Philips Semiconductors Unveils Analog DFE Family of Read Channel Solutions for Disk Drive Market; Announces First Offering of a Read Channel Product Family Based on an Analog DFE Approach Delivering Data Rates of 200 Mbits/s at Low Power.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 1995--Philips Semiconductors today announced the DFE995XR family of products designed for the disk drive industry that uses a decision feedback equalization (DFE) approach to signal processing.

The DFE995XR family detects and interprets signals from a disk drive read head that are recorded on magnetic material. The DFE approach, formerly used for low-end applications such as data modems, has been adapted to deliver data rates up to an unprecedented 200 Mbits/s. Philips' proprietary QUBiC-2 BiCMOS process, the RAM architecture compensating for non-linearities inherent in disk drive recording, and analog implementation combine to deliver significantly increased density, data rate, and low power consumption to the high-end workstation, LAN server, and multi-user segments of the disk drive marketplace.

Three segments make up the DFE core: forward filter, feedback filter, and decision block. A major benefit to users is substantially increased user bit density (UBD), the measure of packing density to bits in a read signal. The DFE approach used in the DFE995XR allows a UBD of up to 2.5, compared with a 2.0 UBD currently available in the marketplace. Standard functions of timing recovery, synchronization, write/idle clock synthesis, servo demodulation, and a complete 8/9 (0,4/4) ENDEC, are also included.

According to Ray Becker, marketing manager for the new family, "This is a true breakthrough for Philips. Our DFE995XR read signal processor family is a combination of firsts: the use of DFE with advanced read channels in single-chip form, analog circuity for power savings with high data rates, and the RAM-DFE architecture dealing with non-linearities. We're breaking performance barriers, yet providing the lowest power solutions available with an analog RAM-DFE approach in our first product release. This design, combined with our proprietary process and expertise in manufacturing, allows Philips Semiconductors to deliver the lowest cost per Megabyte to users in both high performance and mainstream applications."

A unique feature of decision-feedback equalizers, as compared to other types of disk-drive read channels, is that they train to the characteristics of each individual head-media interface in the drive. The Philips analog RAM-DFE chips have the further option of adapting continuously to any changes that occur in the heads and media over time or environmental factors, according to the criterion of continuously minimizing bit-error rate (BER).

The DFE995XR is fully programmable to support a wide range of hard disk drive designs. Features include data rates from 64 to 200 Mbits/s, fully programmable adaptive equalizers, write precompensation, and current references to support both established inductive head and the more recent magneto-resistive (MR) head technologies.

Analog design results in not only marked speed improvements, but offers a 50 percent reduction in power consumption at 200 Mbits/s, from foreseeable alternatives. Full power management features have been designed to power down idle circuits resulting in sleep mode power consumption of less than 5 mW. In read mode, at 200 Mbits/s, the DFE995XR dissipates 750 mW of power.

Advances in areal density and data rates are growing at approximately 60 percent annually. Given the trends and the need for increased bit density on disk media, DFE offers a 20 percent gain in user bit density or an order-of-magnitude improvement in bit error rate over current solutions. The increased data rate offered by the DFE995XR family is the enabling mechanism to better utilize the disk media real estate. The DFE995XR family data rate of 200 Mbits/s and above improves transfer rate while enabling increased spindle speeds for reduced latency. Philips, moreover, is convinced that DFE-based read channels offer greater opportunities for continued performance improvements in the future, when compared with partial-response solutions currently in use.

Decision feedback equalization origins go back as far as 1919, but the technology was popularized by AT&T two decades ago for data-communications such as modems. Philips Semiconductors funded research conducted by Professor John Cioffi at Stanford University, and his team of graduate students, over the past several years, as Stanford developed a RAM-DFE technique for disk drives read channels. Philips' research has taken the technology further by creating an analog RAM-DFE signal processor that delivers improved performance and practical benefits that make it ideal for the disk drive industry. Philips holds a non-exclusive license from Stanford to realize the RAM-DFE technique in IC form and exclusive rights to manufacture. Philips has multiple patents pending on the analog implementation. Pricing for the device in quantities of 5,000 is $25. Samples are currently available.

Philips Semiconductors Inc., a subsidiary of Philips Electronics North America Corporation and an affiliate of Philips Electronics NV, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the eleventh largest semiconductor supplier in the world. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the consumer, multimedia, and digital communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major markets around the world and are supported by regional customer application labs.

Additional information on Philips Semiconductors can be obtained by accessing their home page at: http://www.semiconductor.philips.com/ps/

CONTACT: Philips Semiconductors

Peter Brown, 408/991-3626

Carolyn Mathas, 503/858-0204

Dennis Medley, 408/991-4022