Beginning with a BSEE from Purdue University, Mr. Finch has held a variety of engineering, sales, and executive positions with companies including GenRad, Inc., Boreas, Inc., SemiTest, Inc., and the Brown and Sharp Manufacturing Company. His diverse areas of experience include microprocessor test, superconductivity research, semiconductor metrology tools, and defect analysis for the flat panel and semiconductor industries. Since joining CAST in 2001, Bill has helped shaped the evolving IP business with innovative product ideas and new licensing practices.
1. Impact of New Super Size
FPGAs
IP-SoC
December 2011
Bill Finch – Senior VP, CAST, Inc.
2. About CAST
Successful IP provider/developer/partner
Eighteen years experience delivering IP
Original member of both Altera and Xilinx partner programs
Over 1,000 core sales to FPGA users
Unique market approach
We only do IP
Independent of semiconductor technologies and EDA tools
Broad range of IP: 100 cores plus platform IP
Featuring Processors and Controllers, Image & Video
Compression, and the memory, interfaces, and other IP to build
complete systems around them
2 CAST Intro & Overview
3. New Devices = New Opportunities
Enabling more compact and efficient designs
removes blocking issues in many markets
Many advanced features now integral to the silicon
Lower power per function
Changing the economics for low to mid volume
customers
Advanced ASIC designs are hugely expensive
Cost of chips vs. cost of boards
3 CAST Intro & Overview
4. New Devices = New Challenges
SoC designs bring a need to better define
complete architectures up front
Need to integrate many functions into one design
More software / hardware interaction
More IP blocks / functions will be purchased
Different process than buying chips
IP Suppliers will need to be trusted partners
Pre-sale support will be key to IP selection
Choosing the right supplier will be as important as IP
details
4 CAST Intro & Overview