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Understanding QoR in FPGA synthesis

Understanding QoR in FPGA synthesis
by Don Dingee on 05-28-2014 at 8:00 am

We’ve all heard this claim: “Our FPGA synthesis tool produces better quality of results (QoR).” If you’re just hoping for a tool to do that automagically, you’re probably doing it wrong. Getting better QoR depends on understanding what an FPGA synthesis tool is capable of, and how to leverage what it tells you.… Read More


DRM2PDK: From design rule manual to process design kit

DRM2PDK: From design rule manual to process design kit
by Daniel Nenni on 05-28-2014 at 3:00 am

Exactly a year ago Sage Design Automation launched its revolutionary iDRM product, enabling for the first time to graphically capture design rules and compile them into checks automatically – no programming required. Using the graphical design rule editor, users could draw the layout topology that describes the design… Read More


Two New ESL Tools for Power and Thermal at DAC

Two New ESL Tools for Power and Thermal at DAC
by Daniel Payne on 05-27-2014 at 6:47 pm

Gary Smith published a list of what to see at DAC, and I noticed that he listed DOCEA Power in a category of ESL Thermal. I’ll be meeting the DOCEA engineers on Wednesday at DAC to learn more about their two newest ESL products:

  • Thermal Profiler
  • Power Intelligence

In general DOCEA Power tools allow you to manage power and thermal… Read More


Different Approaches to System Level Power Modeling and Analysis for Early Design Phases

Different Approaches to System Level Power Modeling and Analysis for Early Design Phases
by Daniel Payne on 05-27-2014 at 3:14 pm

At DATEthis year in Dresden, Bernhard Fischer from Siemens CT(Corporate Technology) has presented an interesting summary of the various techniques used for power modeling and analysis at the architectural level. He went through the pros and cons of using spreadsheets, timed virtual platforms annotated with power numbers … Read More


The Chip Design Game at the End of Moore’s Law

The Chip Design Game at the End of Moore’s Law
by Paul McLellan on 05-27-2014 at 2:58 pm

I just came across and interesting video from last year’s Hot Chips conference. Dr. Robert Colwell of DARPA discusses how the processor design industry is likely to change after it becomes too difficult to continue scaling transistors to ever-smaller dimensions. This is likely to occur sometime within the next decade,… Read More


SEMICON West 2014 Preview

SEMICON West 2014 Preview
by Paul McLellan on 05-27-2014 at 12:46 pm

There is a really big conference coming up in San Francisco…no, not DAC although of course that is coming up too. I’m talking about SEMICON West which is much bigger, filling all 3 Moscone exhibit halls. It is July 8-10th. It is, of course, the semiconductor equipment industry (and solar) show.

The opening keynote on… Read More


Mark Milligan Joins Calypto. Plus Google at DAC

Mark Milligan Joins Calypto. Plus Google at DAC
by Paul McLellan on 05-27-2014 at 12:07 pm

I talked to Mark Milligan this morning, who has just joined Calypto as VP Marketing. I first met Mark back when he was at CoWare and I was at VaST or maybe it was Virtutech. Then he moved on and ran marketing at SpringSoft which, I’m sure you remember, Synopsys acquired. I asked him what encouraged him to join Calypto.

He said that… Read More


Methodics @ #51DAC!

Methodics @ #51DAC!
by Daniel Nenni on 05-27-2014 at 11:00 am

This is the biggest year ever for Methodics at DAC, with lots to show, and a team of people excited to talk to customers and potential customers alike. Methodics will also be giving away Pebble Smartwatches!

Methodics theme for DAC2014 is “IP and design management done right”. A key part of this message is to show how their unique open… Read More


Dark Silicon

Dark Silicon
by Paul McLellan on 05-26-2014 at 5:29 pm

One of the problems with chips today is that of so-called “dark silicon”. We can put massive functionality on an SoC today. A billion transistors, and that is just at 28nm. But power constraints (both leakage and dynamic power) limit how much of the chip can be powered up at any one time. In some cases this is not that big… Read More


The Silicon ATM

The Silicon ATM
by Paul McLellan on 05-26-2014 at 4:52 pm

One of the things that eSilicon does is handle all the backend operations for the designs that they do. eSilicon is a fabless ASIC company and so the most visible part of the business is the design (not to mention IP which is a critical input into design these days). But another key part is arranging with foundries like TSMC to get the … Read More