Synopsys said that it would buy Kilopass to bolster its lending library of intellectual property with memory that cannot be changed after being written but can be preserved after losing power. The terms of the deal, which Synopsys said would not affect its financial results, were not disclosed.
The one-time programmable memory designed by Kilopass has been embedded in more than 400 chips, which have sold more than 10 billion units worldwide. The non-volatile memory is designed so that it is manufactured blank but it cannot be changed after being imprinted with security keys or identification code used inside cars, factories, and connected devices.
The acquisition gives Synopsys a complement to its multi-time programmable chips, which support up to four megabits and can be manufactured with transistors as small as seven nanometers. Kilopass designs high density and low power technology that reduces costs compared to standard read-only memory and embedded flash integrated in chips.
Joachim Kunkel, general manager of Synopsys’ solutions group, said in a statement that the technology “meets market demands for increased integration, higher densities, lower costs, better reliability, and improved security.” Synopsys also sells verification tools for prototyping and debugging as well as software integrity solutions.
For Synopsys, the acquisition dovetails with its recent deal for Sidense Corporation, which also makes one-time programmable memory chip designs. Sidense licensed to other companies the blueprints of its chips, which can be accessed in as fast as 10 nanoseconds. The company's chips can handle security applications and code storage.