Debugging SystemVerilog Constraint Randomization: A Comprehensive Guide


SystemVerilog constraint randomization is a powerful methodology for generating realistic and diverse test scenarios in the realm of hardware design verification. However, like any complex methodology, it can sometimes be challenging to debug when an unexpected issue arises. In this article, we will explore common debug techniques and strategies to help you effectively troubleshoot your SystemV... » read more

What’s Next In System-Level Design?


Experts At The Table: EDA has undergone numerous workflow changes over time. Different skill sets have come into play over the years, and at times this changed the definition of what it means to design at the system level. Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss what this means for designers today, and what the impact will be in the future, with Michal Siwinski, chief marketing officer at... » read more

Optimizing Interconnect Topologies For Automotive ADAS Applications


Designing automotive Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) applications can be incredibly complex. State-of-the-art ADAS and autonomous driving systems use ‘sensor fusion’ to combine inputs from multiple sources, typically cameras and optionally radar and lidar units to go beyond passive and active safety to automate driving. Vision processing systems combine specialized AI accelerators... » read more

Unifying Storage Diversity: Leveraging PCIe IP for Multi-Device, Multi Form Factor Designs


In the fast-paced world of data storage, designers are racing to keep up with ever-evolving interface standards and form factors. This whitepaper explores the impact of these industry shifts, focusing on the integration of PCIe interfaces within the context of varying storage device form factors like the Enterprise and Datacenter Standard Form Factor (EDSFF). PCIe designs need to be flexible in... » read more

Essential Insights for Design PCIe 6.0 Interconnects


PCI Express (PCIe) is a serial communication protocol that has progressed through generations to enhance data rates and functionality. The latest version, PCIe 6.0, doubles the data rate to 64 GT/s, enabling up to 256 GB/s of bandwidth in an x16 configuration. The technology incorporates PAM4 signaling and forward error correction to maintain high speeds with improved signal integrity and relia... » read more

Blog Review: July 17


Cadence's Xin Mu explains the PCIe ECN Unordered IO (UIO) feature in the PCIe 6.1 specification, which defines a new wire semantic and related capabilities to enable multiple-path fabric support and helps avoid unnecessary traffic for better bandwidth and latency. Synopsys' Dana Neustadter, Gary Ruggles, and Richard Solomon highlight the latest updates in the CXL 3.1 standard, including new ... » read more

EDA Revenue Up, China Weak


EDA and hardware IP revenue grew 14.4% to $4.522 billion in Q1, extending a streak that began several years ago with unabated double-digit growth. But the upbeat report masked a sharp sales drop in China for reasons that have yet to be determined. Revenue in the overall Asia/Pacific region grew a healthy 19% YoY, while China was -6.3%. The negative impact was offset by new strength in India,... » read more

Changes In Formal Verification


For the better part of two decades, formal verification was considered too difficult to use in many designs and too slow for anything but narrow bug hunting. Much has changed recently. Ashish Darbari, CEO of Axiomise, explains why formal is now essential for finding deadlocks, security holes, and Xprop issues in mission-critical, safety-critical, and AI designs, and how that will apply to chipl... » read more

Blog Review: July 10


Cadence's Paul Graykowski suggests using real number modeling to streamline digital mixed-signal verification using logic simulators and hardware emulators. Siemens' John McMillan and Microsoft's Amit Kumar introduce the basics of 3D-IC, describe the flow and data management challenges, look at the evolution of TSMC 3DBlox 1.0 and 2.0, and detail a physical verification and reliability analy... » read more

Verification Tools Straining To Keep Up


Verification engineers are the unsung heroes of the semiconductor industry, but they are at a breaking point and desperately in need of modern tools and flows to deal with the rapidly increasing pressures. Verification is no longer just about ensuring that functionality is faithfully represented in an implementation. That alone is an insolvable task, but verification has taken on many new re... » read more

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