Digital ICs/DSP: Mix And Match ASIC Libraries With This Matrix Scheme

The Matrix initiative, an ASIC library licensing and integration approach, lets customers use multiple libraries in a single ASIC design to achieve an optimal mix of performance characteristics. Customers can then use the best library for each sub-block in the ASIC by selecting among libraries that have different cell heights, transistor voltage thresholds, and architectures. The scheme also mixes standard-cell and gate-array architectures on the same chip, so the company can minimize the nonrecurring engineering costs associated with crafting derivative versions of an ASIC. The program's first step includes a licensing deal with Virage Logic Corp. to port the Virage libraries to the company's processes and tools.