Interface IP year 2015: Winners and Losers

Interface IP year 2015: Winners and Losers
by Eric Esteve on 01-06-2016 at 1:00 pm

The global Interface IP market is still growing in 2015, no doubt about it. It’s interesting to zoom in the various protocols to check their respective behavior. Which protocol generates an IP business growing more than the average market? Which protocol generates a disappointing IP business? In other words, which are the winners… Read More


Synopsys Vision on Custom Automation with FinFET

Synopsys Vision on Custom Automation with FinFET
by Pawan Fangaria on 06-26-2015 at 7:00 am

In an overwhelmingly digital world, there is a constant cry about the analog design process being slow, not automated, going at its own pace in the same old fashion, and so on. And, the analog world is not happy with the way it’s getting dragged into imperfect automation so it can be more like the digital world. True, the analog world… Read More


Does Multiprotocol-PHY IP really boost TTM?

Does Multiprotocol-PHY IP really boost TTM?
by Eric Esteve on 03-04-2014 at 4:33 am

I have often written in Semiwiki about high speed PHY IP supporting Interface protocols (see for example this blog), the SoC cornerstone, almost as crucial as CPU, GPU or SDRAM Memory Controller. When you architect a SoC, you first select CPU(s) and/or GPU(s) to support the system basic functionality (Processor for Mobile application,… Read More


Should You Buy All Aspects of Your IP From a Single Supplier?

Should You Buy All Aspects of Your IP From a Single Supplier?
by Paul McLellan on 06-16-2013 at 9:18 am

Interface IP typically consists of multiple layers, most importantly a PHY (level 1) analog (or mixed signal) block that handles the interface to the outside world and a number of levels of digital controllers. The interfaces between all these levels, especially between the PHY and the controller, is often defined by the interface… Read More


Such a small piece of Silicon, so strategic PHY IP

Such a small piece of Silicon, so strategic PHY IP
by Eric Esteve on 04-30-2012 at 6:05 am

How could I talk about the various Interface protocols (PCIe, USB, MIPI, DDRn…) from an IP perspective and miss the PHY IP! Especially these days, where the PHY IP market has been seriously shaken, as we will see in this post, and will probably continue to be shaken… but we will have to wait and look at the M&A news during the next … Read More