A key application for embedded FPGA (eFPGA) technology is to provide functionality for specific algorithms — as the throughput of this implementation exceeds the equivalent code executing on a processor core, these SoC blocks are often referred to as accelerators. The programmability of eFPGA technology offers additional… Read More
Semiconductor Intellectual Property
NetSpeed’s Pegasus Last-Level Cache IP Improves SoC Performance and Reduces Latency
Memory is always a critical resource for a System-on-Chip (SoC) design. It seems like designers are always wanting more memory, and the memory they have is never fast enough to keep up with the processors, especially when using multi-core processors and GPUs. To complicate matters, today’s SoC architectures tend to share memory… Read More
Why Embedded FPGA is a New IP Category?
Yes, embedded FPGA is clearly an IP function, or design IP, and not a software tool or anything else. The idea to embed an FPGA block into an ASIC is not new, I remember the discussions we had in the ASIC marketing team when I was working for Atmel, back in 2000. What is new is the big interest for eFPGA in the semiconductor industry, even… Read More
Designing at 7nm with ARM, MediaTek, Renesas, Cadence and TSMC
The bleeding edge of SoC design was on full display last month at DAC in Austin as I listened to a panel session where members talked about their specific experiences so far designing with the 7nm process node. Jim Hogan was the moderator and the panel quickly got into what their respective companies are doing with 7nm technology already.… Read More
Synopsys New EV6x Offers 4X More Performance to CNN
When Synopsys bought Virage Logic in 2010, ARC processor IP was in the basket, but at that time ARC processor core was not the most powerful on the market, and by far. The launch of EV6x vision processor sounds like Synopsys has moved ARC processor core by several orders of magnitude in term of processing power. EV6x deliver up to 4X … Read More
Embedded FPGA’s create new IP category
FPGA’s are the new superstar in the world of Machine Learning and Cloud Computing, and with new methods of implementing them in SOC’s there will be even more growth ahead. FPGA’s started out as a cost effective method for implementing logic without having to spin an ASIC or gate array. With the advent of the web and high performance… Read More
Memories for the Internet
In 1969 the Internet was born at UCLA when a computer there sent a message to a computer at Stanford. By 1975, there were 57 computers on the ‘internet’. Interestingly in the early seventies I actually used the original Xerox Sigma 7 connected to the internet in Boelter Hall at UCLA. A similar vintage computer is now in this room commemorating… Read More
Open-Silicon SerDes TCoE Enables Successful Delivery of ASICs for Next-generation, High-Speed Systems
With 5G cellular networks just around the corner, there is an ever-increasing number of companies working to bring faster communications chips to the market. Data centers are now deploying 100G to handle the increased bandwidth requirements, typically in the form of four 28Gbps channels and that means ASIC designers are looking… Read More
Don’t Miss “The IP Paradox” Panel @ #54 DAC!
Despite the strong consolidation in the semiconductor industry, the Design IP market is still growing: from $3 billion in 2015 to $3.4 billion in 2016. That’s why the DAC IP Committee has organized this panel, titled “The IP Paradox: Growing Business Despite Consolidations” (you can see more on the events page: https://dac.com/events… Read More
The FPGA Business Just Got Interesting Again!
FPGA’s have played an important role in the fabless semiconductor ecosystem which is why it has a full chapter in our book Fabless: The Transformation of the Semiconductor Industry. Along my career path I spent time at a start-up FPGA so I know how hard it is. I worked for GateField which was then acquired by FPGA pioneer Actel… Read More
Rapidus, IBM, and the Billion-Dollar Silicon Sovereignty Bet