and formulations experts. “As we scale our ground-breaking intelligent pipe monitoring system from the lab into rugged, underground environments, the knowledge and support of CPI will be paramount to our success in the coming months and years.” Tim Moor, Chief Technology Officer at HP1 Technologies, said: “The benefit of being at CPI’s new facility is access to technical expertise, print process and laboratory equipment during the front-end development phase of product innovations.” Mark Beckwith, Engineer Manager at Wootzano, said: “At CPI, we are aiming to create a process which is scalable. This will be done by utilising the state-of-the-art equipment and experts available at our disposal.” David Britton, Chief Technology Officer at PST Sensors, said: “In our first year using the CPI facilities at NETPark and Newton Aycliffe, we have successfully been able to not only complete the inward technology transfer, but to scale-up production of temperature sensors from batch printing of A4 sheets to roll-to-roll processing sensor arrays.”

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Latest News Imec researcher receives ERC Advanced Grant to develop ultra-bright thin-film light sources and lasers

In order to safeguard the future of its knowledge economy, Europe is in need of bold and groundbreaking research. That is why the European Research Council awards grants to renowned researchers with a powerful project. One of these ERC Advanced Grants is now awarded to Paul Heremans, Fellow and Director Large Area

However, for many applications, the light intensity of thin-film light sources is too low, namely 300 times lower than that of III-V LEDs. The main objective the research project is to break through the barriers that limit the light intensity of thin-film light sources. And, to develop an electrically pumped laser, based on this breakthrough.

Electronics at imec, the world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies and professor at KU Leuven. Paul Heremans receives 2.5 million euro for a 5-year project to develop ultra-bright thin-film light sources and lasers – a technology with a wide variety of applications, such as optical interconnects, augmented reality displays and lidar sensors. “If our efforts to increase the light intensity of flexible thin-film light sources succeed, we can look forward to a wealth of promising applications in numerous domains,” says Paul Heremans, “such as bright outdoor displays, augmented reality glasses, lidar sensors for example for autonomous cars, integrated spectrometry for disease detection, ultrafast optical data transfers in chips or datacenters, and so on. And all those with a lot less constraints when it comes to shapes, materials and budget.” There’s a bright future for thin-film light sources such as OLEDs. Because of their flexible manufacturing process, they can be made to measure for many applications, sizes and shapes. Moreover, they can be processed directly to different substrates such as glass, print boards and foils – both individually and in massive arrays.

The European Research Council (ERC) is a pan-European fund that stimulates forward-looking research and scientific excellence in Europe. The ERC Advanced Grants are specifically directed at researchers that achieved significant results during the last 10 years. That certainly applies to Paul Heremans, who has been at imec since 1990 and whose current positions include Program Director of Thin-Film Electronics. Incidentally, he already received an ERC Advanced Grant in 2012, for his research into crystalline organic semiconductors. Other factors that the ERC considers are, amongst others, the groundbreaking nature, potential impact and scientific approach of the research project. Clearly, Heremans’ submission also ranked high on these aspects. No wonder that imec-CSO Jo De Boeck is proud of this achievement: “This grant is a wonderful recognition of our sustained investment in high-quality and long-term research. Paul’s project will contribute to innovative applications in a host of domains, such as infotainment, mobility and healthcare – the economic and social impact of which we can hardly overstate.”

DARPA awards BAE Systems contract to further develop autonomous software for air mission planning

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded BAE Systems a Phase 3 contract worth $3.1 million to continue developing autonomy software to improve the resiliency of air mission planning for the military. The program, called Resilient Synchronized Planning and Assessment for the Contested Environment (RSPACE), seeks to develop human-centered software decision aids that can

assist air operators to better control daily operations in a complex battlespace. In response to this need, and as part of the RSPACE program, BAE Systems created software called the Distributed, Interactive, Command-and-Control Tool (DIRECT) to improve air battlespace awareness. Using assessment analytics, the software provides an easy-to-use, visual interface

New-Tech Magazine Europe l 13

Latest News

to generate real-time alerts so operators can

they can be made to measure for many applications, sizes and shapes. Moreover, they can be processed directly to different substrates such as glass, print boards and foils – both individually and in massive arrays. However, for many applications, the light intensity of thin-film light sources is too low, namely

evaluate areas of concern during the planning and execution of a mission. The software also automatically adjusts to minimize bandwidth when communications are limited and unreliable to assist in mission continuity and completion. “New users have found DIRECT

300 times lower than that of III-V LEDs. The main objective the research project is to break through the barriers that limit the light intensity of thin-film light sources. And, to develop an electrically pumped laser, based on this breakthrough. The European Research Council (ERC) is a pan-European fund that stimulates forward-looking research and scientific excellence in Europe. The ERC Advanced Grants are specifically directed at researchers that achieved significant results during the last 10 years. That certainly applies to Paul Heremans, who has been at imec since 1990 and whose current positions include Program Director of Thin-Film Electronics. Incidentally, he already received an ERC Advanced Grant in 2012, for his research into crystalline organic semiconductors. Other factors that the ERC considers are, amongst others, the groundbreaking nature, potential impact and scientific approach of the research project. Clearly, Heremans’ submission also ranked high on these aspects. No wonder that imec-CSO Jo De Boeck is proud of this achievement: “This grant is a wonderful recognition of our sustained investment in high-quality and long-term research. Paul’s project will contribute to innovative applications in a host of domains, such as infotainment, mobility and healthcare – the economic and social impact of which we can hardly overstate.”

easy to learn, indicating we are well on our way to providing a software decision aid that will help planners adapt to plan changes, make real-time decisions faster, and more effectively execute their missions,” said Chris Eisenbies, product line director of the Autonomy, Controls, and Estimation group at BAE Systems. Created by the research and development team at BAE Systems, DIRECT is part of the company’s autonomy technology portfolio. Work for the RSPACE program is being performed at the company’s facilities in Burlington, Massachusetts, and Arlington, Virginia. The program also includes teammate Uncharted Software Inc. “If our efforts to increase the light intensity of flexible thin- film light sources succeed, we can look forward to a wealth of promising applications in numerous domains,” says Paul Heremans, “such as bright outdoor displays, augmented reality glasses, lidar sensors for example for autonomous cars, integrated spectrometry for disease detection, ultrafast optical data transfers in chips or datacenters, and so on. And all those with a lot less constraints when it comes to shapes, materials and budget.” There’s a bright future for thin-film light sources such as OLEDs. Because of their flexible manufacturing process,

Innovative water treatment at Audi saves up to 500,000 cubic meters of fresh water a year

Water is necessary in the entire manufacturing process of an automobile, for example in the paint shop. With the new service- water supply center, Audi is going new ways at the Ingolstadt site and making even more efficient use of water as a resource. “Thanks to this innovative wastewater treatment system, we are reducing the fresh-water requirements of production at the Ingolstadt plant by a third,” says Rüdiger Recknagel, Head of Environmental Protection at AUDI AG. “At the same time, we

are avoiding approximately 40 percent of wastewater.” This underscores the premium manufacturer’s commitment to the sustainable use of water: At its Mexican plant in San José Chiapa, Audi has been producing cars without wastewater since 2018, as certified by independent experts. With the new supply center, the plant in Ingolstadt has also reached a milestone along the way to zero liquid discharge (ZLD). Before the company returns the wastewater as fresh

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Latest News

500,000 cubic meters of fresh water each year. In conjunction with the existing treatment plant, the premium manufacturer will in the future recycle about half of the wastewater produced at the Ingolstadt site. In order to save groundwater, Audi is also increasingly using rainwater for service water purposes at its Ingolstadt plant.

service water to the production processes

at the Ingolstadt plant, it is treated in up to three stages. It first passes through a chemical- physical process. This neutralizes alkaline and acidic components and removes heavy metals, for example from the paint shop. The membrane bioreactor is then used. It is the core element

Cypress to help them both lower the cost of onshore wind and gain added flexibility in siting turbines.” The Cypress platform is offered with multiple ratings and varying hub heights. It will enable a lower cost of electricity by matching each wind turbine solution to specific site needs, which is critical as wind power increasingly competes on price with other sources of power generation. First announced in September 2017 1, the Cypress platform will be powered by a revolutionary two-piece blade design that makes it possible to use larger rotors and site the turbines in a wider variety of locations. The AEP improvements from the longer rotors help to drive down Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), and the proprietary blade design allows these larger turbines to be installed in locations that were previously inaccessible. Duncan Berry, CEO of LM Wind Power, said, “The project is truly coming together in a very short and demanding time frame. We have invented a new and effective solution for a blade in two parts, which is borne of the full expertise of LM Wind Power engineers combined with design input from GE Renewable Energy and GE Research. The technology results from decades of blade making knowledge and experience.” Rainwater from over 450,000 square meters of roof and parking space is collected in underground cisterns. Depending on weather conditions, up to 260,000 cubic meters of rainwater can be used annually. Audi has set itself the target of reducing the environmental factors of energy, CO2 emissions, fresh water, waste and volatile organic compounds by 35 percent per car produced by 2025 compared with reference year 2010. The company’s long-term goal is to produce automobiles that are CO2 neutral and wastewater free.

GE Renewable Energy announced that the prototype for its Cypress platform, the largest onshore wind turbine for GE in the field, has been successfully installed and is fully operational, producing power at a rated level of 5.3 MW in Wieringermeer, Netherlands. Company officials hail the milestone as a key step in commercializing a unit able to both lower the cost of electricity and offer additional flexibility in terms of where wind turbines can be located. The Cypress 5.3 MW prototype was installed in late 2018 and produced its first kilowatt in February 2019. GE Renewable Energy will continue to operate the prototype during the months to come in order to validate the performance of the Cypress platform. This testing will also support the process of obtaining the Type Certificate, a key step in commercializing the product. Jérôme Pécresse, CEO of GE Renewable Energy, said, “We’re delighted with the progress our team has been able to make in bringing our innovative, high-tech turbine to market on an accelerated schedule. We are confident that Cypress, with its two-piece blade design, will be a game changer for the industry. We’re hearing equal enthusiasm from our customers across the globe, who tell us they appreciate the potential of of water treatment. Here the production water is mixed with sanitary wastewater and freed from organic components. The MBR then removes bacteria and viruses from the wastewater using pore-fine membranes. Audi is thus taking water treatment one step further than conventional sewage treatment plants that do not use this process. Finally, reverse osmosis removes residual salts. The treated wastewater is then returned to the production process as service water. With the new service water supply center, Audi will save up to

GE’s Largest OnshoreWind Turbine Prototype Installed and Operating in the Netherlands

New-Tech Magazine Europe l 15

DOCSIS* - The Data Over Cable Standard

Nehorai Vaisler, Intel

The History of DOCSIS Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification, known as DOCSIS, is a specification invented in 1997 that defines the communication between all the components of the systems that enable passing data information through coax cables 1 . The cable network consists of coaxial cables which transmit the TV streaming in the homes and pass electronic energy as radio frequency in a different spectrum of signals. This means letting radio waves pass through cables instead of passing in the air.

Introduction Many homes are connected to broadband internet on the cable network – an alternative to ADSL internet over telephone lines - and enjoy high speed internet. However, not many know that this internet communication is made possible by a modem that is connected to the coax cable on one end and various consumer electronic devices on the other end. This article describes the international DOCSIS* specification that helps set up the communication network – via the modem - to pass the information between the network and devices.

Through these cables, it is possible to pass internet, video, and VoIP calls in parallel. In Israel, this solution is commonly known as the triple package deal. The DOCSIS specification was invented, and continues to be modified and improved, by Cable Television Laboratories, Inc, known as CableLabs*, as an alternative to telephony services that were previously the only way to deliver digital data to homes. CableLabs is a cable operators consortium and currently manages both the specification and certification programs to signify whether or not a

1 https://www.zcorum.com/wp-content/uploads/DOCSIS-Evolution-and-How-3.1-Will-Change-Everything.pdf 2 OFDM - Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing enables the collection of dense channels in 25 KHz compared to Europe 8MHz / US 6MHz of single carrier channels, thus allowing for better utilization of the magnetic medium on top of the cables. Since the OFDM does not use frequency margins and the receiver detects a signal like a single carrier channel, it is possible to compress more channels, thereby increasing the bandwidth. Combining the FEC (Forward Error Correction) with OFDM enables the use of the existing cable infrastructure without the need to upgrade the infrastructure. This greatly contributed to the easier integration of the technology, and also improves the cost of each bit using AQM (Active Queue Management) mechanisms that enable better system queue management. This, in turn, greatly improves the latency response time.

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DOCSIS Specification Version

Maximum Downstream Capacity

Maximum Upstream Capacity

Production Date

Features

Initial release that included one downstream and one upstream channel. Primary use was fast internet. Added VoIP capabilities, BPI security between Cable Modem and CMTS, and, standardized the DOCSIS 1.0 QoS mechanisms. Supported voice calls, gaming, and streaming Enhanced upstreamdata rates. Supported symmetrical services that depended on upstream and downstream channels and improved the upstream data traffic. Significantly increased downstream/upstream data rates, introduced support for IPv6, and introduced channel bonding. Supported combining multiple channels for increased throughput. Significantly increased downstream/upstream data rates and restructured channel specifications. Supported OFDM technology in upstream and downstream channels to get more traffic on existing channels.

1.0

1997

40 Mbit/s

10 Mbit/s

1.1

2001

40 Mbit/s

10 Mbit/s

2.0

2002

40 Mbit/s

30 Mbit/s

3.0

2006

1.2 Gbit/s

200 Mbit/s

3.1

2013

10 Gbit/s

1–2 Gbit/s

product complies with the specification standard, and then marks it as such for the public. In the latest DOSCIS 3.1 specification, orthogonal frequency- division multiplexing (OFDM 2 ) is a key feature that increases bandwidth by enabling the bundling of dense 25KHz “sub carriers” channels of up to 192Mhz, as opposed to the Europe 8MHz / United state 6MHz of Single Carrier Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (SCQAM 3 ) channels. The granularity of channel width helps to use sparsely spread spectrum, to achieve higher throughput. Combining a new generation of Forward Error Correction (FEC 4 ) called LDPC 5 with OFDM enables use of the existing cable infrastructure without digging tranches around a home, which allows the technology to be easily deployed. The standard also improves the cost of every bit with the Active Queue Management (AQM 6 ) which enables better management of queues in the system and improves

the response time (known as latency). The DOCSIS specification continues to evolve. Due to other service needs, such as Over The Top (OTT 7 ), video, 4K video, 3DTV, etc., there are discussions about the upcoming Bi- Directional/Full Duplex DOCSIS 3.1 specification that will enable upstream and downstream channels on the same spectrum in parallel, as opposed to the dedicated upstream channels and different dedicated downstream channels in 3.1 Half Duplex. This makes it possible to increase the bandwidth and enable these services. The Current DOCSIS Status Today, DOCSIS 3.1 is used in European or US specifications, which differ in channel spacing etc. and upstream and downstream traffic speed. Physical channels cannot pass unlimited traffic of information. To overcome this limit and to achieve a certain bit rate, this specification combines or “bonds” several channels and links

them together, thereby enabling wide broadband downstream and upstream channels. Most of the traffic is on the downstream channel, such as downloading of media movies files, etc., and less so on the upstream channel which is used for uploading to the cloud or other services. This results in asymmetric traffic. For the downstream channel, there are 32 SCQAM channels and two OFDM channels. For the upstream channel, there are eight SCQAM channels and two OFDMA (Which is OFDM technology for the Upstream) channels. If every SCQAM channel has a physical limitation and supports 27-50 Mbps, the combination of 32 downstream channels with two OFDM and eight upstream channels with two OFDMA provide the following bandwidth: In the U.S. and Israel Downstream: (32 channels * 38Mbps = 1,216Mbps) + (2 channels OFDM * 1880Mbps = 3,760Mbps) Total: ~4,976Mbps

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Upstream: (8 channels * 27 Mbps = 216Mbps) + (2 OFDMA channels * 940Mbps = 1,880 Mbps) Total: ~ 2,096Mbps In Europe Downstream: (32 channels * 50Mbps=1600 Mbps) + (2 OFDM channels * 1,880 Mbps = 1,400 Mbps) Total: ~ 5,360Mbps Upstream: (8 channels * 27 Mbps = 216Mbps) + (2 OFDMA channels * 940Mbps = 1,880 Mbps) Total: ~2,096Mbps The Future of Cables

Image 1: Example of a system

DOCSIS Specification Version

Production Date

Downstream Upstream Characteristics

Upstream and downstream symmetric speed

Full Duplex/ Bi-directional

2017

10 Gbit/s

10 Gbit/s

General System Components CMTS 8 , content servers, security servers, TFTP servers, telephony servers, time servers, Cable modem, consumer devices connected via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, etc. Cable Modem Enables Connectivity to Consumer Devices People connecting via cable internet have several ways to connect to the cable modem, such as a ethernet cable, Wi-Fi, Multimedia Over Coax Alliance (MoCA* 9 which substitutes a wired home network running over coax cable infrastructure) and smart home networking technologies

such as Bluetooth*, Zigbee*, and more. The CMTS is managing the network, and sends commands and instructions to modems to enable the network to optimize the synchronization of transmission time, frequency, and transmission intensities. This enables the transmission of information at high rates without interruption. The Interconnection between Consumer Devices and How the specification Relates to Them Network management is the sole

responsibility of the CMTS. This equalizes and controls the traffic on the network. In addition, this gives the CMTS the authority to enforce the specification, and forces the cable modems to comply with the specification. Different Cable Modem Modes from Power-up to Full Wide Bandwidth The starting point of the cable modem is that the CMTS periodically transmits unique characteristics of

3 Single Carrier Quadrature Amplitude Modulation - is the name of a family of digital modulation methods and a related family of analog modulation methods widely used in modern telecommunications to transmit information. 4 Forward Error Correction - is a technique used for controlling errors in data transmission over unreliable or noisy communication channels. 5 Low Density Parity Check - is a linear error correcting code, a method of transmitting a message over a noisy transmission channel.

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data traffic on specific channels in broadcast to the whole network. When the cable modem powers up, it scans all channels using a hardware tuner, and traffic gradually starts streaming using a state machine. A handshake procedure between the cable modem and the CMTS is initiated through a software code running on the cable modem. Gradually, the cable modem locks on all channels, becomes operational, and can pass the traffic. When the handshake process fails, there is a time out during which the cable modem tries the failed step of the process again. If the cable modem is unsuccessful, it starts the process from the beginning. Intel and the DOCSIS Device Market Intel is a leading provider of DOCSIS network solutions for cable modems and gateways and much of the product development happens in Israel. Intel has also been investing in and leading cable broadband innovations for many years to speed innovation, including playing a leading role in the development of DOCSIS specifications. The Intel ® Puma™ 7 SoC 10 is a leading DOCSIS 3.1 solution that enables support for increased bandwidth, is architected for a wide

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. Intel and Puma are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries About the author The author Nehorai Vaisler is “Business Customer Application Development Engineer”, Docsis Domain Expert, in CHD (Connected Home Division), Intel. /http://il.linkedin.com/in/nehoraivaisler

range of use cases on the WAN and LAN side, and is being implemented in a range of devices worldwide. Intel also offers a portfolio of Wi-Fi and Ethernet solutions that are optimized for use with Intel Puma SoCs for integrated home gateway platforms that can deliver high-performance connectivity. Summary The DOCSIS specification is the leading specification for internet services and is widely deployed worldwide. It meets consumer demand for high-speed connections and sophisticated applications by improving broadband speed, quality of experience, energy efficiency and capacity and has paved the way for high-bandwidth broadband with one gigabit speeds available to more than 80 percent of U.S. cable households today. Full Duplex DOCSIS, with symmetrical speeds, will expand upon that groundwork and will make it possible to deliver multi-gigabit upload and download speeds over the connections already present in hundreds of millions of homes. It is a significant piece of the 10 Gigabit platform, supported by Intel, Internet service providers and others. Cable specification continues to innovate and evolve to keep up with increasing demand for bandwidth, and more connected devices in the home.

Nehorai Vaisler, Intel

6 Active Queue Management - is the intelligent drop of network packets inside a buffer associated with a network interface controller (NIC), when that buffer becomes full or gets close to becoming full, often with the larger goal of reducing network congestion. 7 Over The Top - content providers that distribute streaming media as a standalone product directly to viewers over the Internet, bypassing telecommunications, multichannel television, and broadcast television platforms that traditionally act as a controller or distributor of such content. 8 Cable Modem Termination System. 9 Multimedia Over Coax Alliance. 10 System On Chip.

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Using Hardware Emulation to Verify AI Designs

Jean-Marie Brunet, Sr. Director of Marketing, Mentor, a Siemens Business

You can’t turn around these days without seeing a reference to AI – even as a consumer. AI, or artificial intelligence, is hot due to the new machine-learning (ML) techniques that are evolving daily. It’s often cited as one of the critical markets for electronics purveyors, but it’s not really a market: it’s a technology. And it’s quietly – or not so quietly – moving into many, many markets. Some of those markets include safety-critical uses, meaning that life and limb can depend on how well it works. AI is incredibly important, but it differs from many other important technologies in how it’s verified. Three Key Requirements AI/ML verification brings with it three key needs: determinism, scalability, and virtualization. These aren’t uncommon hardware emulation requirements, but many other technologies require only

two out of those three. AI is the perfect storm that needs all three. ML involves the creation of a model duringwhat is called the “training phase” – at least in its supervised version. That model is then implemented in a device or in the cloud for inference, where the trained model is put to use in an application. The training is very sensitive. From a vast set of training examples, you’ll derive a model. Change the order of the training samples by even one, and you’ll get a different model. That different model may work just fine – that’s one of the things about ML; there are many correct solutions. Each may arrive at the same answer, but the path there will be different. AI training techniques include ways of ensuring that your model isn’t biased towards one training set, but the techniques all involve a repeatable set of steps and patterns for consistent results. Because

you can’t verify a model that keeps changing. Likewise, during verification, the test input patterns must remain consistent from run to run. If you try to take, for example, random internet data from a network using in-circuit emulation (ICE) techniques for use in testing AI models in a networking application, you’re never going to completely converge across design iterations, since you can’t compare results from run to run. This drives the need for determinism. AI models themselves involve large numbers of small computations, typically performed on a large array of small computing engines. Their data requirements are different from those of many other applications, changing the way storage is built and accessed. And computation may be done in a cluster for a given model, but an application may have many such models, resulting in an overall fragmented design.

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During development, models can grow much larger as they’re optimized and trained on the full range of inputs that they might see. This means that, over the course of a given project – and particularly when a past project is built on a new project – the verification platform must grow or shrink to accommodate the wide range in resources required over the lifespan of the projects – while minimizing any effect on performance. This drives the need for scalability. Finally, AI algorithms are new; there is no legacy. That means that, even if you wanted to use ICE, there are few sources of real data from older design implementations that could be used to validate a new implementation. This is all new stuff. As a result, we must build a virtual verification environment. Even if we could use ICE, a virtual environment is still preferable. During debug, for example, you can’t stop an ICE source’s clock. You may stop looking at data, but the source keeps moving without you. By contrast, a virtualized data source is virtual in all regards, including the clock. So you can stop a design at a critical point, probe around to see what’s happening, and then continue on from the exact same spot. This helps the determinism that we already saw we need. And so this drives the need for virtualization. Figure 1: Application of AI/ML designs

Figure 2: Virtualization Enables running AI/ML Frameworks under Performance Benchmarks

Veloce Characteristics Thesethreerequirements–determinism, scalability, and virtualization – align perfectly with Veloce emulators’ three key pillars. Verification on Veloce emulators can be completely deterministic. Whether testing hardware or software, you can repeat runs over and over, probing hardware and single-stepping code until every aspect of your design’s behavior has been checked out. Veloce emulators are scalable from 40 million to 15 billion gates. Whatever the size and complexity of your design and models, the Veloce platform is a “right sized” resource for verification. As your design scales up, your emulation platform can scale in capacity without performance compromise to ensure you can complete your verification on schedule. The complete set of information needed for design verification on the Veloce emulator can be virtualized. Whether leveraging any of the many ready-built verification blocks or designing your own, you have full visibility and full freedom to control the execution of the verification suite. This includes debug issues and the precise measurements of important system behavior parameters. In Conclusion Artificial intelligence and ML is forcing us to think in new ways about design

and verification. Veloce emulators, already important for many of the markets into which AI is moving, will be an even more important tool in ensuring that your AI-enabled projects get the verification they critically need in a timeframe that gets you to market on time. Jean-Marie Brunet is the Senior Marketing Director for the Emulation Division at Mentor, a Siemens Business. He has served for over 20 years in application engineering, marketing and management roles in the EDA industry, and has held IC design and design management positions at STMicrolectronics, Cadence, and Micron among others. Jean-Marie holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from I.S.E.N Electronic Engineering School in Lille, France.