All the talk about ARM server SoCs has been focused on who will come up with the breakthrough chip design. Watching trends like OPNFV develop suggests the big breakthrough is more likely to come on the ARMv8 software side. How do you quickly validate ARMv8 software when you don’t have the exact ARMv8 SoC target?… Read More
Author: Don Dingee
Webinar alert – Hybrid prototyping for ARMv8
Time-saving modules expand Prototype Ready family
A big advantage of FPGA-based prototyping is the ability to run real-world I/O at-speed, significantly faster and more accurately than hardware emulation systems typically requiring a protocol adapter. Dealing with real-world I/O means more thorough verification of SoC integration, and the opportunity to optimize systems… Read More
RISC-V opens for business with SiFive Freedom
When we talk about open source, free usually comes in the context of “freedom”, not as in “free beer”, and open IP often serves as a base layer of value add for commercialization. The creators of the RISC-V instruction set, now working at startup SiFive, have released specifications for their aptly-named Freedom processor IP cores… Read More
Latest Pinpoint Release Tackles DRC and Trend Lines
After reading previous SemiWiki coverage on Dassault Systèmes and their ENOVIA Pinpoint solution, one big item seemed missing: how does this thing actually work? With all due respect to our other bloggers who covered when Dassault Systèmes acquired Pinpoint from Tuscany Design Automation, why Qualcomm is using Pinpoint, and… Read More
21 months lining up OPNFV-on-ARM for telecom
Telecom infrastructure is one area where X86 architecture hasn’t dominated historically. Infrastructure gear is spread across MIPS, Power, and SPARC architectures, with some X86, and a relative newcomer: ARM, already claiming 15% share. That’s a stunning figure considering only a bit less than 5 years ago… Read More
HBM controller IP holds the key to bandwidth
We were waiting to see what a different roster including SK Hynix and Synopsys would have to say on HBM in the latest Open Silicon webinar. This event focused on HBM bandwidth issues; a packaging session on 2.5D interposers was promised for a future webinar.… Read More
Network generator embeds TensorFlow, more CNNs
Research on deep learning and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) is on the rise – and embedding new algorithms is drawing more attention. At CVPR 2016, CEVA is launching their 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] generation Deep Neural Network (CDNN2) software with new support for Google TensorFlow.… Read More
10 signs on the neural-net-based ADAS road
Every day I read stuff about the coming of fully autonomous vehicles, and it’s not every day we get a technologist’s view of the hurdles faced in getting there. Chris Rowen, CTO of Cadence’s IP group, gave one of the best presentations I’ve seen on ADAS technology and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) at #53DAC, pointing… Read More
Webinar alert – ARM and Enea explore NFV
In the Open Source IP panel at 53DAC, we explored the idea of workload-optimized servers. One panelist observation stuck with me: if one chooses to deviate from the Intel-based norm in a data center, you essentially have to spray paint a line around any boxes that don’t comply.… Read More
TMR approaches should vary by FPGA type
We’ve introduced the concepts behind triple modular redundancy (TMR) before, using built-in capability in Synopsys Synplify Premier to synthesize TMR circuitry into FPGAs automatically. A recent white paper authored by Angela Sutton revisits the subject… Read More
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