As mobile devices become more complex and powerful, they sport a broader range of chips. The old battles to dominate modem and application processor architectures are spreading into other components like DSPs (digital signal processors) and RF chips ‘ and Qualcomm is determined to be a powerful force across the whole mobile chipset, as it has been in integrated basebands and processors.
Having unveiled the groundbreaking RF360 ‘universal’ radio chip and enhanced its graphics platform, it is now turning its attention to DSPs in time for its Uplinq conference next week. It plans to open up its Hexagon programmable DSP core to third parties and may even license it, which would add to its valuable IPR revenue streams while challenging specialist DSP IP licensors such as Ceva and Tensilica.
Ceva, in particular, has benefited from a trend for makers of devices and base stations to use more inhouse chips, rather than buying complete SoC platforms from firms like Texas Instruments, which have their own DSPs.
While Qualcomm’s primary business is, of course, selling those all-in-one platforms, it is also a major licensor of the technologies it develops. The first step in DSPs will be to allow third parties to program Hexagon, and a developers’ kit will be issued at Uplinq, according to senior director of technology, Lucian Codrescu.
However, the firm said other chip designers have approached it about licensing Hexagon outright, since the DSP has had good performance reviews. There is a whole family of Hexagon chips handling functions such as audio processing, computational photography, gesture recognition and sensor fusion. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 SoC, for instance, uses two Hexagon cores, one for the modem, and one to offload intensive real time media processing tasks from the CPU.
The rising profile of Hexagon reflects the trend to surround standard apps processors with unique co-processors dedicated to tasks that differentiate the user experience of the device, or improve power efficiency and performance by offloading compute intensive tasks from the main chip.
For instance, rumors abound that the next Apple iDevice processor, as well as supporting 64-bit, will also feature a new companion chip dedicated to motion tracking, which is becoming an important element of the modern mobile UI. And Motorola’s new Moto X device has a non-standard quad-core graphics processor alongside its Qualcomm CPU, as well as two separate chips, one for natural language processing, a key feature of its user interface, and one for contextual awareness via various sensors.
Meanwhile, Intel has designed depth sensing 3D cameras which can track motion and identify objects, and even interpret the movements of those objects. Anil Nanduri, director of perceptual products at the chip giant, told IDG that the technology would ‘bridge the gap between the real and virtual world’ and deliver interactions which went well beyond traditional keyboard, mouse and touchscreen UIs.
‘You’ll add the ability to sense your excitement, emotion – whether you are happy or smiling. The algorithms and technologies are there, but they are getting more refined, and as they get more robust, you’ll see them,’ Nanduri said. Intel is clearly looking beyond the early applications of motion detection, such as Microsoft Kinect and Nintendo Wii, towards fully intelligent motion-based interfaces, as envisaged by specialists like Leap Motion.
Intel expects its depth sensing technology to be available in mid-2014 in webcams and then, in the second half of the year, in other devices. It will use it first to enrich its own Ultrabook slim notebook platform and then it will find its way into smartphones, and potentially connected or driverless cars, 3D printers and other evolving systems.