A 0.48V 0.57nJ/pixel video-recording SoC in 65nm CMOS

Abstract

This paper presents a video recording SoC fabricated in 65nm low-power technology, which integrates a complexity and bandwidth-effective H.264 encoder, an ultra-low-power (ULP) MPU, with timing-optimized ROM and 8T SRAM macros for ultra-low-voltage (ULV) operation, a 512Kb ULV and leakage-aware 8T SRAM for the frame buffer (FB), and various on-chip peripherals, such as external memory interfaces (Fig. 9.3.1). Utilizing ULV cell libraries with custom-pulsed D flip-flops (PFF) for wide-range voltage scaling, ROM/SRAM macros optimized simultaneously for timing and leakage, and advanced energy management (AEM), the SoC achieves 32fps HD720 H.264 encoding at 1.0V, down to 0.57nJ/pixel ultra-low energy dissipation at 0.48V (30fps QQVGA H.264 encoding for preview through ANT+).