The Week In Review: Design


IP Synopsys rolled out verification IP for mobile PCIe, including built-in M-PHY, for UVM environments. Cadence introduced MIPI SoundWire controller IP, which allows bi-directional digital communication using low gate count and minimal complexity. Deals ARM and TSMC rolled out a road map for 64-bit ARM-based processors at 10nm. The companies said the early pathfinding work is expected t... » read more

Architecture Versus Silicon


For many, if not most designs today, power is everything. Determining where power is being lost is critical to making sure the design is optimized. So where to begin? To this end, it is useful to go back to the fundamentals of what power is and what power consumption is, noted Paul Traynar, software architect at [getentity id="22021" comment="ANSYS/Apache"]. “Power is proportional to capac... » read more

Software Before Hardware?


The emphasis on battery life in wearable electronics, including always-on sensors, and the cost of powering and cooling racks of servers inside of data centers, are beginning to impact the formula for designing systems. Power is now a critical design element, but it's also one of the most stubborn to tackle. While ASICs, SoCs and FPGAs all have focused on being able to efficiently run softwa... » read more

Optimizing Analog For Power At Advanced Nodes


As any engineering manager will tell you, analog and digital engineers seem like they could be from different planets. While this has changed somewhat over time, [getkc id="52" comment="analog"] is still something of a mystery to many in [getkc id="81" kc_name="SoC"] design teams. Throw power management into the mix and things really get interesting. Improvements in analog/mixed-signal tools... » read more

The Democratization Of System Design…


One of my favorite technology columnists, Andy Kessler, argues in a new Wall Street Journal column that we’re entering a fourth major era of computing: “The original mainframe computer of the 1960s automated back offices and transactions, bringing efficiency and lowering costs. That cycle ended in the early 1990s when the personal computer picked up steam. By the mid-1990s the Web was help... » read more

Memory Directions Uncertain


Semiconductor Engineering sat down with a panel of experts to find out what is happening in world of memories. Taking part in the discussion are [getperson id="11073" comment="Charlie Cheng"], chief executive officer at [getentity id="22135" e_name="Kilopass Technology"]; Navraj Nandra, senior director of marketing for Analog/Mixed signal IP, embedded memories and logic libraries at [getentity ... » read more

Energy Boost For Power Standards


If the amount of standards work and industry effort that is being expended on a given topic is any indicator of the growing importance of a design concern, then power has most certainly become the hottest topic in the industry. Thankfully, it seems as if everyone has learned their lessons from the CPF/[gettech id="31044" t_name="UPF"] struggles and is attempting to coordinate activities, while ... » read more

Pushing The Performance Boundaries Of ARM Cortex-M Processors For Future Embedded Design


One of the toughest challenges in the implementation of any processors is balancing the need for the highest performance with the conflicting demands for lowest possible power and area. Inevitably, there is a tradeoff between power, performance, and area (PPA). This paper examines two unique challenges for design automation methodologies in the new ARM Cortex-M processor: How to get maximum per... » read more

High-Level Gaps Emerge


Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss the attributes of a high-level, front-end design flow, and why it is needed at present with Leah Clark, associate technical director for digital video technology at [getentity id="22649" e_name="Broadcom"]; Jon McDonald, technical marketing engineer at [getentity id="22017" e_name="Mentor Graphics"]; Phil Bishop, vice president of the System Level D... » read more

The Week In Review: Design


IP ARM introduced a new software platform and a free operating system aimed at IoT development. The OS incorporates security, communication and device management features for improved energy efficiency. The device server simplifies the connection and management of devices, incorporating security and improving efficiency. Cadence rolled out a broad IP portfolio for TSMC's 16nm platform, and ... » read more

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