|
|
|
|
|
09/02/2009
 Email to a friend
|
| |
Semiconductor IP is proving one of the few glimmers of light in a gloomy high tech market.
 Despite a slow start and a poor outlook in the early 1990s, the IP market has defeated its many sceptics and is enjoying significant annual growth. No longer solely the province of ambitious design oriented start ups and spin offs, IP has become an important business element for eda vendors, foundries, IDMs, fabless semiconductor companies and – more recently – fpga vendors.
Various subsets of the IP market are recording dramatic growth rates: dsp cores (21%), fixed function dsps (16%) and analogue (22.4%), for example. By far the largest segment – microprocessor cores – grew at a respectable 6.2% in 2008. In particular, there is a noticeable increase in processor IP cores being integrated into fpgas.
The methodology of reusable IP blocks was originally conceived to bridge the huge design productivity gap created as smaller process geometries exploded silicon integration and time to market target pressures increased in the portable/consumer boom. The ultimate goal is that ‘plug and play’ IP blocks can be assembled swiftly and efficiently to construct complex SoCs with increased performance and functionality.
Is it realistic? Is it easy? These were some of the questions posed at an IP Expert Panel session held at IP08, in Grenoble in December last year.
|
|
| |
Author
Louise Joselyn
|
| |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
This material is protected by Findlay Media copyright 2010.
See Terms and Conditions.
One-off usage is permitted but bulk copying is not.
For multiple copies contact the sales team.
|
| |
|
|
| |
To comment on news stories or blogs you need to complete our 60 second registration process. Once completed this then allows you to download any and all white papers, register for e-zines and access our detailed supplier directory for FREE.
If you are all ready a registered user then enter your e-mail address and login.
You will need to have logged in prior to entering your comments in the boxes provided.
|