55DAC Trip Report IP Quality

55DAC Trip Report IP Quality
by Daniel Nenni on 07-09-2018 at 7:00 am

This year I signed books in the Fractal booth (compliments of Fractal) and let me tell you it was quite an experience. IP quality is a very touchy subject and the source of many more tape-out delays than I had imagined. As it turns out, commercial IP is the biggest offender which makes no sense to me whatsoever. Even more shocking, one… Read More


TI: Semiconductor Industry History of Innovation

TI: Semiconductor Industry History of Innovation
by Daniel Nenni on 07-06-2018 at 7:00 am

This is the fifth in the series of “20 Questions with Wally Rhines”

Texas Instruments is a remarkable company founded by remarkable people. And Eric Jonsson was one of the most remarkable visionaries of the 20[SUP]th[/SUP] century. He was a renaissance man who created an industry and a fortune by following the needs… Read More


55DAC Trip Report Needham Opening Presentation

55DAC Trip Report Needham Opening Presentation
by Daniel Nenni on 07-04-2018 at 7:00 am

Driving into DAC on Sunday afternoon was a chore since Gay Pride week was finishing with the Gay Pride Parade. Streets were closed, traffic was crazy, and people were roller skating naked which seems wrong on so many levels. This year the opening ceremonies were in the convention center hallway which also seemed wrong. Long lines… Read More


55DAC Trip Report with Drama

55DAC Trip Report with Drama
by Daniel Nenni on 07-02-2018 at 7:00 am

This was my 35th DAC and it did not disappoint, especially when it came to the DAC Drama Department. This year DAC proved once again that it is THE place for semiconductor professionals and academics to learn and network. The big news is that Synopsys did not reserve a booth for 56DAC in Las Vegas next year which resulted in quite a bit… Read More


The TI Experience and Morris Chang

The TI Experience and Morris Chang
by Daniel Nenni on 06-29-2018 at 7:00 am

This is the fourth in the series of “20 Questions with Wally Rhines”

I joined Texas Instruments (TI) in 1972. Most Stanford PhD’s in my field at that time remained in the Bay Area to work for Fairchild, National Semiconductor, HP or other local companies. But TI was the largest semiconductor company and there were plenty… Read More


7nm Networking Platform Delivers Data Center ASICs

7nm Networking Platform Delivers Data Center ASICs
by Daniel Nenni on 06-26-2018 at 7:00 am

We all know IP is critical for advanced ASIC design. Well-designed and carefully tested IP blocks and subsystems are the lifeblood of any advanced chip project. Those IP suppliers who can measure up to the need, especially at advanced process nodes, will do well, absolutely.

It is interesting to note that eSilicon now has a very … Read More


Cadence in the Cloud!

Cadence in the Cloud!
by Daniel Nenni on 06-25-2018 at 9:45 am

The first clue was cloud vendors (Amazon, Google, IBM, etc…) at 55DAC for the first time ever with lots of cloud content including a Design on Cloud Pavilion. The second clue was the pre-briefing from Cadence last week. There has also been a lot of cloud chatter in the semiconductor ecosystem so yes, I saw this coming and EDA will get… Read More


Mentor at the 55th Design Automation Conference

Mentor at the 55th Design Automation Conference
by Daniel Nenni on 06-22-2018 at 9:00 am

It’s hard to believe that this is the 55th DAC and even harder to believe that this will be my 35th. So much has changed in 35 years, with DAC back in San Francisco I expect a VERY big crowd and even bigger announcements, absolutely.

Not only is this an epic time for semiconductors, I would say that EDA is exciting again and the Mentor… Read More


Folklore Around the HP 35 LED Development and the Nobel Prize

Folklore Around the HP 35 LED Development and the Nobel Prize
by Daniel Nenni on 06-22-2018 at 7:00 am

This is the third in the series of “20 Questions with Wally Rhines”

In the early 1970s I was working on a PhD thesis based upon GaAs light emitting diodes, or LEDs. Many of my predecessors in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Stanford had worked on other aspects of III-V compounds and some of them went… Read More


TSMC OIP DAC Theater Schedule 2018

TSMC OIP DAC Theater Schedule 2018
by Daniel Nenni on 06-20-2018 at 6:00 am

The TSMC OIP DAC Theater schedule is finalized and ready to go. It kicks off Monday at 10:15 am in booth #1629 and ends with a raffle at 5:45 pm each day (Mon-Tue-Wed) TSMC gives out some very nice prizes so check in with the TSMC booth staff when you arrive. There are 66 coveted presentation spots representing the top ecosystem partners… Read More