Unlocking Efficiency: The Power Of IP Blocks In Silicon Chip Design


The fastest, most efficient and cost-effective way to design silicon is by leveraging intellectual property (IP) blocks. This methodology reduces risk, allows a design team to focus on its own differentiation, and allows scalability. Re-using existing IP offers even more value for design teams. But not every company has embraced the approach. Here’s why you should consider it. To optimize ... » read more

DAC/SEMICON West 2023 Roundup


The interdependence of semiconductor devices and companies in manufacturing was a recurring theme at this year's SEMICON West, both in presentations and one-on-one discussions. Challenges range from sharing data securely across a highly integrated supply chain, particularly in light of heterogeneous integration, security concerns, and the increased use of AI, as well as concerns about the robus... » read more

Data Leakage Becoming Bigger Issue For Chipmakers


Data leakage is becoming more difficult to stop or even trace as chips become increasingly complex and heterogeneous, and as more data is stored and utilized by chipmakers for other designs. Unlike a cyberattack, which typically is done for a specific purpose, such as collecting private data or holding a system ransom, data leaks can spring up anywhere. And as the value of data increases, th... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


The U.S. is aiming for the creation of two new advanced semiconductor manufacturing facilities with “a robust supplier ecosystem” supported by the $52.7 billion CHIPS Act. Included is an $11 billion investment in semiconductor research and development, along with the creation of a new public-private partnership called the National Semiconductor Technology Center. This follows more than a do... » read more

Week In Review: Design, Low Power


Keysight Technologies acquired Cliosoft, add IP data management and design data to Keysight’s EDA portfolio. “The bigger vision is how we’re going to manage silicon lifecycle, from spec to tape-out. So you can have a data management and IP management layer and visibility into that data, and that ties into Keysight’s design and test software," said Simon Rance, vice president of marketi... » read more

Keysight Acquires Cliosoft


Keysight announced today that it has acquired Cliosoft, adding IP data management and design data to its EDA portfolio. The deal comes at a time when chip designs are becoming more heterogeneous and customized, making it more difficult to keep track of a growing number of IP assets. What works for one market or sub-market may not be optimal for another. That could include everything from di... » read more

How Gamification Improves Semiconductor IP Reuse


In today’s increasingly complex semiconductor industry, companies are always looking for new and innovative ways to maximize the value of their Intellectual Property (IP) assets. One way to do this is through the use of crowdsourcing and gamification. Crowdsourcing is the process of obtaining services, ideas, or content by enlisting a large number of people, typically through an online platfo... » read more

Chiplets Taking Root As Silicon-Proven Hard IP


Chiplets are all the rage today, and for good reason. With the various ways to design a semiconductor-based system today, IP reuse via chiplets appears to be an effective and feasible solution, and a potentially low-cost alternative to shrinking everything to the latest process node. To enable faster time to market, common IP or technology that already has been silicon-proven can be utilized... » read more

Growing System Complexity Drives More IP Reuse


IP reuse of both third-party and internal IP is growing, but it's also becoming more complex to manage. There is more IP being used, and more systems into which it needs to be integrated, combined with other IP, and tracked throughout an organization. In some cases, this is an economic requirement. In others, designs are so complex that engineering teams need to focus on where they will make... » read more

Managing IP In Heterogeneous Designs


Increasing complexity and heterogeneity is creating huge challenges for tracking different versions of IP over the lifetime of chips. Pedro Pires, applications engineer at ClioSoft, talks about the implications of IP reuse in a complex, multi-IP context, including how different standards and database formats can affect IP tracking and why an interoperability layer is essential to tracking IP an... » read more

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