Non Volatile Memory (NVM) is a superb technology, at least if you appreciate the physical law behind: storing a data in an embedded location with no physical link, as you charge a cell by influence and read it without physically accessing the stored data. Although the semiconductor industry is building NVM IC for about 30 years now,… Read More
Author: Eric Esteve
The Technology to Continue Moore’s Law…
Can we agree about the fact that the Moore’s law is discontinuing after 28nm technology node? This does not mean that the development of new Silicon technology, like 14nm or beyond, or/and new Transistor architecture like FinFET will not happen. There will be a market demand for chips developed on such advanced technologies: mobile… Read More
DSP running 10 times faster at ultra-low voltage?
The LETI and STMicro have demonstrated a DSP that can hit 500 MHz while pulling just 460mV – that’s ten times better than anything the industry’s seen so far. Implemented on a 28nm FD-SOI technology, with ultra thin forward body biasing (UTFBB) capability (used to decrease Vth), this DSP can also be exercised at higher voltage when… Read More
Does Multiprotocol-PHY IP really boost TTM?
I have often written in Semiwiki about high speed PHY IP supporting Interface protocols (see for example this blog), the SoC cornerstone, almost as crucial as CPU, GPU or SDRAM Memory Controller. When you architect a SoC, you first select CPU(s) and/or GPU(s) to support the system basic functionality (Processor for Mobile application,… Read More
Yamaha Selecting Audio/Voice DSP Architecture?
…or Chongquing CYIT Communication Technology Co Ltd. Both of them have recently licensed the CEVA-TeakLite-4 DSP, the latest for its multi-mode wireless baseband chips targeting 4G terminals, including smartphones and tablets (CYIT) and Yamaha to address the need to run increasingly complex voice pre-processing algorithms,… Read More
$1 Billion IP & VIP sales by 2017?
We are not talking about ARM Ltd., as the IP vendor has already passed the $1B sales in 2013. In fact, we are not talking about a single IP vendor; this $1B mark will be passed by two IP market segments: Interface and Verification IP. In fact these two segments are very close together. When an IP is developed to support a specific Interface… Read More
HDMI, DisplayPort, MHL IPs + Engineering Team = Good Move
This news is certainly not as amazing that the acquisition of MIPS by Imagination, or Arteris by Qualcomm… but it shows that Cadence is building a complete Interface IP port-folio, brick after brick. The result will be that a complete wall is being built on the Synopsys road to monopoly and complete success on Interface IP market.… Read More
If you still think that FDSOI is for low performance IC only…
…then you should read about this benchmark result showing how digital power varies with process corners, for high-speed data networking chip, not exactly the type of IC targeting mid-performance mobile application. Before discussing the benchmark results, we need to have some background about this kind of ASIC chip. Such a … Read More
What does a 52% increase in DSP IP core licensing means?
The future market performance for an IP vendor licensing an IP based on a model with upfront fee plus royalties can be easily and safely evaluated if you look at the first part of revenue: upfront fee. Even if the royalty part is declining, exhibiting a 52% increase (Q4 2013 to Q4 2012) in upfront licensing fee is a promise that the future… Read More
Who needs DDR4 PHY running at 2667 Mbps?
As of today, DDR4 are targeting server, networking and consumer applications, and it will take another year before we use DDR4 equipped PC at home. In fact, a majority of consumers will rather buy a smartphone or tablet than a PC, most of these devices coming with PLDDR2 and only a few high-end tablets are equipped with LPDDR3 memory.… Read More
More Headwinds – CHIPS Act Chop? – Chip Equip Re-Shore? Orders Canceled & Fab Delay