Tinned Copper Clad Copper TCCC Corrosion-Resistant Copper-Clad Tinned Wire,Copper-Clad Copper Tinned Wire Production,Copper-Clad Copper Tinned Wire Processing,Copper-Clad Tinned Wire changzhou yuzisenhan electronic co.,ltd , https://www.ccs-yzsh.com
In the era of big data, chip IC design is difficult to parry
In the age of "big data," are chip designers themselves leveraging this powerful resource? They are surrounded by vast amounts of raw data—generated by tools from various EDA vendors. However, have they found effective ways to use big data to optimize and accelerate chip design?
When we talk about "big data," it's hard to ignore its impact. It has become a game-changer in fields like biotechnology, finance, agriculture, education, and transportation. Every industry is eager to harness it to transform their core operations.
But what about the semiconductor sector?
To address this, ICManage Inc., a provider of design data and IP management software for chip companies, recently launched its "Big Data Labs."
DeanDrako, CEO of ICManage, described BigDataLabs as a "platform" aimed at helping chip design customers "develop and customize new design analysis tools based on big data."
In the "big data" era, semiconductor companies are already designing chips for data centers. But the real question is: do these chip designers themselves use big data? They already have access to massive amounts of raw data from different EDA tools.
However, have electronic designers found a good way to use big data to optimize and speed up chip design? The answer, simply put, is "not yet."
Of course, the semiconductor industry has been using data management software for years. Laurie Balch, chief analyst at GarySmithEDA, explained that ICManage has always focused on providing "a tool that keeps large amounts of data secure and organized so it can be accessed by others." But when it comes to analysis tools that help IC designers apply data to intelligent decision-making, Balch said, "We're still in the early stages, just beginning to make it usable."
ICManage isn't a traditional EDA vendor. Balch clarified that it doesn't produce standard EDA tools like simulation, synthesis, or layout. Instead, the company specializes in "EDA enterprise tools" and is positioned in the IC design database market.
In an era where electronic design generates massive amounts of data, Balch noted that chip suppliers are facing growing challenges in managing this data effectively. ICManage may be one of the first to propose a solution.
Unstructured data
Drako explained that, by definition, "big data" consists of large volumes of unstructured data. He admitted that the field of electronic design faces significant challenges with this kind of data—from various EDA tools.
Most IC designers don’t have the tools or expertise to process and understand this data efficiently. After all, doing so is time-consuming and resource-intensive.
Drako also emphasized that linking independent data sets across tools and vendors is no easy task. He added, “Only a few industries and companies have the expertise and resources to quickly develop actionable insights and create management solutions.â€
This is where ICManage sees an opportunity.
Drako explained that ICManage combines unstructured data with structured design data. “By integrating unstructured data (like verification logs) with structured data (electronic design data), we create a hybrid database,†which enables high-performance, advanced EDA analysis.
ICManage’s key technology—BigDataLabs—how does it create this hybrid database?
The goal is to build a platform that offers visual analysis and helps users generate interactive reports.
Chip sample prediction
This isn’t the first time ICManage has provided big data tools to chip vendors. A few years ago, the company introduced a product called 'EnvisionDesignProgressAnalytics,' which helped customers predict the development of their new chips.
With the launch of BigDataLabs, ICManage is taking things a step further. It's not enough to organize big data and make it available across teams. The company aims to collaborate closely with customers and EDA tool vendors to develop and customize new tools that track designer contributions, revision history, IP reuse, and more.
These tools allow designers to see the impact of their decisions on the overall design process. Drako pointed out that such analysis will support better-informed decisions.
Functional verification tools
ICManage also launched EnvisionVerification, the first verification and analysis tool built on the BigDataLabs platform. According to ICManage, the tool leverages the platform’s ability to connect to a multi-vendor environment, offering “nearly immediate visual analysis.â€
Drako explained, “EnvisionVerification collects validation data from different EDA environments—like Verilog, Mentor, and Cadence—and tracks design activity, regression testing, verification status, and errors.â€
Without such big data-driven verification, Drako said, “Traditionally, if you're part of a 300-person team, you might spend a lot of time asking around: ‘What did you change?’ ‘Have you run tests?’ ‘Who broke it?’ ‘Did we miss something?’â€
Interactive reports from Envision help accelerate functional verification analysis by 10 to 100 times. Not only can bottlenecks be identified, but root causes of issues during verification can also be pinpointed.
Balch highlighted that verification is a “major challenge†for electronic designers. She noted that the goal is to get it right the first time, given the high cost of chip redesigns. Verification involves many aspects, and results can vary depending on operating conditions, so understanding edge cases is crucial.
The first tool from ICManage’s latest BigDataLabs is this functional verification tool. Other logical big data analysis products include physical verification, timing analysis, and power consumption.
Drako noted that functional verification includes various parts, such as simulations for semiconductors, circuits, digital, and analog designs. Balch believes ICManage will continue developing its functional verification tools for the long term, including custom options.
Who uses this tool?
Balch acknowledged that the adoption of data management tools “takes off slowly†among chip companies. Budget constraints often lead designers to prioritize core design tools over big data analysis tools. “They don’t think it’s important, but they also believe it applies only to large teams.â€
As the semiconductor industry undergoes major mergers and acquisitions, the pace of change may be faster than expected. For example, if Broadcom acquires Qualcomm, imagine the complexity of managing data for the two massive design teams. The merged company would need to monitor progress across teams to ensure seamless sharing of design information and IP.