Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. The rise of the machines is upon us in case you haven’t noticed. Machine learning (ML) and its associated inference abilities promise to revolutionize everything from driving your car to making breakfast. We hear a lot about the macro, end-product impact of this technology, but there… Read More
Electronic Design Automation
Webinar on Tools and Solutions for Analog IP Migration
The commonly advanced reason for IP reuse is lower cost and shorter development time. However, IP reuse presents its own challenges, especially for analog designs. In the case of digital designs, once a new standard cell library is available, it is usually not too hard to resynthesize RTL to create new working silicon. For analog… Read More
Innovation in Verification March 2020
This blog is the next in a series in which Paul Cunningham (GM of the Verification Group at Cadence), Jim Hogan and I pick a paper on a novel idea we appreciated and suggest opportunities to further build on that idea.
We welcome comments on our blogs and suggestions for new topics if they’re based on published work.
The Innovation
Our… Read More
5G SoCs Demand New Verification Approaches
Lately, I’ve been cataloging the number of impossible-to-verify technologies we face. All forms of machine learning and inference applications fall into this category. I’ve yet to see a regression test to prove a chip for an autonomous driving system will do the right thing in all cases. Training data bias is another interesting… Read More
Why IP Designers Don’t Like Surprises!
If it’s your job to get a SoC design through synthesis, timing/power closure and final verification, the last thing you need are surprises in new versions of the IP blocks that are integrated into the design. If your IP supplier sends a new version, the best possible scenario is that this is only a small incremental change from… Read More
Viewing the Largest IC Layout Files Quickly
The old adage, “Time is money”, certainly rings true today for IC designers, so the entire EDA industry has focused on this challenging goal of making tools that help speed up design and physical verification tasks like DRC (Design Rule Checks) and LVS (Layout Versus Schematic). Sure, the big three EDA vendors have… Read More
Achieving Design Robustness in Signoff for Advanced Node Digital Designs
I had the opportunity to preview an upcoming webinar on SemiWiki that deals with design robustness for signoff regarding advanced node digital designs (think single-digit nanometers). “Design robustness” is a key term – it refers to high quality, high yielding SoCs that come up quickly and reliably in the target system. We all… Read More
Six Automated Steps to Design Partitioning for Multi-FPGA Prototyping Boards
Before starting your next FPGA Prototyping Project you should catch the next SemiWiki webinar – “Six Automated Steps to Design Partitioning for Multi-FPGA Prototyping Boards”, in partnership with Aldec.
A significant portion of my 30+ years in the EDA industry has revolved around design verification with some form of FPGA … Read More
Designing Next Generation Memory Interfaces: Modeling, Analysis, and Tips
At DesignCon 2020, there was a presentation by Micron, Socionext and Cadence that discussed design challenges and strategies for using the new low-power DDR specification (LPDDR5). As is the case with many presentations at DesignCon, ecosystem collaboration was emphasized. Justin Butterfield (senior engineer at Micron)… Read More
Reliability Challenges in Advanced Packages and Boards
Today’s Market Requirements
Complex electronic devices and (sub)systems work for us in important applications, such as aircrafts, trains, trucks, passenger vehicles as well as building infrastructure, manufacturing equipment, medical systems and more. Very high reliability (the ability of a product to meet all requirements… Read More
Flynn Was Right: How a 2003 Warning Foretold Today’s Architectural Pivot