CAST Wiki

CAST, Inc.

CAST, Inc. is a long-established provider of semiconductor intellectual property (IP) cores and subsystems, offering a broad portfolio of digital IP for system-on-chip (SoC) designs. Headquartered in New Jersey, USA, and founded in the early 1990s, CAST serves semiconductor and electronics companies worldwide with proven, silicon-ready IP optimized for low risk, fast time-to-market, and efficient integration.

🔹 Company Overview

• Founded: Early 1990s

• Headquarters: Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, USA

• Industry: Semiconductor IP, Digital Design

• Business Model: IP licensing and integration support

• Global Reach: Offices and partners across North America, Europe, and Asia

🧠 Core Technology & Product Lines

CAST specializes in synthesizable digital IP cores that are portable across foundries and process nodes. The company is known for delivering reliable, cost-effective solutions that are production-proven and fully supported.

Product Categories:

• Processor Cores

  • 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit microcontrollers and CPUs

  • RISC, 8051, and other legacy-compatible architectures

  • Compact and power-efficient cores for embedded control

• Interface & Connectivity IP

  • Ethernet MACs (10/100/1G/10G/25G+)

  • CAN, SPI, I²C, UART, USB

  • PCIe, SATA, and other serial protocols

• Compression & Encryption

  • GZIP, LZ, JPEG, and video compression engines

  • AES, SHA, RSA encryption/decryption engines

  • Secure hash and authentication modules

• Display & Video IP

  • HDMI, MIPI DSI, and LCD controllers

  • Video processing pipelines and graphics cores

• Memory Controllers

  • SRAM, SDRAM, DDR, NAND/NOR flash interfaces

  • Custom-configurable memory subsystem solutions

• Peripherals & Support Logic

  • DMA controllers, timers, watchdogs, GPIO

  • System integration components like AMBA bridges

• Subsystems

  • Integrated platforms combining processors, interfaces, and peripherals

  • Designed to simplify SoC development and reduce engineering effort

⚙️ Key Features & Advantages

• Silicon-Proven: Most IP blocks are field-tested and shipping in volume

• Process Portability: Compatible with major EDA tools and foundry flows

• Customizability: Configurable IP to suit power, performance, and size trade-offs

• Integration Support: Full documentation, simulation models, and engineering guidance

• IP Longevity: Long-term availability for designs requiring extended lifespans

🧩 Target Applications

CAST IP cores are used in a wide variety of embedded systems and application-specific chips, including:

• Consumer electronics

• Industrial automation

• Automotive ECUs and infotainment

• Networking and communications equipment

• Aerospace and military-grade embedded systems

• Smart sensors and IoT devices

• Legacy system replacements and upgrades

🌍 Market Position & Philosophy

CAST is recognized for its customer-first philosophy, emphasizing IP reliability, ease of integration, and strong technical support. The company maintains a consistent record of delivering high-quality cores tailored to real-world needs, particularly for cost-sensitive, resource-constrained designs. CAST supports both modern SoC developments and the long-term support of legacy architectures.

📋 Summary Table