It’s Not What You Own, It’s What You Know


Shifting business models can change the rules. The ecosystems that define our manufacturing, procurement and delivery processes, along with the customer buying behaviors associated with those processes, can shift dramatically over time, resulting in a world that seems to be upside down at first glance. The exodus of mainstream manufacturing out of certain countries is an example of these shifts... » read more

Tear Down The Wall Between Front-End And Back-End Teams


Because system-on-chip devices are increasingly complex, it is becoming imperative for design teams and organizations to reexamine how they work with one another in order to innovate new ways to improve productivity in delivering devices to market. The area that could benefit most is the divide that separates the semiconductor front-end design process from the physical back-end design process. ... » read more

Rethinking Patents


Over the past few years the pressure on the patent system as a means of protecting intellectual property has been tested to the limit, and many changes are being made in an attempt to keep it viable. But in an age of globalization, coupled with the fact that for the patent system to work there has to be an infrastructure of suitable enforcement, it may be time to rethink its viability—especia... » read more

Lazy Or Bored: The Outcome Might Be The Same


I recently talked to an engineering manager responsible for system validation at a major automotive company. The topic was the continuous growth of software content and how to reach the right software quality. He explained that for the part he is responsible for, most software is created by his suppliers. But because the carmaker is ultimately held responsible for any issue with the car, he has... » read more

A Fireside Chat With Imagination On Hardware-Assisted Development And Emulation


During one of my trips to Europe I was able to sit down with Colin McKellar, senior director of hardware engineering at Imagination Technologies. He is my main contact for all things verification at Imagination. Imagination’s product challenges include maintaining the level of quality of their IP products within shorter timelines and dealing with integration of their IP into more complex c... » read more

The Auto Industry Taking Things Into Their Own Hands


A new standard is here! I can hear a collective groan, but I suggest we quiet down and see what this new direction has to offer. When Audi AG, BMW AG, Daimler AG, Porsche AG, and Volkswagen AG get together to work up a document, there is a shift happening. Although this standard is not out-of-the-oven-fresh, it will mean a change in the industry in the near future. But before I continue, I want... » read more

Moore’s Law At 50


Moore's Law turned 50 this week…but not because of Gordon Moore. He observed that the number of transistors crammed onto a piece of silicon was doubling every 18 to 24 months and predicted that would continue to be the case. He was right, but it took many thousands of engineers who created methodologies and tools to automate the design and equipment to manufacture complex chips to make that o... » read more

Partly Sunny, With A Chance For Explosive Growth


I recently attended a session at the Mentor Graphics User Conference (User2User) in San Jose that dealt with the changing foundry landscape. The session was moderated by SemiWiki's Dan Nenni and included: • Giorgio Cesana, director of technology at STMicroelectronics • Jack Harding, co-founder, president & CEO of eSilicon • Lluis Paris, deputy director of worldwide IP alliances at ... » read more

Less Moore Means More Intelligence


It would seem as if the entire industry is flooding the forums with articles about [getkc id="74" comment="Moore's Law"], as it reaches its 50th birthday (April 19th) and that this represents the longest and most important exponential in the history of man. The numbers and that impact are everywhere and I do not intend to repeat them. There are lots of articles talking about when Moore’s law ... » read more

How Health And Auto Requirements Drive IoT Design


One of the fun parts of my job is that I am looking at the requirements of our customer’s customers quite a bit to understand where to focus our efforts on the tool side. As a follow on to my last post “System Design Enabling The Human Intranet,” this month I am looking at the requirements imposed on system design by health and automotive applications as they were discussed at DATE in Gre... » read more

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