Back in the 1990’s, Richard Branson, the legendary Entrepreneur and investor was asked how to become a millionaire, and he allegedly responded, “There’s really nothing to it. Start as a billionaire and then buy an airline.” I think the same principle can be applied to a large part of the Semiconductor… Read More
Semiconductor Intellectual Property
Microsoft’s New Tablet Strategy: Here, There and Everywhere
As mentioned in a previous post, Microsoft has started to come clean on its software strategy as it relates to Windows 8 for PCs and Tablets. The strategy has been changing quite rapidly since their first admission in September. Essentially the Windows 8 O/S will be forked based on whether the mobile device is operating on an x86 or… Read More
100 USB 3.0 IP Design-In…Is PLDA rocketing SuperSpeed USB technology?
Did we (the analyst) completely underestimate SuperSpeed USB take-off, or is the company tweaking the meaning of “USB 3.0 IP Design-In”? This PRfrom PLDA could be understood as a claiming from the IP vendor that they have achieved the 100[SUP]th[/SUP] design win for their USB 3.0 IP… Let’s try to understand how PLDA can make more… Read More
How to use NoC to avoid routing congestion
Network-on-Chip (NoC) is an emerging paradigm for communications within large VLSI systems implemented on a single silicon chip. Sgroi et al. call “the layered-stack approach to the design of the on-chip intercore communications the Network-on-Chip (NOC) methodology.” In a NoC system, modules such as processor… Read More
Media Tablet & Smartphones to generate $6 Billion market in… power management IC segment by 2012, says IPnest
With worldwide annual media tablet shipments forecast changing –growing- almost every quarter, the latest from ABI research calling for shipment to approach 100 million units in 2012 and passing 150 million in 2014, with the same kind of forecast for smartphone passing 400 million units this year (438 million) and approaching… Read More
Synopsys Awarded TSMC’s Interface IP Partner of the Year
Is it surprising to see that Synopsys has been selected Interface IP partner of the year by TSMC? Not really, as the company is the clear leader on this IP market segment (which includes USB, PCI Express, SATA, DDRn, HDMI, MIPI and others protocols like Ethernet, DisplayPort, Hyper Transport, Infiniband, Serial RapidIO…). But,… Read More
ARM Chips Away at Intel’s Server Business!
When Intel entered the server market in the 1990s with their Pentium Processor and follow on Xeons beginning in 1998, they focused on the simple enterprise applications. At the same time they laid the groundwork for what will turn out to be a multi-decade, long war to wrest control from all mainframes and workstations. The announcements… Read More
Arteris vs Sonics battle…Let’s talk NoC architecture
The text of this very first article about Arteris had disapeared from Semiwiki, for an absolutely unknowed reason…If you have missed it, this is a pretty useful introduction to NoC concept, as well as to the legal battle between Arteris and Sonics:
The Network on Chip is a pretty recent concept. Let’s try to understand how … Read More
Interview with Eric Esteve IPNest made by Synopsys
Introduction from Hezi Saar: Eric’s latest viewpoints and reports are host onIPnestas well as on Semiwikiand you can find information related to various Interface IP: USB 3.0, PCIe, SATA, DDRn, MIPI, HDMI and more.
Q: Eric, give us a quick introduction about your background as it relates to interface IP
A: I have spent 20 years working… Read More
ARM TechCon 2011 Trip Report and Sailing Semiconductors!
This was my first ARM TechCon, they cordially invited me as media, but it certainly was not what I expected. Making matters worse, I had literally just flown in from a very long weekend sailing in Mexico which was much more interesting and certainly made me much less tolerant of sales and marketing nonsense. My Uncle Jim lives on a sailboat… Read More
China’s hoard of chip-making tools: national treasures or expensive spare parts?