Non Volatile Memory IP: a 100% reliable, anti fuse solution from Novocell Semiconductor

Non Volatile Memory IP: a 100% reliable, anti fuse solution from Novocell Semiconductor
by Eric Esteve on 04-25-2012 at 9:36 am

In this pretty shaky NVM IP market, where articles frequently mention legal battles rather than product features, it seems interesting to look at Novocell Semiconductor and their NVM IP product offering, and try to figure out what makes these products specific, what are the differentiators. Before looking at SmartBit cell into… Read More


Audio IP Subsystems Made Easy with a Complete, SoC-Ready Solution

Audio IP Subsystems Made Easy with a Complete, SoC-Ready Solution
by Eric Esteve on 04-22-2012 at 12:22 pm

After the launch of ARC based complete sound system IP by Synopsys last month, which could be the effective starting point for subsystem IP offering, providing the initiative will be successful (this was not really the case in the past, as we discussed it in our blog), the company proposes a webinar focusing on:

  • The growing complexity
Read More

Arteris evangelization High Speed Interfaces!

Arteris evangelization High Speed Interfaces!
by Eric Esteve on 04-15-2012 at 4:36 am

Kurt Shuler from Arteris has written a short but useful blog about the various high speed interface protocols currently used in the wireless handset (and smartphone) IP ecosystem. Arteris is well known for their flagship product, the Network-on-Chip (NoC), and the Mobile Application Processor market segment represent the … Read More


Cadence support for the Open NAND Flash Interface (ONFI) 3.0 controller and PHY IP solution + PCIe Controller IP opening the door for NVM Express support

Cadence support for the Open NAND Flash Interface (ONFI) 3.0 controller and PHY IP solution + PCIe Controller IP opening the door for NVM Express support
by Eric Esteve on 04-11-2012 at 10:19 am

The press release about ONFI 3.0 support was launched by Cadence at the beginning of this year. It was a good illustration of Denali, then Cadence, long term commitment to Nand Flash Controller IP support. The ONFI 3 specification simplifies the design of high-performance computing platforms, such as solid state drives and enterprise… Read More


IP-SoC day in Santa Clara: prepare the future, what’s coming next after IP based design?

IP-SoC day in Santa Clara: prepare the future, what’s coming next after IP based design?
by Eric Esteve on 04-05-2012 at 10:16 am

D&R IP-SoC Days Santa Clara will be held on April 10, 2012 in Santa Clara, CA and if you plan to attend, just register here. IP market is a small world, and EDA a small market if you look at the generated revenue… but both are essential building blocks for the semiconductor industry. It was not clear back in 1995 that IP will become … Read More


Does Subsystem IP will finally find a market? ARC based sound subsystem IP is on track…

Does Subsystem IP will finally find a market? ARC based sound subsystem IP is on track…
by Eric Esteve on 04-05-2012 at 4:03 am

Will the launch of ARC based complete sound system IP by Synopsys ring the bell for the opening of a new IP market segment, the “Subsystem IP”? If you look at the IP market evolution, starting from standard cell libraries and memory compiler offering in the 1990’s, moving to commodity functions like UART or I2C in the late 1990’s to … Read More


NVM Express: pervasion of PCI Express in SSD based storage

NVM Express: pervasion of PCI Express in SSD based storage
by Eric Esteve on 03-22-2012 at 12:48 pm

The verification IP (VIP) for Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) announcement from Synopsys is the first fruit issued from the acquisition of ExpertIO. With the proliferation of Nand Flash based storage equipment, or Solid State Drives (SSD), the move from pure SATA based solution was to be expected, sooner or later. Not because… Read More


According with Cadence, PCI Express gen-3, to be the PCIe solution for the mainstream market as soon as in 2012

According with Cadence, PCI Express gen-3, to be the PCIe solution for the mainstream market as soon as in 2012
by Eric Esteve on 03-21-2012 at 9:10 am

The launch from Cadence of the PCI Express 3.0 Controller IP was officially done about one year ago, and demonstrated at the June 2011 PCI-SIG Developer’s Conference, where Cadence Design IP for PCI Express 3.0 controller IP implemented as a high-performance, dual-mode, 128-bit data-path, x8 PCI Express 3.0 controller… Read More


Virtual Prototype your SoC including FlexNoC

Virtual Prototype your SoC including FlexNoC
by Eric Esteve on 03-12-2012 at 1:10 pm

Designing larger than ever SoC, integrating multiple ARM’s Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A9 microprocessor cores as well as complexes IP functions like HDMI controller, DDR3 Memory controller, Ethernet, SATA or PCI Express controller are pushing designers to search for better price, performance and area tradeoffs and the SoC interconnect… Read More


Test Synopsys offensive in VIP and try the quiz

Test Synopsys offensive in VIP and try the quiz
by Eric Esteve on 03-06-2012 at 11:33 am

I have recently blogged about Synopsys offensive in the Verification IP market. Did Synopsys again launched a new product, or announced a new acquisition? This would be a serious topic to blog, but today’s blog is closer to gaming than market analysis. Sometimes it’s good to have fun, even if the topic is serious! In fact, Synopsys… Read More