HDLCon: Keynoter calls for better system-on-chip tools

HDLCon: Keynoter calls for better system-on-chip tools
By Michael Santarini, EE Times
April 8, 1999 (11:54 a.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG19990408S0006

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The EDA industry will have to step up efforts in developing system-on-a-chip design tools over the next five years if semiconductor companies are to capitalize on the "consumerization of the electronics market," according to Hector Ruiz, president of Motorola Inc. Semiconductor Products Sector, in a keynote address at the International HDL Conference.

"Today's consumer wants technology and they want it faster than before," said Ruiz. "It is not uncommon to walk into a computer store on a Sunday afternoon and see a woman in sandals demanding a 450-MHz processor."

Ruiz said that to meet the demands of the consumer for faster and better products, system-on-a-chip must become a reality over the next five years. But in order to realize that reality, EDA companies must develop tools that support system-on-a-chip (SoC) design methodologies.

One of the most important things the EDA industry must do is develop tools that l ook at design from a system-level perspective, Ruiz said. "We need tools that allow software development to start from day one," he said.

In addition to hardware software co-design tools, Ruiz said the EDA industry needs to create better links between system level tools and implementation (RTL) level tools.

"The SoC design flow will start at the system level and move to RTL for integration," said Ruiz. "It is very important that these tools communicate. I call on EDA vendors to develop standards to solve the problems of SoC."