RISC-V: An Open Standard for SoCs
The case for an open ISA
Systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), where the processors and caches are a small part of the chip, are becoming ubiquitous. Thus many more companies today are making chips that include processors than in the past. Given that the industry has been revolutionized by open standards and open-source software -- like TCP/IP and Linux -- why is one of the most important interfaces proprietary?
While instruction set architectures (ISAs) may be proprietary for historical or business reasons, there is no good technical reason for the lack of free, open ISAs.
It's not an error of omission. Companies with successful ISAs like ARM, IBM, Intel, and MIPS have patents on quirks of their ISAs, which prevent others from using them without licenses that academia and many small companies can't afford. Even IBM's OpenPower is an oxymoron; you must pay IBM to use its ISA.
To read the full article, click here
Related Semiconductor IP
- Zigbee Transceiver PHY
- Data Flow Architecture IP
- AMBA SPI Controller MRAM Controller
- Ethernet MAC
- Protocol Bridges
Related Blogs
- RISC-V: An Open Standard - Backed by a Global Community - to Enable Open Computing for All
- AV1 Image File Format Specification Gets an Upgrade with AVIF v1.2.0
- A Low-Leakage Digital Foundation for SkyWater 90nm SoCs: Introducing Certus’ Standard Cell Library
- Arteris × XuanTie: The “Data Highway” for High-Performance RISC-V SoCs
Latest Blogs
- IDS-NoC: A Scalable Interconnect Solution for Modern SoC Design
- Leading-edge AI IC designs demand comprehensive HAV methodologies
- Beyond the Fab: Building Europe’s Next Generation of Semiconductor Champions
- AI Semiconductor Design at 3nm and 2nm: Silicon-Proven IP
- Samsung Foundry and Cadence Expand Infrastructure and Physical AI Solution