Even Standard IP Isn't Always Standard

By _Semiconductor Engineering

November 25, 2013

Just because IP complies with a spec doesn’t mean it can’t be tweaked. But what happens if you do tweak it?

Time to market and rising complexity are forcing the use of more third-party IP as well as increasing reuse of internally developed IP. But as more IP is added into SoCs, chipmakers are discovering some interesting things:

1. Not all IP works together as planned, even when it’s well characterized. As with cars, performance and mileage vary greatly depending upon who’s driving—and who’s in the next lane.
2. Even standard IP isn’t always standard. In fact, it’s frequently tweaked for differentiation.
3. Mixing IP isn’t as straightforward as it sounds, and sometimes the best choices are counterintuitive.
4. Expertise in working with IP is limited, particularly at the system level, a situation that will only get worse as companies develop fewer but more complex chips.

These developments haven’t gone unnoticed by IP vendors, of course. In technology, broad-based engineering issues are considered opportunities. But solving them isn’t so simple.