By Ed Sperling
Synopsys completed the acquisition of Extreme DA. Synopsys said the acquisition will extend its push into static timing analysis and multicore software development. Synopsys also said its USB 3.0 IP has more than 40 design wins. Sounds like we’re going to start seeing this stuff in real products soon.

eSilicon and MIPS have taped out a 28nm 1.5GHz three-processor cluster using GlobalFoundries’ 28nm SLP process. MIPS provided the RTL for its Coherent Processing System, while eSilicon performed the synthesis, timing-driven layout and optimization.

Sonics teamed up with Munich-based Lantiq to create the next-generation network for the digital home. This stuff is certainly getting easier and much, much faster. Remember what it was like to set up a home network 10 years ago?

X-FAB, the analog/mixed signal foundry, qualified Cadence’s physical verification system for all process nodes. The foundry works on geometries ranging 1 micron to 0.18 micron.

By Ed Sperling
Cadence completed its acquisition of Denali, moving the company squarely into the IP business for what amounts to an all-out IP arms race. Several sources have confirmed Cadence bid for Virage Logic first, but was outbid by Synopsys. Cadence subsequently made the $315 million offer for Denali. The selling price has lots of companies hanging out a “for sale” sign. The big question is who’s next?

ARM, the Common Platform companies (IBM, Samsung and GlobalFoundries) and Synopsys introduced a 32/28nm high k/metal gate that is “vertically optimized.” Exactly what “vertically optimized” means is something of a mystery, however. You won’t find any additional information about this in the release or in any of the links.

Mentor Graphics and Synopsys both updated some of their top tool suites at DAC, not to mention their relationships with foundries. Mentor is collaborating with GlobalFoundries on an advanced design and manufacturing flow using Calibre.  It also added verification, extraction and DFM support for TSMC’s AMS 1.0 flow, as well as ESL, integrated design, and manufacturing closure for TSMC’s Reference Flow 11.  In addition, Mentor’s Olympus SoC place and route is now supported by X-FAB.

Synopsys improved its PrimeTime performance for static timing analysis, migrated its Ly-nx pre-validated design environment for the Common Platform’s 32/28nm nodes. It also introduced a Galaxy characterization solution for standard cells, complex macros and memories, and it added StarRC custom 3D extraction for sub-45nm designs.

Cadence also provided its contribution to the Universal Verification Methodology, aka UVM—an open-source reference flow for SoC verification.

Atrenta introduced SpyGlass-Physical for physical implementation modeling. There was a lot of talk about tradeoff analysis and what-if approaches at DAC this year.

http://www.atrenta.com/atrenta-news/96.news

AMD inked a deal for Apache Design Systems’ power supply noise and reliability sign-off tools. Considering the close relationship between AMD and GlobalFoundries, this becomes particularly interesting.

By Ed Sperling

Virage Logic wasted no time in putting its ARC acquisition to work. As soon as the ink dried for the deal, Virage opened fire on ARM. Virage’s new 32-bit processor core, aka the ARC 601, is aimed squarely at ARM’s Cortex M0 microcontroller. With the lines already blurred between microprocessors and microcontrollers this should prove to be an interesting slugfest. What’s especially interesting about this new ARC core is that it’s the same size as an 8-bit microcontroller.

At least ARM is getting a reprieve from Intel’s laser-like focus. With the Federal Trade Commission hammering Intel, this time for including graphics on its processors, the company is facing battles on all fronts—Europe, Korea, Japan and now the United States, it has to be a major distraction. How many other big markets are there? Intel did take the unusual step of responding to the FTC with a statement. It said the FTC jumped the gun and filed before it knew the facts.

Meanwhile, the other half of the dynamic duo, Microsoft, settled its dispute with the EU. Microsoft will now offer multiple browsers to customers. Does anyone still care about which browser gets used? A more pertinent question is whether they can take advantage of more than one core for searches and video playback.

Mentor Graphics achieved IPv6 phase II compliance for its Nucleus operating system. IPv4 is predicted to run out of address space in 2010, which happily was never mentioned in the Mayan calendar. Still, this is a good move for Mentor. We’re taking odds on whether there will be some hiccups in the transition of the Internet, though.

X-Fab, a major analog/mixed signal foundry in Germany, is backing Synopsys’ Galaxy custom installation solution. Analog and mixed signal continues to be a slow and tedious process, in part because analog engineers don’t put a lot of trust in automated tools. Anyone trying to push tools into this market needs a lot of patience and staying power.

TSMC introduced process technology for LED driver devices. This stuff goes all the way back to .6 micron, which is 600nm and as far forward as 180nm. Guess they found a good use for all that fully depreciated equipment.

Chartered Semi, meanwhile, won two investor relations awards in Asia. This is interesting because Chartered has been dead silent since early September, when Abu Dhabi’s ATIC offered to buy the company.