In the intricate and high-pressure realm of integrated circuit (IC) design, IP reuse, whether it is a basic component like matrix multiplier and DSP to larger memory or wireless subsystem, is pivotal in accelerating design processes, minimizing costs, and enabling the designers to focus on the differentiating components of the devices. To maximize the benefits of IP reuse, IC design teams may surprisingly find inspiration in the high-energy kitchens of restaurants. Both arenas share a common ground: the need for orchestration of a myriad of tools and resources, the relentless push against time constraints, and the quest to satisfy a clientele that demands nothing short of excellence.
Envision a finely tuned kitchen where each tool, from the smallest spoon to the largest pan, is meticulously arranged and within easy reach of the culinary team. Unfortunately, design teams are often not as well equipped to complete their projects as kitchen staff are, operating in a far less structured environment. This discrepancy has become more pronounced with the increasing reliance on semiconductor Intellectual Property (IP) blocks in recent years. Often created by teams across different geographies and business units and managed through a variety of design management (DM) systems, they can be as elusive as kitchen utensils stored in the most unexpected places. Faced with tight project deadlines, many IC design teams acknowledge this disarray but lack the time to streamline their IP management.
This article will explore strategies that can transform the often-chaotic world of data and IP management into a well-organized system, much like a master chef’s kitchen. Let’s embark on a journey to enhance engineering productivity, but also make IP reuse a delightful experience.
Demo: See how Keysight IP Management (HUB) can help
The ever-evolving landscape of design management
Over the past two decades, design management systems have evolved from a nice-to-have to a necessity, integral to the design-to-tapeout flow. These systems provide not just a solid framework for assembling designs but also foster a collaborative environment for engineers from multiple teams to piece the project together. They offer version control, work-area management, and release management, crucial for projects with myriad interdependencies and reusable components.
The complexity of System-on-Chip (SoC) design, however, continues to escalate, bringing with it a new set of challenges.
Modern SoC projects often involve integrating reusable components from various projects. For instance, IPs can form intricate hierarchical relationships, stemming from disparate projects. Addressing this challenge requires a paradigm shift from the conventional file-and-directory based approach to a more holistic, integrated approach.
With a higher-level view of all projects’ design data, design engineers can harness the full potential of available resources, unburdened by the complexities of tracing origins and managing each component across different systems.
Key challenges in IP selection and integration
The process of identifying and selecting the right Intellectual Properties (IPs) for a specific design requirement should ideally be straightforward, akin to a chef effortlessly reaching for the right knife from an organized line-up on the cutting board. However, several challenges complicate this process when the design team scales.
Locating the IPs
The reusable blocks exist in IP repositories – either saved on network disks or managed in a design data management system such as Keysight SOS. In smaller companies they may all exist under one design management system. The larger the company, the more diverse the storage of IPs, often scattered across multiple design management systems due to acquisitions and expansion.
Selecting the right IPs
A company may possess multiple IPs with similar functions but differing parameters, such as targeting different process nodes or having varied power modes. This necessitates a detailed comparison to ensure the chosen IP aligns with the specific needs of the current project.
Ensuring compliance
IPs, whether developed internally or acquired from external vendors, come with their own licensing terms and conditions. Different IPs might require varying levels of approval for use. Ensuring compliance with these terms is critical to avoid legal issues and ensure robust integration into the design.
Simplify IP Management, the HUB way
Keysight IP Management Solution (HUB) steps in as a revolutionary tool, offering a user-friendly catalog that simplifies browsing and searching IPs. It tracks IP metadata and documents that can be configured based on the different kinds of IPs available in the company. The IP data itself can be maintained in the design management system or on disk. Keysight HUB tracks the data location fields necessary to give access to the IP to users who have been approved to use it in their project.
HUB provides a project page so the users can track the IPs they are using in the project. The IPs can be managed in different design management systems. These systems are registered with HUB, so HUB is aware of the exact set of commands to run to publish and download the data. There are hooks that make it easy for the HUB administrators to plug in a new and proprietary DM system to access the data using HUB.
Setting a new standard in efficient IP management
Mid-sized to large companies often operate with many systems for design and development.
Different teams, especially post-acquisition, may have disparate products in their toolchain. This diversity can lead to a complex mesh of design management systems, each managing different IPs. Since the IPs are coming from diverse sources, does the engineer working on the design now learn a plethora of commands to interact with different systems?
Keysight IP Management (HUB) tackles this challenge head-on by offering a unified command set, simplifying interactions with various systems within the project workspace.
Figure 1. A diagram showing how Keysight IP Management (HUB) works
Registering the various design management systems allows Keysight HUB to create wrappers around the various data management operations. With Keysight HUB being aware of the data management system managing the project as well as the IP data location, users can now use Keysight HUB to:
- Create an organized work area, consolidating project data and IPs in the project Bill of Materials (BOM), even if sourced from distinctive design management systems.
- Monitor the status of project and IPs in the work area at more detailed levels such as IP block or file level.
- Effortlessly update to newer versions of files once new versions of IPs are available.
- Flag conflicts if there are different revisions of the same IP used in the hierarchical BOM of the project.
- Extend the DM operations by adding pre and post event script-hooks to massage the data in the work area.
Just as a delayed meal due to misplacement of kitchen tools can deter customers, so can delays in project schedules due to inefficient IP management affect a company’s competitive edge.
Keysight HUB addresses this critical aspect, taking the intricate task of IP management off the team’s shoulders. It enables smoother, faster, and more cost-effective innovation, vital in the fast-paced world of engineering.