March 26, 2012 -- Today's complex ASICs often leverage open-market IP to take advantage of reuse of standard functional blocks, and thereby improve time-to-market and development efficiency. However, the integration of that third-party IP, if done poorly, can lead to painful cost overruns and schedule delays. To ensure proper IP core integration, Open-Silicon has developed a detailed and comprehensive process involving close collaboration with IP partners and the SOC design team. This article will illustrate this process by showing how Open-Silicon and Kilopass worked together on a recent project to ensure success.

At the highest level, Open-Silicon employs a four-step process to ensure that the IP included in its design will achieve first-time silicon success. These steps include IP selection, IP procurement, IP qualification and IP integration.

By Mohit Gupta and Bernd Stamme. (Gupta is an IP manager with Open-Silicon, Inc. and Stamme is Director for Marketing and Applications at Kilopass Technology, Inc.)