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FREE BEER with every IP!!!

By Kevin K. Yee
VP of Marketing
Arasan Chip Systems

BEER, BEER, who doesn't like BEER?!?! Don't you wish it were that easy to make a decision...you like beer, you need the IP, why not? Wouldn't life be great if you could make all your IP decisions that way. All gimmicks aside, we all know that you wouldn't choose who to get your IP from based on free beer (or at least most of you wouldn't). Like choosing the right beer, choosing the right IP vendor for your SoC design is a critical part of the design process. So what's the best way to decide?

Unfortunately these days, anyone with a laptop, a little HDL knowledge, a garage to sit in and an internet connection to post on the web and you're an IP provider. Choosing the right vendor is getting harder and harder. Fortunately, I'm here to tell you that there are still good IP providers for your design needs.

The Design Challenge: It only starts with the IP.

Today it is about more than just the IP itself - it is about a relationship or partnership with the IP vendor. As designs get more and more complicated and current SoC designs become true systems on a chip, designers are looking for a "Total IP Solution". You need the ability to customize and easily integrate various IP blocks into your existing system. Beyond that you need the ability to verify the IP block as a stand-alone block as well as in your system. You want the ability to begin your software development in conjunction with the hardware and test it as a whole. Designers need the following:

• Reusable source level IP core (no encryption)
• Verification platform for IP verification (VIP)
• Verification environment for system verification (VIP)
• Software Drivers/Stacks to accelerate development
• Hardware Development Kits (HDK) for HW/SW co-development
• Hardware Validation Platforms (HVP) for interoperability testing
• Design Services to customize the IP for specific system requirements
• Support structure - help from real architects/designers

And on top of all that, design engineers need to know that they have access to real engineers that can support them during the design process - that personal touch - because nothing is ever easy. How do you minimize risk and guarantee success? Make sure you are getting a "Total IP Solution".

The Arasan Solution: A "Total IP Solution"

A "Total IP Solution" is about understanding all the components needed for a successful chip development and fitting them all together into a perfect puzzle. It's not just about having some Verilog or VHDL code for sale.

It may start with the IP but it requires a great deal more for a successful chip development. Even before the IP, you need to talk architecture and understand how the IP fits into the system. Once you have the IP you will likely need to customize it for the bus interface or for differentiated features and functions. The IP addresses the initial design phase of key blocks, but as a designer you know that integration is the next big step. Once integration is complete, the real work starts with the verification and validation stage. Integrating the block and making sure it works in the system the way you want is critical. Now let's not forget about software development and having it work correctly with the hardware. Designing a chip is not a simple task.

A vendor that can provide a "Total IP Solution" is a partner that helps to minimize your risk and provides a path to success. A partner that can provide not only the IP, but understands the architecture, provides custom design services, a verification environment, a hardware and software platform and direct support from design engineers, is the kind of vendor you should demand.

A Level Deeper

Looking beyond the fundamental deliverables, you ultimately have to dive down deeper to evaluate the IP and the vendor itself. This is where you need to look at three key factors:

• Breadth of Products: Key markets & industry compliant standards
• Depth of Knowledge: Do you know what you are talking about?
• Quality of Implementation: Does it do what it's supposed to do?

Breadth of Products

Ideally, if you can get everything you want and need from a single vendor, it would make life easier. Realistically, that is usually not the best choice and rarely is it possible. Having to live in reality, you really want to strike the best balance. Find a partner who is focused in key technologies or markets that can provide complementary IP cores for your system.

At Arasan Chip System, we have focused on standards based compliant IP cores in the mobile and portable multimedia market. With specific focus on mobile system architecture, memory storage controllers, connectivity and bus interfaces, we are the only game in town if you are looking for a MIPI solution. By providing highly integrated and differentiated solutions, we provide added value to our customers. See www.arasan.com

Depth of Knowledge

Clearly it is important that your vendor knows what they are talking about. What you don't want is someone who is just peddling their wares. You want to make sure that they are a technology and solutions leader. They should have domain expertise because part of what you are licensing is their experience. They should posses the following:

1. Members in the specification organizations
2. Leadership in the industry
3. Understanding at a IP block level
4. Understanding at a systems level (usage model - how will it be used)

At Arasan Chip Systems, we are not only members of the specification organizations, but actively involved in many of them. This gives us the advantage of being one of the first to know, the first to design and the first to market. We don't resell other's IP rather we are proud that we design our own so we know it well.

Quality of Implementation

Finally, when evaluating your partners, you need to determine how usable it is for your design environment. Does it provide the flexibility you need or the features and functions?

1. Flexible Interfaces (native or with a wrapper)
1. AHB/APB
2. AXI
3. BVCI
4. OCP
5. Custom
2. Configurable feature/function sets
3. Customizable feature/function sets
4. Customizable design services

If it is hard to use and hard to integrate then the value of the IP diminishes quickly. That is why we have realized that having the ability to customize the interface for our customers has been one of our greatest strengths, thus our tag line "The Bus Stops Here" Not only that, we have been able to provide enhanced features and functions that go beyond the industry standards, providing added value and differentiation.

Summary

Choosing an IP vendor is not an easy choice. On paper, anything can look good. But I urge you to do your homework because it can save you a great deal of pain and heartache. We at Arasan Chip Systems know what it means to provide a "Total IP Solution".

And finally, if you've gotten this far in your reading...WOW! The BEER's on us...and the offer stands - Free BEER with any IP!

Find Arasan IP's here

About the Author

With over 18 yrs. experience in the technology market, Kevin K. Yee is the Vice President of Marketing for Arasan Chip Systems, where he is responsible for the company's strategic marketing and business direction. Prior to joining ACS, he held several senior engineering, sales and marketing management positions at QuickLogic and Ford Aerospace (currently Lockheed Martin) as well as some time in consulting. Kevin holds several patents in device architecture and holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Davis.