800x100 static WP 3

Finding Logic Issues Early that Impact Physical Implementation

Finding Logic Issues Early that Impact Physical Implementation
by Daniel Payne on 10-16-2014 at 7:00 am

Complex SoC project teams typically use a divide and conquer approach where specialized engineers work in separate domains, like front-end or back-end. The five major engineering tasks for IC design can be described as: RTL design, synthesis, floor planning, place and route, then finally design analysis.

What if you could detect… Read More


Demler: Quad Core is Just For Marketing; Intel Will Not Succeed in Mobile

Demler: Quad Core is Just For Marketing; Intel Will Not Succeed in Mobile
by Paul McLellan on 10-15-2014 at 9:00 pm

At Memcon today Mike Demler of the Linley Group (and coincidentally someone who used to work for me back at Cadence and who now run Memcon, small world) gave an interesting presentation on Trends in Mobile Processors. A mobile application processor (AP) is a highly integrated SoC to run the applications in a mobile device. Mostly… Read More


Did we forget non-volatile memory?

Did we forget non-volatile memory?
by Don Dingee on 10-15-2014 at 7:00 pm

In our rush to shrink SoC nodes more and more to achieve better performance and more complex devices, we may have forgotten a passenger in the back seat: non-volatile memory. There has been little discussion of this in the pages of SemiWiki until now. Let’s give it a closer look.

Embedded flash has usually been associated with microcontrollers,… Read More


"How do I …?" Fast help for specific EDA software questions

"How do I …?" Fast help for specific EDA software questions
by Beth Martin on 10-15-2014 at 4:55 pm

It’s a question that we ask all the time. How do I replace a door? How do I set up a printer? For most questions in today’s world, you can open a browser, type a question into your favorite search engine…and voilà, there you go! Ten seconds of typing, a few more sorting through the results, and you have an answer (or many answers!). This … Read More


Mentor Wins v Synopsys

Mentor Wins v Synopsys
by Paul McLellan on 10-15-2014 at 10:00 am

Just a couple of days ago I read a curious press release.Mentor Graphics Corp. (NASDAQ: MENT), today announced that a Portland, Oregon jury delivered a verdict in favor of Mentor in a trial in which Mentor asserted infringement of one of its patents against Emulation and Verification Engineering S.A. (EVE) and Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:Read More


EDA and the Nobel Prize in Physics!

EDA and the Nobel Prize in Physics!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-15-2014 at 7:00 am

What does EDA and the Nobel Prize for Physics have in common? Our very own Dr. Walden Rhines (CEO of Mentor Graphics):

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2014 was awarded jointly to Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura “for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-savingRead More


GPU Benchmarks? Try to See the Complete Picture…

GPU Benchmarks? Try to See the Complete Picture…
by Eric Esteve on 10-15-2014 at 3:29 am

We all know benchmarks, but do we really understand benchmark results? Benchmark users should always look beyond the simple score when making in-depth technical analysis and request to see all the facts. There are many graphics benchmarks to choose from but let’s name today these three below:

3DMark Ice Stormfrom Futuremark… Read More


How ST Designs with Layout Dependent Effects (LDE)

How ST Designs with Layout Dependent Effects (LDE)
by Daniel Payne on 10-15-2014 at 12:00 am

I first visited STat their Agrate, Italy site where Flash memory development is done. At DACthis year Antonio Bogani talked about how ST designs with LDE while using EDA tools and a PDK (Process Design Kit) from Cadence. They recorded the 17 minute presentation, and you can view it herewithout having to register. Antonio’s… Read More


Intel: Spectacular PC, Some Progress in Mobile

Intel: Spectacular PC, Some Progress in Mobile
by Paul McLellan on 10-14-2014 at 8:30 pm

Intel announced their quarterly results today. They beat consensus by a cent. Not surprisingly their business is driven heavily by the microprocessor businesses, what Intel calls PC and Datacenter. Revenue and earnings both set new records in both groups.

As Brian Krzanich, the CEO, said:In the Data Center, we saw double-digitRead More


EDAC Mixer, Kaufman and More. All Things EDAC

EDAC Mixer, Kaufman and More. All Things EDAC
by Paul McLellan on 10-14-2014 at 5:00 pm

The next monthly EDAC mixer is next week on Thursday 23rd October from 6-8pm. It will be at the Sonoma Chicken Coop at 90 Skyport Drive in San Jose (right next to where Magma used to be and Atmel is). So come along and mingle with industry peers, all the the benefit of local charities. You don’t need to donate, just pay for your food… Read More