Semiconductor Engineering: Streamlining Complex Semiconductor Designs With IP XACT Based Structured Assembly

A systematic approach to managing the intricate connections between numerous IP blocks.

Semiconductor design is rapidly evolving because technologies such as AI and machine learning (ML) applications push the boundaries of complexity and specialization. Modern chips require hundreds or thousands of IP blocks, leading to significant design challenges. Multi-die architectures, which distribute functional blocks across multiple dice, demand expert planning to ensure connectivity and performance. To address these challenges, structured assembly methodologies complemented by IP-XACT standards have become essential to provide a clear chip design framework.

Importance of structured assembly methodologies

Structured assembly methodologies offer a clear road map to navigate the challenges of complex semiconductor design by providing guidelines for integration and design management with rapid iteration. This approach manages the intricate connections between numerous IP blocks, reducing the risk of errors and enhancing overall design integrity. Complex designs incorporate IP blocks from both internal and external sources, necessitating consistent interfaces. They also facilitate global collaboration by offering a single source of truth environment with a common framework and standards, sharing accurate and up-to-date information with all team members to ensure a correctly implemented design.

Additionally, these techniques support the creation of derivative designs and RTL restructuring through continuous integration, allowing for quick updates and efficient development. This is achieved through a repeatable process to unify all design activities, enabling build and integration flow to quickly and safely adapt to changes. This approach ensures higher productivity and quality with a consistent end-to-end design flow solution.

The need for IP-XACT

Standards like IP-XACT 2022 are crucial in structured assembly, providing a common language and guidelines for managing IP blocks, which are essential for effective integration and automation. The updates in the standard accommodate more complex systems with the enhanced support of SystemVerilog features like the SystemVerilog interfaces or struct. Automation improves efficiency by streamlining repetitive and error-prone tasks, allowing companies to focus on higher-level design challenges and innovation. Continuous integration flows benefit from automation with the solid API to access all the design data in a robust scripting environment. This unified methodology is used by all teams, maximizing collaborative work and data accuracy, enabling quick updates and derivative development, and ensuring robust, portable, and reliable design processes amidst growing complexity.

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