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Semiconductors out of step with electronics

Semiconductors out of step with electronics
by Bill Jewell on 07-02-2016 at 7:00 am

The global semiconductor market has been on a decline (three-month-average change versus a year ago) since July 2015 according to World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS). Although numerous factors affect the semiconductor market (capacity and utilization, prices, inventory levels) in the near term, the long term growth… Read More


21 months lining up OPNFV-on-ARM for telecom

21 months lining up OPNFV-on-ARM for telecom
by Don Dingee on 07-01-2016 at 4:00 pm

Telecom infrastructure is one area where X86 architecture hasn’t dominated historically. Infrastructure gear is spread across MIPS, Power, and SPARC architectures, with some X86, and a relative newcomer: ARM, already claiming 15% share. That’s a stunning figure considering only a bit less than 5 years ago… Read More


A Brief History of Platform Design Automation

A Brief History of Platform Design Automation
by Daniel Payne on 07-01-2016 at 12:00 pm

Two weeks ago I spoke on the phone with Albert Li, Founder and CEO of Platform DA about his EDA company. Prior to founding Platform DA in Beijing, Li worked at Accelicon which was acquired by Agilent in December 2011. Mr. Li graduated from Tsinghua University and Vanderbilt University, both in Electrical Engineering, and has written… Read More


Brexit and Semiconductors

Brexit and Semiconductors
by Daniel Nenni on 07-01-2016 at 7:00 am

Interesting news last week with 51.9% of British voters saying yes to Brexit (exiting the European Union). What does it have to do with semiconductors? Plenty! After reading the media’s take on the subject and talking to friends (experts) in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, I must say that there is not a consensus to be found and there… Read More


Synopsys Launch EV6x Vision Processor… Challenging the Competition!

Synopsys Launch EV6x Vision Processor… Challenging the Competition!
by Eric Esteve on 06-30-2016 at 4:00 pm

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 100X… Read More


Software Security is Necessary but NOT Sufficient

Software Security is Necessary but NOT Sufficient
by Dr. Jason Oberg on 06-30-2016 at 12:00 pm

As the silicon designs inside the connected devices of the Internet of Things transition from specifications to tapeouts, electronics companies have come to the stark realization that software security is simply not adequate. Securing silicon is now a required, not optional, part of RTL design processes.… Read More


From Zero to IoT Prototype in One Month

From Zero to IoT Prototype in One Month
by Bernard Murphy on 06-30-2016 at 7:00 am

The best things in life may not always be free, but they don’t have to be incredibly difficult to get to. A challenge for IoT designers has been that their bubbling excitement over the potential of their new gizmo is quickly tempered by the complexities of actually building the hardware. Not exactly what they have come to expect in … Read More


HBM controller IP holds the key to bandwidth

HBM controller IP holds the key to bandwidth
by Don Dingee on 06-29-2016 at 4:00 pm

We were waiting to see what a different roster including SK Hynix and Synopsys would have to say on HBM in the latest Open Silicon webinar. This event focused on HBM bandwidth issues; a packaging session on 2.5D interposers was promised for a future webinar.… Read More


Circuit Simulation Panel Discussion at #53DAC

Circuit Simulation Panel Discussion at #53DAC
by Daniel Payne on 06-29-2016 at 12:00 pm

Four panelists from big-name semiconductor design companies spoke about their circuit simulation experiences at #53DAC in Austin this year, so I attended to learn more about SPICE and Fast SPICE circuit simulation. I heard from the following four companies:… Read More


High Level Synthesis Update

High Level Synthesis Update
by Tom Dillinger on 06-29-2016 at 7:00 am

High-level synthesis (HLS) involves the generation of an RTL hardware model from a C/C++/SystemC description. The C code is typically referred to as abehavioraloralgorithmicmodel. The C language constructs and semantics available to architects enable efficient and concise coding – the code itself is smaller, easier to write/read,… Read More