The Week In Review: Design

M&A

Intel will acquire Movidius, adding the company’s low-power vision processing unit to its growing computer vision efforts that include a depth-sensing camera and machine learning projects. At the same time, Intel is shedding cybersecurity unit McAfee (acquired in 2011 for $7.7 billion and re-named Intel Security in 2014). Intel will retain a 49% stake in the business with the 51% remaining held by investment firm TPG, a $3.1 billion cash deal.

Markets

According to Research and Markets, the global EDA market is set to grow at a CAGR of 8.52% during the period 2016-2020, with research and development investments a key driver. While the report says uncertain economic conditions will be a challenge for the market, an analyst sees the rising number of fabless companies as boosting the need for EDA software.

Tools

Synopsys uncorked the latest version of its tool set for creating software development kits that use virtual prototypes as the embedded target. The update adds a unified Eclipse-based IDE supporting browsing, editing, debug and static analysis of SystemC source code and pre-assembled reference VDKs for ARM Fast Models and DesignWare TLM models.

Synopsys announced extensions to its open-source licensed Interconnect Technology Format (ITF), which enables additional modeling of complex parasitic effects between device structures and interconnect layers at the 10nm and 7nm process nodes. Synopsys worked with the Interconnect Modeling Technical Advisory Board to refine and ratify the extensions.

Deals

Octasic licensed Arteris’ FlexNoC interconnect IP for use in specialized systems-on-chip in tactical and industrial applications, citing a reduction in wire routing congestion while guaranteeing the bandwidth and latency of critical traffic.

ARM and Synopsys teamed up to provide Artisan standard cells and memory libraries and POP IP and core-hardening acceleration technology compatible with Synopsys’ IC Compiler II place-and-route system.

Imagination, Mymo Wireless and SaberTek collaborated on a complete end-to-end licensable silicon IP for LTE CAT1/0. The IP combines Imagination’s low-power Ensigma Series5 radio processing unit for LTE baseband, SaberTek’s SBR7040 ultra-low-power LTE transceiver and Mymo’s CAT1/0 LTE UE protocol stack and software.