Embedded FPGA IP update — 2nd generation architecture, TSMC 16FFC, and a growing customer base

Embedded FPGA IP update — 2nd generation architecture, TSMC 16FFC, and a growing customer base
by Tom Dillinger on 05-31-2017 at 12:00 pm

Regular Semiwiki readers are aware that embedded FPGA (eFPGA) IP development is a rapidly growing (and evolving) technical area. The applications for customizable and upgradeable logic in the field are many and diverse — as a result, improved performance, greater configurable logic capacity/density, and comprehensive… Read More


3D Product Design Collaboration in MCAD and ECAD Platforms

3D Product Design Collaboration in MCAD and ECAD Platforms
by Tom Dillinger on 04-25-2017 at 12:00 pm

Consumer electronics demand aggressive mechanical enclosure design — product volume, weight, shape, and connector access are all critical design optimization criteria. Mechanical CAD (MCAD) software platforms are used by product engineers to develop the enclosure definition — the integration of the PCB design… Read More


Top 10 Updates from the TSMC Technology Symposium, Part I

Top 10 Updates from the TSMC Technology Symposium, Part I
by Tom Dillinger on 03-22-2017 at 7:00 am

Last week, TSMC held their 23rd annual technical symposium in Santa Clara. In the Fall, TSMC conducts the OIP updates from EDA/IP partners and customers. The theme of the Spring symposium is solely on TSMC’s technology development status and the future roadmap. Indirectly, the presentations also provide insight into … Read More


PowerTree — a data repository and simulation platform for PCB power distribution networks

PowerTree — a data repository and simulation platform for PCB power distribution networks
by Tom Dillinger on 02-24-2017 at 12:00 pm

The difficulty of managing the power domains on a complex SoC led to the development of a power format file description, to serve as the repository for data needed for functional and electrical analysis (e.g., CPF, UPF). Yet, what about complex printed circuit boards? How can the power domain information be effectively represented… Read More


Power and Performance Optimization for Embedded FPGA’s

Power and Performance Optimization for Embedded FPGA’s
by Tom Dillinger on 02-22-2017 at 12:00 pm

Last month, I made a “no-brainer” forecast that 2017 would be the year in which embedded FPGA (eFPGA) IP would emerge as a key differentiator for new SoC designs (link to the earlier article here).

The fusion of several technical and market factors are motivating design teams to incorporate programmable logic functionality… Read More


"Ten-hut!" Attending the Signal Integrity Bootcamp

"Ten-hut!" Attending the Signal Integrity Bootcamp
by Tom Dillinger on 02-21-2017 at 12:00 pm

The engineering team for the design and analysis of a complex system consists of a diverse set of skills — with the increasing emphasis on both high-speed interface design and multi-domain power management, a critical constituent of the team is the group of signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) engineers.

The training… Read More


Making the Move from 28nm to FinFET!

Making the Move from 28nm to FinFET!
by Daniel Nenni on 01-12-2017 at 12:00 pm

If you click FinFET in the SemiWiki.com Latest News: navigation bar at the top of this page you will get a list of 86 blogs that have been viewed more than 600,000 times. If you go to the last blogs on the list, meaning the first blogs to be published, you will see a three part series, “Introduction to FinFET Technology” written by Tom Dillinger… Read More