To answer this question, I will share the results about Interface IP, more precisely the Top 5. The Top 5 protocols, USB, PCIe, Ethernet, DDRn and MIPI, are part of the interface IP market and each of them has been characterized by very strong growth rate. If you compute actual numbers for 2010 to 2014, it results to a Cumulated Annual… Read More
Semiconductor Intellectual Property
Why ARM Enabling Easy Access to Customized SOC’s Matters
The introduction of the Arduino heralded the huge growth and interest in MCU based designs by people who could never before easily put together the hardware and software system required for implementation of their ideas. I remember the first time I saw the Arduino in use. I was at a talk on how a system for controlling propane jet solenoids… Read More
Optimizing Quality-of-Service in a Network-on-Chip Architecture
The Linley Group is well-known for their esteemed Microprocessor Report publication, now in its 28th year. Accompanying their repertoire of industry reports, TLG also sponsors regular conferences, highlighting the latest developments in processor architecture and implementation.
One of the highlights of the conference… Read More
Convolutional Deep Neural Network is now a reality with CEVA-XM4
XM4 DSP has been enriched with CEVA Deep Neural Network (CDNN) Software Framework. Some explanation could be useful before jumping into CDNN. The “Deep” of CDNN comes from “Deep Learning”, a family of neural network methods using high number of layers, so a deep network. The most popular deep learning neural network method is the… Read More
Tensilica 4th generation DSP IP is a VPU
You may not know Tensilica DSP IP core, but you probably use Tensilica DSP powered systems in your day to day life. Every year, over 2 billion DSP cores equip IC in thousands of designs supporting IoT, Mobile Phones, Storage/SSD, Networking, Video, Security, Cameras… and more. Why DSP processing, the foundation of all Tensilica… Read More
Processors Rule the Day
It used to be that if you went to a processor conference, you could expect to spend hours listening to talks about pipelining, cache schemes and processor architecture. Well, I went to the Linley Processor Conference this week in Santa Clara and found the topics pretty compelling. Processors are in just about everything. It is easier… Read More
UFS or NVMe in Smartphone? See Apple’s answer!
There should be a link between iPhone H/W architecture and the incredible success of the product? Let’s assume and claim that this architecture, based on the internally developed ARM based A9 application processor, is simply the best on the market today…
Apple has implemented SSD in MacBook based on NVM Express (NVMe) protocol.… Read More
Secured SAM A5D4 MCU for Industrial, Fitness or IoT Display
The new SAMA5D4, ARM Cortex-A5-based, expands the SAMA5 microprocessors family, adding a 720p resolution hardware video decoder to target Human Machine Interface (HMI), control panel and IoT applications when high performance display capability are required. Cortex-A5 offers raw performance of 945 DMIPS (@ 600 MHz) completed… Read More
Nine Cost Considerations to Keep IP Relevant –Part2
In the first part of this article I wrote about four types of costs which must be considered when an IP goes through design differentiation, customization, characterization, and selection and evaluation for acquisition. In this part of the article, I will discuss about the other five types of costs which must be considered to enhance… Read More
What NoCs with virtual channels really do for SoCs
Most of us understand the basic concept of a virtual channel: mapping multiple channels of traffic, possibly of mixed priority, to a single physical link. Where priority varies, quality of service (QoS) settings can help ensure higher priority traffic flows unimpeded. SoC designers can capture the benefits of virtual channels… Read More
TSMC N3 Process Technology Wiki