Which IP Is Better?

Ed Sperling, Semiconductor Engineering
January 16th, 2014

Just because the specs look better doesn’t mean one piece of IP will actually work better than another. Several strategies have emerged for picking the right IP—hopefully.

As the amount of third-party and re-used IP in a semiconductor increases, so do the number of questions about which possible IP choices perform better, use the least power, or work best with other components. So far, there is no simple way to make that choice.

In most cases, this is simply splitting hairs. For all the IP that goes into designs, the bulk of it is chosen based on how often has it been used in silicon, whether it readily available, and how much it costs. But IP also is a differentiator for many companies, and IP can make the difference in certain applications and markets.