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Double Patterning Technology Models for Parasitic Extraction

Thu, 2012-03-29 08:56 — Gabe Moretti

"The manufacturing requirements at advanced process nodes, such as double-patterning lithography at 20-nanometers, are driving an industry-wide, intensive focus on newer parasitic modeling techniques to achieve signoff accuracy and performance," said Richard Trihy, director of design methodology at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. The problem is made harder to solve because the requirements are so specific to a given process methods, and not just the physics employed. Without a significant number of new standard formats and practices, design will soon become foundry dependent, significantly impacting the IP industry as well as the business practices of the semiconductor industry.

Checking in with Carol Hallett in the Next Phase of Her Life

Mon, 2012-03-19 18:17 — administrator

Lauro Rizzatti, General Manager of EVE-USA

Carol Hallett and I became fast friends in 2006 when EVE acquired Tharas Systems, where she was vice president of marketing and sales. From then on, we often met for coffee after she joined Real Intent to head marketing and sales. It's an upbeat and positive Carol who called me from her home in Twain Harte, Calif., near Yosemite National Park in mid January where the weather's a beautiful, though unseasonable, 60 degrees.

The Never-ending Evaluation

Wed, 2012-03-07 09:55 — administrator

Donald Cramb, Director of the Consulting Services Division, EVE-USA

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How long did your last EDA tool evaluation take? One month? Three? Six? The EDA industry seems to be the land of the never-ending evaluation. Of course, it’s totally understandable. EDA tools are amazingly complex, and thorough evaluation ensures that you are getting the right tool for the job.

Evaluations also come at a cost. There’s a direct cost to the evaluator, in that evaluations require internal resources that could otherwise be applied to a live project. There’s also an indirect cost to the industry as a whole, as EDA vendors have to loop the cost of evaluations back into the price of their products. Thus, it’s in everybody’s best interests to maximize the efficiency of evaluations. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why EDA evaluations can take forever.

Luc Burgun: More than the EDA360 Idol

Mon, 2012-02-20 10:55 — administrator

Lauro Rizzatti, General Manager EVE-USA, EVE

Many readers of this Blog will know Luc Burgun as the 2010 EDA360 Idol winner who performed the specially tuned version of the Rolling Stones classic “Satisfaction,” charming attendees at that final Denali Party.

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Luc is so much more than a good musician. For starters, he is CEO of EVE, a role he’s held since founding the company in 2000, unusual for the EDA industry. He and I sat over cups of espresso one overcast afternoon in San Francisco to catch up on his life. One of the first things we remarked on was how few technical founders of EDA startups remain in that position after the first few years.

Good 2011 Results for Cadence

Mon, 2012-02-06 19:20 — Gabe Moretti

Last week Cadence reported both its 4Q11 and its fiscal 2011 results. The bottom line is that 2011 was a good year for EDA, at least most of EDA. Cadence reported 4th quarter revenue of $308 million an improvement of 24% over the same period in 2010. For the year Cadence had revenue of $1.150 billion which are 23% more than the previous year. Considering that the market capitalization of the company is around $2.944 billion I agree with Jay Vleeschhouwer that its stock is undervalued at present.

Co-Existence in Hardware-Assisted Verification

Mon, 2012-02-06 10:06 — administrator

Donald Cramb, Director of the Consulting Services Division, EVE

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Looking at the mobile computing space today, we see a wide array of products filling every niche in the market. A consumer could easily own a smartphone, tablet, and eReader, even though there is significant overlap in functionality of these devices. Each has its strengths (and weaknesses) that causes the consumer to purchase more than one. For example, an eReader may leverage display technology that makes it superior to a tablet for reading outdoors. In other cases, multiple devices can complement each other. A cellphone could be used to provide tethering for a tablet. Consumers and manufacturers recognize that there is room for multiple products to coexist within the mobile ecosystem, and in recent years, I’ve seen the same pattern in hardware-assisted verification.

EVE’s Events Season Gets Underway

Tue, 2012-01-24 12:36 — administrator

Cindy Wilson, Marcom Manager, EVE

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It’s only January, but EVE’s event calendar for the first half of 2012 is filling quickly. We kicked off the year with a presentation by Luc Burgun, EVE’s president and CEO, at the 14th Annual Needham Growth Stock Conference January 10. This was the first time we were invited to participate and we were delighted. From all accounts, his presentation was well received.

Pondering the Next Big Idea

Mon, 2012-01-09 09:23 — administrator

Lauro Rizzatti, General Manager of EVE-USA

Not long ago, I overheard a thought-provoking exchange related to the demise of a beloved cultural icon. This conversation gave me pause to consider what intriguing new application is coming next that will displace another symbol of popular culture, much like what’s happened to local book and video stores or hard-wired landline phones. I’m sure some clever entrepreneur is already designing an enabling technology to open a new world for us, beyond our current habits. Gone may be a beloved local store or pink Princess phones, but consider the access to a variety of new adventures offered by these future innovations.

Mentor Looks Good

Fri, 2012-01-06 16:29 — Gabe Moretti

Last November Mentor reported its third quarter fiscal 2012 revenue and showed a nice increase both when compared with the same period the previous year and as compared with the previous quarter. If this trend continues Mentor is on track to break the $1 billion revenue mark for its 2012 fiscal year.

Coming Full Circle

Thu, 2011-12-15 09:26 — administrator

Ron Burns, Vice President of Sales EVE

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rburns@eve-usa.com

We have a running joke in the EVE office in San Jose, Calif., that our children will keep us employed. The truth is, we’re not far off. Our kids are the driving force behind the development of new technology. They are using social media and downloading videos as forms of communication, networking and entertainment, and it’s a constant barrage on an already overworked Internet.