(Jul 18) Mobile NAND Flash Controller Architecture & Introduction to Stochastic Computing

Title: Mobile NAND Flash Controller Architecture

Abstract: More smartphones, tablets, and smart watches are being used to both consume and create media. As a result, these mobile devices need to have a storage capacity that was unheard of, even a few years ago. And this trend is driving the explosive growth of the mobile NAND flash solution market. Typically, mobile devices have been using embedded Multi-Media Cards (eMMCs) to store information. Recently, the future of mobile flash solutions, Universal Flash Storage (UFS), is increasingly being used. UFS 3.0, the most advanced JEDEC standard, offers sequential read/write speeds fast enough to rival SSDs while combining it with the low power consumption of eMMC. However, due to the unique characteristics of NAND flash memory devices and the harsh mobile environment, developing UFS system-on-a-chip (SoC) controllers is a challenge. In this talk, a general architecture of a mobile NAND flash controller will be presented, including some special hardware structures designed for limited mobile environments. In addition, a number of configurable microprocessor solutions that can be used to increase the flexibility of SoC designs and reduce the design and verification time will be briefly introduced.

Title: Introduction to Stochastic Computing

Abrstract: Stochastic computing (SC) is a low-cost design technique that can be considered as an alternative to traditional binary computing. It is unique in that SC represents information in the form of randomized bit-streams with digitized probabilities. Whereas the traditional binary computing performs accurate computation with complex circuitry, SC performs error-tolerant computation with simple circuitry. In this talk, the presenter provides a brief overview of stochastic computing and describe its potential applications including image processing, error correction codes, and in-network computing.