Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM)

  1. #1
    Senior Member Bonebreaker777's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Herts, UK
    Posts
    2,035
    Thanks
    55
    Thanked
    203 times in 186 posts
    • Bonebreaker777's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI H97I AC
      • CPU:
      • Xeon 1225 v3 + Freezer 11 L
      • Memory:
      • 2 x 4GB 1600Mhz 1T-8-8-8-20 1.35V Crucial BallistiX Tactical VLP
      • Storage:
      • 128GB CRUCIAL MX100///XPEnology server + 3 x WD Purple 3TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Intel HD 4600
      • PSU:
      • be quiet! L8 300W PSU BN220
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master Elite 120
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung SyncMaster 226BW
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 100Mb

    Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM)

    Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM) which Enables Lower Power MCU to Fast Wake-up from a Deep Sleep Mode

    All the stated functions sound wonderful, but I wonder where exactly and in what form these chips could be used? Maybe like a intermediate step between long term storage and RAM? Or...?

  2. #2
    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    11,478
    Thanks
    1,541
    Thanked
    1,029 times in 872 posts

    Re: Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM)

    SRAM is hugely expensive, and this is likely more expensive than standard SRAM by a fair margin, so no it's not intermediate memory - that's where things like NAND/NOR fit in at the moment, with other technologies in the works. It's also far less dense than DRAM; typical SRAM will use six transistors per bit, whereas DRAM uses one plus a capacitor.

    Reading from the article, this is aimed at the microcontroller market where small amounts of SRAM are already used on-board the chip (100kB is the value mentioned in the article), but when they drop to a low power state, the SRAM is powered down to save energy, therefore losing its contents. The claim here being, the idle power draw is so low that it can be kept powered without ballooning power usage, and therefore alleviating the delay of having to access secondary storage (NAND or ROM for example) every time it wakes.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Bonebreaker777's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Herts, UK
    Posts
    2,035
    Thanks
    55
    Thanked
    203 times in 186 posts
    • Bonebreaker777's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI H97I AC
      • CPU:
      • Xeon 1225 v3 + Freezer 11 L
      • Memory:
      • 2 x 4GB 1600Mhz 1T-8-8-8-20 1.35V Crucial BallistiX Tactical VLP
      • Storage:
      • 128GB CRUCIAL MX100///XPEnology server + 3 x WD Purple 3TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Intel HD 4600
      • PSU:
      • be quiet! L8 300W PSU BN220
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master Elite 120
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung SyncMaster 226BW
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 100Mb

    Re: Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM)

    Where that would find usage with the 100kb capacity mentioned?

  4. #4
    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    11,478
    Thanks
    1,541
    Thanked
    1,029 times in 872 posts

    Re: Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM)

    As it says, in microcontrollers. The extremely low power types can be found in devices where a battery change/charge is impractical, pacemakers for example.

    Here's a fairly typical microcontroller to show what sort of specs they offer. http://www.silabs.com/products/mcu/l...32g-gecko.aspx

    Of course, there are *tons* of different shapes and sizes of micros, controlling anything from a toothbrush, to washing machines, to cars, and so on.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Bonebreaker777's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Herts, UK
    Posts
    2,035
    Thanks
    55
    Thanked
    203 times in 186 posts
    • Bonebreaker777's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI H97I AC
      • CPU:
      • Xeon 1225 v3 + Freezer 11 L
      • Memory:
      • 2 x 4GB 1600Mhz 1T-8-8-8-20 1.35V Crucial BallistiX Tactical VLP
      • Storage:
      • 128GB CRUCIAL MX100///XPEnology server + 3 x WD Purple 3TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Intel HD 4600
      • PSU:
      • be quiet! L8 300W PSU BN220
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master Elite 120
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung SyncMaster 226BW
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 100Mb

    Re: Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM)

    Fair enough. I could understand the power savings in a peacemaker, but the minuscule savings in cars or washing machines? Thanks anyway for the explanation.

    I haven't ever thought of toothbrushes to have micro-controllers to be honest

  6. #6
    Senior Member watercooled's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    11,478
    Thanks
    1,541
    Thanked
    1,029 times in 872 posts

    Re: Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM)

    I was just giving examples of different applications of microcontrollers; as I said there are a range of different types. Of course one used in a washing machine would be different to one used in a pacemaker, with extremely low power consumption being less of a priority.

    I'm talking about electric toothbrushes obviously, that timed pulse telling you to move on to the next tooth or whatever will be to job of a micro.

  7. #7
    Does he need a reason? Funkstar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Aberdeen
    Posts
    19,874
    Thanks
    630
    Thanked
    965 times in 816 posts
    • Funkstar's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte EG45M-DS2H
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core2Quad Q9550 (2.83GHz)
      • Memory:
      • 8GB OCZ PC2-6400C5 800MHz Quad Channel
      • Storage:
      • 650GB Western Digital Caviar Blue
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 512MB ATI Radeon HD4550
      • PSU:
      • Antec 350W 80+ Efficient PSU
      • Case:
      • Antec NSK1480 Slim Mini Desktop Case
      • Operating System:
      • Vista Ultimate 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell 2407 + 2408 monitors
      • Internet:
      • Zen 8mb

    Re: Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM)

    Quote Originally Posted by Bonebreaker777 View Post
    Fair enough. I could understand the power savings in a peacemaker, but the minuscule savings in cars or washing machines? Thanks anyway for the explanation.
    You would be surprised at how much power the on board systems of things like cars, washing machines, microwaves use when taken over their life times. I read recently that more power is used for the built in clock (and related components) over a microwaves life time than is used to heat food. A couple of minutes a day of intense activity vs. very almost 24 hours a day of drip feeding the display and electronics. All these tiny little bits of power add up, and they are getting more and more important every year the EU tightens its eco standards.

    Relating to cars, there must be a point at which an all electric car will refuse to run because the last remains of power have been used by an alarm system or on board computer while the owner has been away on holiday/business/driving their other car(s). As I said, it all adds up.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Bonebreaker777's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Herts, UK
    Posts
    2,035
    Thanks
    55
    Thanked
    203 times in 186 posts
    • Bonebreaker777's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI H97I AC
      • CPU:
      • Xeon 1225 v3 + Freezer 11 L
      • Memory:
      • 2 x 4GB 1600Mhz 1T-8-8-8-20 1.35V Crucial BallistiX Tactical VLP
      • Storage:
      • 128GB CRUCIAL MX100///XPEnology server + 3 x WD Purple 3TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Intel HD 4600
      • PSU:
      • be quiet! L8 300W PSU BN220
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master Elite 120
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro 64bit
      • Monitor(s):
      • Samsung SyncMaster 226BW
      • Internet:
      • Virgin 100Mb

    Re: Toshiba Develops eXtremely Low Leakage SRAM (XLL SRAM)

    Well I am surprised, but once I imagine the picture you are describing, it does makes sense. Still hard to imagine but the tale with the hare and the turtle comes to my mind right now.
    Last edited by Bonebreaker777; 12-03-2014 at 11:59 PM.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •