Vesper, the maker of piezoelectric sensors used in microphone production and winner of CES Innovation Award 2018 raised a $23M Series B round. American Family Ventures led the investment with participation from Accomplice, Amazon Alexa Fund, Baidu, Bose Ventures, Hyperplane, Sands Capital, Shure, Synaptics, ZZ Capital and some undisclosed investors.

Vesper’s innovative sensors can be used in consumer electronics like TV remote controls, smart speakers, smartphones, intelligent sensor nodes, and hearables. The company will use the funding proceeds to scale-up its functions like mass production of its microphones and support expanded research and development, hiring, and establishing international sales offices.

The main product of Vesper is VM1000, a low noise, high range,single-ended analog output piezoelectric MEMS microphone. It consists of a piezoelectric sensor and circuitry to buffer and amplify the output.

The hot-selling product of Vesper is VM1010 with ZeroPower Listening which is the first MEMS microphone that enables voice activation to battery-powered consumer devices.

The unique selling point of Vesper’s products is they are built to operate in rugged environments that have dust and moisture.

"Vesper's ZeroPower Listening capabilities coupled with its ability to withstand water, dust, oil, and particulate contaminants enables users that have never before been possible," said Katelyn Johnson, principal of American Family Ventures. "We are excited about Vesper's quest to transform our connected world, including IoT devices."

Other recent funding news include $24 raised by sensor-based baby sock maker Owlet, IFTTT banks $24M from Salesforce to scale its IoT Enterprise offering, and Intel sells its Wind River Software to TPG.

Smart baby monitor company Nanit raised a $14M Series B round led by Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP). Other investors that participated include existing investors Upfront Ventures, RRE Ventures, Vulcan Capital and Vaal Investment Partners. The latest investment brings total equity funding of Nanit to $30M.

Nanit announced it will use the funding proceeds to expand its team of computer vision and machine learning engineers and grow its sales in Europe and Canada.

Nanit’s baby monitor helps new parents oversee nursery conditions as it has built-in temperature and humidity sensors. The camera lets parents remotely monitor baby’s crib whereas sound and motion are detected via smart sensors.

The monitor’s insights can be accessed via an accompanying mobile app. Nanit charges $10 per month for its premium package.

The key use cases of Nanit’s baby monitoring technology include sleep insights, behavioral analysis, expert guidance, and nightly video summaries. The company currently sells its smart monitors via its website.

EV Ultimo launches platform to assist brands, buyers, stakeholders in the Electric Vehicles ecosystem

[SAPS] One hundred and seventy one (171) murder suspects, 261 attempted murder suspects and 250 suspected rapists were among 12 593 suspects who were arrested during various operations by police in KwaZulu-Natal in the month of October. During such operations police also managed to recover 345 firearms and 2 998 rounds of ammunition of various calibre of firearms. Among the recovered firearms were 23 rifles and 17 homemade illegal guns.

[GroundUp] Former Lavender Hill gangster died on 29 October

[SAnews.gov.za] With the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) taking place this week, South Africa expects the COP29 Presidency to enhance efforts to finalise the New Collective Quantified Goal on Finance (NCQG), which is a matter of great importance for developing economies.

[The Conversation Africa] Despite the flaws in the latest novel by South African writer Nthikeng Mohlele, there is something alluring about Revolutionaries' House. It is Mohlele's most political novel, and the parallels drawn between love and politics - and their pitfalls - are intriguing.

PCI-SIG DevCon 2024 – 32^nd Anniversary

For more than a decade, Cadence has been well-known in the industry for its strong commitment and support for PCIe technology. We recognize the importance of ensuring a robust PCIe ecosystem and appreciate the leadership PCI-SIG provides. To honor the 32^nd anniversary of the PCI-SIG Developer’s Conference, Cadence is announcing a complete PCIe 7.0 IP solution for HPC/AI markets.

Why Are Standards Like PCIe So Important?

From the simplest building blocks like GPIOs to the most advanced high-speed interfaces, IP subsystems are the lifeblood of the chipmaking ecosystem. A key enabler for IP has been the collaboration between industry and academia in the creation of standards and protocols for interfaces. PCI-SIG drives some of the key definitions and compliance specifications and ensures the interoperability of interface IP.

HPC/AI markets continue to demand high throughput, low latency, and power efficiency. This is fueling technology advancements, ensuring the sustainability of PCIe technology for generations to come. As a close PCI-SIG member, we gain valuable early insights into the evolving specs and the latest compliance standards. PCIe 7.0 specifications and beyond will enable the market to scale, and we look forward to helping our customers build best-in-class cutting-edge SoCs using Cadence IP solutions.

Figure 1. Evolution of PCIe Data Rates (source PCI-SIG)

What’s New This Year at DevCon?

At DevCon ’24, the PCIe 7.0 standard will take center stage, and Cadence is showing off a full suite of IP subsystem solutions for PCIe 7.0 this year.

What Sets Cadence Apart?

At Cadence, we believe in building a full subsystem for our testchips with eight lanes of PHY along with a full 8-lane controller. Adding a controller to our testchip significantly increases the efficiency and granularity in characterization and stress testing and enables us to demonstrate interoperability with real-world systems. We are also able to test the entire protocol stack as an 8-lane solution that encompasses many of the applications our customers use in practice. This approach significantly reduces the risks in our customers’ SoC designs.

Figure 2: Piper - Cadence PHY IP for PCIe 7.0

Figure 3: Industry’s first IP subsystem for PCIe 7.0

Which Market Is This For?

At a time when accelerated computing has gone mainstream, PCIe links are going to take on a role of higher importance in systems. Direct GPU-to-GPU communication is crucial for scaling out complex computational tasks across multiple graphics processing units (GPUs) or accelerators within servers or computing pods. There is a growing recognition within the industry of a need for scalable, open architecture in high-performance computing. As AI and data-intensive applications evolve, the demand for such technologies will likely increase, positioning PCIe 7.0 as a critical component in the next generation of interface IP.

Here's a recent article describing a potential use case for PCIe 7.0.

Figure 4: Example use case for PCIe 7.0

Why Are Optical Links Important?

It takes multiple buildings of data centers to train AI/ML models today. These buildings are increasingly being distributed across geographies, requiring optical fiber networks that are great at handling the increased bandwidth over long distances. However, these optical modules soon hit a power wall where all the budgeted power is used to drive the signal from point A to point B, and there is not enough power left to run the actual CPUs and GPUs. Such scenarios create a need for non-retimed, linear topologies. Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO) links can significantly reduce module power consumption and latency when compared to traditional Digital Signal Processing (DSP) based retimed optical solutions, which is critical for accelerating AI performance. Swapping from DSP-based solutions to LPO results in significant cost savings that help drive down expenditure due to lower power and cooling requirements, but this requires a robust high-performance ASIC to drive the optics rather than retimers/DSP.

To showcase the robustness of Cadence IP, we have demonstrated that our subsystem testchip board for PCIe 7.0 can successfully transmit and receive 128GT/s signals through a non-retimed opto-electrical link configured in an external loopback mode with multiple orders of margin to spare.

Figure 5: Example of ASIC driving linear optics

Compliance Is Key

For PCIe 6.0, the official compliance program has not started yet; this is typical for the SIG where the official compliance follows a few years after the spec is ratified to give enough time for the ecosystem to have initial products ready, and for test and equipment vendors to get their hardware/software up and running. At this time, PCIe Gen6 implementations can only be officially certified up to PCIe 5.0 level (the highest official compliance test suite that the SIG supports). We have taken our PCIe 6.0 IP subsystem solution to the SIG for multiple process nodes, and they are all listed as compliant. You can run this query on the pcisig.com website under the Developers->Integrators list by making the following selections:

Due to space limitations, not all combinations could be tested at the May workshop (e.g., N3 root port) – this will be tested in the next workshop.

Also, the SIG just held an “FYI” compliance event this week to bring together the ecosystem for confidential testing (no results were reported, and data cannot be shared outside without violating the PCI-SIG NDA). We participated in the event with multiple systems and can report that our systems have done quite well. The test ecosystem is not mature yet, and a few more FYI workshops will be conducted before the official compliance for 6.0 is launched. We have collaborated with all the key test vendors for electrical and protocol testing throughout the year. As early as the middle of last year, we were able to provide test cards to all these vendors to demo PCIe 6.0 capabilities in their booths at various events. Many of them recorded these videos, and they can be found online.

• Cadence Subsystem IP for PCIe 6.0: Protocol and Electrical Testing
• Cadence Subsystem IP for CXL Protocol Test Demo
• Cadence Subsystem IP for CXL2.0/3.0 Protocol Test Demo
• Cadence Subsystem IP for PCIe 6.0: Protocol Stack Demo

More at the PCI-SIG Developers Conference

Check us out at the PCI-SIG Developer’s conference on June 12 and 13 to see the following demonstrations:

• Robust performance of Cadence IP for PCIe 7.0 transmitting and receiving 128GT/s signals over non-retimed optics
• Capabilities of Cadence IP for PCIe 7.0 measured using oscilloscope instrumentation detailing its stable electrical performance and margin
• The reliability of Cadence IP for PCIe 6.0 interface using Test Equipment to characterize the PHY receiver quality
• A PCI-SIG-compliant Cadence IP subsystem for PCIe 6.0 optimized for both power and performance

As a leader in PCI Express, Anish Mathew of Cadence will share his valuable insights on an important topic: “Impact of UIO ECN on PCIe Controller Design and Performance,” highlighting the strides made by the Cadence design team in achieving this implementation.

Figure 6: Cadence UIO Implementation Summary

Summary

Cadence showcased PCIe 7.0-ready IP at PCI-SIG Developers Conference 2023 and continues to lead in PCIe IP development, offering complete solutions in advanced nodes for PCIe 7.0 that will be generally available early next year. With a full suite of solutions encompassing PHYs, Controllers, Software, and Verification IP, Cadence is proud to be a member of the PCI-SIG community and is heavily invested in PCIe. Cadence was the first IP provider to bring complete subsystem solutions for PCIe 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 with industry-leading PPA and we are proud to continue this trend with our latest IP subsystem solution for PCIe 7.0, which sets new benchmarks for power, performance, area, and time to market.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of automotive electronics, traditional monolithic design approaches are giving way to something more flexible and powerful—chiplets. These modular microchips, which are themselves parts of a whole silicon system, offer unparalleled potential for improving system performance, reducing manufacturing costs, and accelerating time-to-market in the automotive sector. However, the transition to working with chiplets in automotive electronics is not without its challenges.

Designers must now grapple with a new set of considerations, such as die-to-die interconnect standards, complex processes, and the integration of diverse IPs. Advanced toolsets and standardized design approaches are required to meet these challenges head-on and elevate the potential of chiplets in automotive innovation. In the following discourse, we will explore in detail the significance of chiplets in the context of automotive electronics, the obstacles designers face when working with this paradigm, and how Cadence comprehensive suite of IPs, tools, and flows is pioneering solutions to streamline the chiplet design process.

Unveiling Chiplets in Automotive Electronics

For automotive electronics, chiplets offer a methodology to modularize complex functionalities, integrate different chiplets into a package, and significantly enhance scalability and manufacturability. By breaking down semiconductor designs into a collection of chiplets, each fulfilling specific functions, automotive manufacturers can mix and match chiplets to rapidly prototype new designs, update existing ones, and specialize for the myriad of use cases found in vehicles today.

The increasing significance of chiplets in automotive electronics comes as a response to several industry-impacting phenomena. The most obvious among these is the physical restriction of Moore's Law, as large die sizes lead to poor yields and escalating production costs. Chiplets with localized process specialization can offer superior functionality at a more digestible cost, maintaining a growth trajectory where monolithic designs cannot. Furthermore, chiplets support the assembly of disparate technologies onto a single subsystem, providing a comprehensive yet adaptive solution to the diverse demands present in modern vehicles, such as central computing units, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), infotainment units, and in-vehicle networks. This chiplet-based approach to functional integration in automotive electronics necessitates intricate design, optimization, and validation strategies across multiple domains.

The Complexity Within Chiplets

Yet, with the promise of chiplets comes a series of intricate design challenges. Chiplets necessitate working across multiple substrates and technologies, rendering the once-familiar 2-dimensional design space into the complex reality of multi-layered, sometimes even three-dimensional domains. The intricacies embedded within this design modality mandate devoting considerable attention to partitioning trade-offs, signal integrity across multiple substrates, thermal behavior of stacked dies, and the emergence of new assembly design kits to complement process design kits (PDKs).

To effectively address these complexities, designers must wield sophisticated tools that facilitate co-design, co-analysis, and the creation of a robust virtual platform for architectural exploration. Standardizations like the Universal Chip Interconnect Express (UCIe) have been influential, providing a die-to-die interconnect foundation for chiplets that is both standardized and automotive-ready. The availability of UCIe PHY and controller IP from Cadence and other leading developers further eases the integration of chiplets in automotive designs.

The Role of Foundries and Packaging in Chiplets

Foundries have also pivoted their services to become a vital part of the chiplet process, providing specialized design kits that cater to the unique requirements of chiplets. In tandem, packaging has morphed from being a mere logistical afterthought to a value-added aspect of chiplets. Organizations now look to packaging to deliver enhanced performance, reduced power consumption, and the integrity required by the diverse range of technologies encompassed in a single chip or package. This shift requires advanced multiscale design and analysis strategies that resonate across a spectrum of design domains.

Tooling Up for Chiplets with Cadence

Cadence exemplifies the rise of comprehensive tooling and workflows to facilitate chiplet-based automotive electronics design. Their integrations address the challenges that chiplet-based SoCs present, ensuring a seamless design process from the initial concept to production. The Cadence suite of tools is tailored to work across design domains, ensuring coherence and efficiency at every step of the chiplet integration process.

For instance, Cadence Virtuoso RF subflows have become critical in navigating radio frequency (RF) challenges within the chiplets, while tools such as the Integrity 3D-IC Platform and the Allegro Advanced Multi-Die Package Design Solution have surfaced to enable comprehensive multi-die package designs. The Integrity Signal Planner extends its capabilities into the chiplet ecosystem, providing a centralized platform where system-wide signal integrity can be proactively managed. Sigrity and Celsius, on the other hand, offer universally applicable solutions that take on the challenges of chiplets in signal integrity and thermal considerations, irrespective of the design domain. Each of these integrated analysis solutions underscores the intricate symphony between technology, design, and packaging essential in unlocking the potential of chiplets for automotive electronics.

Cadence portfolio includes solutions for system analysis, optimization, and signoff to complement these domain-specific tools, ensuring that the challenges of chiplet designs don't halt progress toward innovative automotive electronics. Cadence enables designers to engage in power- and thermal-aware design practices through their toolset, a necessity as automotive systems become increasingly sophisticated and power-efficient.

A Standardized Approach to Success with Chiplets

Cadence’s support for UCIe underscores the criticality of standardized approaches for heterogeneous integration by conforming to UCIe standards, which numerous industry stakeholders back. By co-chairing the UCIe Automotive working group, Cadence ensures that automotive designs have a universal and standardized Die-to-Die (D2D) high-speed interface through which chiplets can intercommunicate, unleashing the true potential of modular design.

Furthermore, Cadence champions the utilization of virtual platforms by providing transaction-level models (TLMs) for their UCIe D2D IP to simulate the interaction between chiplets at a higher level of abstraction. Moreover, individual chiplets can be simulated within a chiplet-based SoC context leveraging virtual platforms. Utilizing UVM or SCE-MI methodologies, TLMs, and virtual platforms serve as first lines of defense in identifying and addressing issues early in the design process before physical silicon even enters the picture.

Navigating With the Right Tools

The road to chiplet-driven automotive electronics is one paved with complexity, but with a commitment to standards, it is a path that promises significant rewards. By leveraging Cadence UCIe Design and Verification IP, tools, and methodologies, automotive designers are empowered to chart a course toward chiplets and help to establish a chiplet ecosystem. With challenges ranging from die-to-die interconnect to standardization, heterogeneous integration, and advanced packaging, the need for a seamless integrated flow and highly automated design approaches has never been more apparent. Companies like Cadence are tackling these challenges, providing the key technology for automotive designers seeking to utilize chiplets for the next-generation E/E architecture of vehicular technology.

In summary, chiplets have the potential to revolutionize the automotive electronics industry, breathing new life into the way vehicles are designed, manufactured, and operated. By understanding the significance of chiplets and addressing the challenges they present, automotive electronics is poised for a paradigm shift—one that combines the art of human ingenuity with the power of modular and scalable microchips to shape a future that is not only efficient but truly intelligent.

Learn more about how Cadence can help to enable automakers and OEMs with various aspects of automotive design.

The automotive industry is currently on the cusp of a radical evolution, steering towards a future where cars are not just vehicles but sophisticated, software-defined vehicles (SDV). This shift is marked by an increased reliance on automation and a significant increase in the use of sensors to improve safety and reliability. However, the increasing number of sensors has led to higher compute demands and poses challenges in managing a wide variety of data. The traditional method of using separate processors to manage each sensor's data is becoming obsolete. The current trends necessitate a unified processing system that can deal with multimodal sensor data, utilizing traditional Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and AI-driven algorithms. This approach allows for more efficient and reliable sensor fusion, significantly enhancing vehicle perception. Developers often face difficulties adhering to stringent power, performance, area, and cost (PPAC) and timing constraints while designing automotive SoCs.

Cadence, with its groundbreaking products and AI-powered processors, is enabling designers and automotive manufacturers to meet the future sensor fusion demands within the automotive sector. At the recent CadenceLive Silicon Valley 2024, Amol Borkar, product marketing director at Cadence, showcased the company's dedication and forward-thinking solutions in a captivating presentation titled "Addressing Tomorrow’s Sensor Fusion Needs in Automotive Computing with Cadence." This blog aims to encapsulate the pivotal takeaways from the presentation. If you missed the chance to watch this presentation live, please click here to watch it.

Significant Trends in the Automotive Market – Industry Landscape

We are witnessing a revolution in automotive technology. Innovations like occupant and driver monitoring systems (OMS, DMS), 4D radar imaging, LiDAR technology, and 360-degree view are pushing the boundaries of what's possible, leading us into an era of remarkable autonomy levels—ranging from no feet or hands required to eventually no eyes needed on the road.

Sensor Fusion and Increasing Processing Demands—Sensor fusion effectively integrates data from different sensors to help vehicles understand their surroundings better. Its main benefit is in overcoming the limitations of individual sensors. For example, cameras provide detailed visual information but struggle in low-light or lousy weather. On the other hand, radar is excellent at detecting objects in these conditions but lacks the detail that cameras provide. By combining the data from multiple sensors, automotive computing can take advantage of their strengths while compensating for their weaknesses, resulting in a more reliable and robust system overall.

One thing to note is that the increased number of sensors produces various data types, leading to more pre-processing.

On-Device Processing—As the industry moves towards autonomy, there is an increasing need for on-device data processing instead of cloud computing to enable vehicles to make informed decisions. Embracing on-device processing is a significant advancement for facilitating real-time decisions and avoiding round-trip latency.

AI Adoption—AI has become integral to automotive applications, driving safety, efficiency, and user experience advancements. AI models offer superior performance and adaptability, making future-proofing a crucial consideration for automotive manufacturers. AI significantly enhances sensor fusion algorithms, offering scalability and adaptability beyond traditional rule-based approaches. Neural networks enable various fusion techniques, such as early fusion, late fusion, and mid-fusion, to optimize the integration and processing of sensor data.

Future Sensor Fusion Needs

Automotive architectures are continually evolving. With current trends and AI integration into radar and sensor fusion applications, SoCs should be modular, flexible, and programmable to meet market demands.

Heterogeneous Architecture- Today's vehicles are loaded with various sensors, each with a unique processing requirement. Running the application on the most suitable processor is essential to achieve the best PPA. To meet such requirements, modern automotive solutions require a heterogeneous compute approach, integrating domain-specific digital signal processors (DSPs), neural processing units (NPUs), central processing unit (CPU) clusters, graphics processing unit (GPU) clusters, and hardware accelerator blocks. A balanced heterogeneous architecture gives the best PPA solution.

Flexibility and Programmability- The industry has come a long way from using computer vision algorithms such as HOG (Histogram Oriented Gradient) to detect people and objects, HAR classifier to detect faces, etc., to CNN and LSTM-based AI to Transformer models and graphical neural networks (GNN). AI has evolved tremendously over the last ten years and continues to evolve. To keep up with the evolving rate of AI, SoC design must be flexible and programmable for updates if needed in the future.

Addressing the Sensor Fusion Needs with Cadence

Cadence offers a complete suite of hardware and software products to address the increasing compute requirements in automotive. The comprehensive portfolio of Tensilica products built on the robust 32-bit RISC architecture caters to various automotive CPU and AI needs. What makes them particularly appealing is their scalability, flexibility, and configurability, offering many options to meet diverse needs.

The Xtensa family of products offers high-quality, power-efficient CPUs. Tensilica family also includes AI processors like Neo NPUs for the best power, performance, and area (PPA) for AI inference on devices or more extensive applications. Cadence also offers domain-specific products for DSPs such as HIFI DSPs, specialized DSPs and accelerators for radar and vision-based processing, and a general-purpose family of products for floating point applications.

The ConnX family offers a wide range of DSPs, from compact and low-power to high-performance, optimized for radar, lidar, and communications applications in ADAS, autonomous driving, V2X, 5G/LTE/4G, wireless communications, drones, and robotics. Tensilica's ISO26262 certification ensures compliance with automotive safety standards, making it a trusted partner for advanced automotive solutions. The Cadence NeuroWeave Software Development Kit (SDK) provides customers with a uniform, scalable, and configurable ML interface and tooling that significantly improves time to market and better prepares them for a continuously evolving AI market. Cadence Tensilica offers an entire ecosystem of software frameworks and compilers for all programming styles.

Tensilica's comprehensive software stack supports programming for DSPs, NPUs, and accelerators using C++, OpenCL, Halide, and various neural network approaches. Middleware libraries facilitate applications such as SLAM, radar processing, and Eigen libraries, providing robust support for automotive software development.

Conclusion

Cadence’s Tensilica products offer a development toolchain and various IPs tailored for the automotive industry, covering audio, vision, radar, unified DSPs, and NPUs. With ISO certification and a robust partner ecosystem, Tensilica solutions are designed to meet the future needs of automotive computing, ensuring safety, efficiency, and innovation.

Learn More

• Cadence Automotive Solutions
• Cadence Automotive IP
• Sensor Fusion and ADAS in TSMC Automotive Processes
• Revolution on the Road: How Cadence is Driving the Future of Automotive Design!
• Taming Design Complexity in Chiplet-Based Automotive Electronics
• UCIe and Automotive Electronics: Pioneering the Chiplet Revolution

The generative AI market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the increasing parameter size of Large Language Models (LLMs). This growth is pushing the boundaries of performance requirements for training hardware within data centers. For an in-depth look at this, consider the insights provided in "HBM3E: All About Bandwidth". Once trained, these models are deployed across a diverse range of applications. They are transforming sectors such as finance, meteorology, image and voice recognition, healthcare, augmented reality, high-speed trading, and industrial, to name just a few.

The critical process that utilizes these trained models is called AI inference. Inference is the capability of processing real-time data through a trained model to swiftly and effectively generate predictions that yield actionable outcomes. While the AI market has primarily focused on the requirements of training infrastructure, there is an anticipated shift towards prioritizing inference as these models are deployed.

The computational power and memory bandwidth required for inference are significantly lower than those needed for training. Inference engines typically need between 300-700GB/s of memory bandwidth, compared to 1-3TB/s for training. Additionally, the cost of inference needs to be lower, as these systems will be widely deployed not only in data centers but also at the network's edge (e.g., 5G) and in end-user equipment like security cameras, cell phones, and automobiles.

When designing an AI inference engine, there are several memory options to consider, including DDR, LPDDR, GDDR, and HBM. The choice depends on the specific application, bandwidth, and cost requirements. DDR and LPDDR offer good memory density, HBM provides the highest bandwidth but requires 2.5D packaging, and GDDR offers high bandwidth using standard packaging and PCB technology.

The GDDR7 standard, announced by JEDEC in March of this year, features a data rate of up to 192GB/s per device, a chip density of 32Gb, and the latest data integrity features. The high data rate is achieved by using PAM3 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) with 3 levels (+1, 0, -1) to transmit 3 bits over 2 cycles, whereas the current GDDR6 generation uses NRZ (non-return-to-zero) to transmit 2 bits over 2 cycles.

GDDR7 offers many advantages for AI Inference having the best balance of bandwidth and cost. For example, an AI Inference system requiring 500GB/s memory bandwidth will need only 4 GDDR7 DRAM running at 32Gbp/s (32 data bits x 32Gbp/s per pin = 1024Gb/s per DRAM). The same system would use 13 LPDDR5X PHYs running at 9.6Gbp/s, which is currently the highest data rate available (32 data bits x 9.6Gb/s = 307Gb/s per DRAM).

Cadence stands at the forefront of AI inference hardware support, being the first IP company to roll out GDDR7 PHYs capable of impressive speeds up to 36Gb/s across various process nodes. This milestone builds on Cadence's established leadership in GDDR6 PHY IP, which has been available since 2019. The company caters to a diverse client base spanning AI inference, graphics, automotive, and networking equipment.

While GDDR7 continues to utilize standard PCB board technology, the increased signal speeds seen in GDDR6 (20Gbp/s) and now GDDR7 (36Gb/s) calls for careful attention with the physical design to ensure optimized system performance. In addition to providing the PHY, Cadence also offers comprehensive PCB and package reference design, which are essential in helping customers achieve optimal signal and power integrity (SI/PI) for their systems.

Cadence is dedicated to ensuring customer success beyond just providing hardware. They provide expert support in SI/PI, collaborating closely with customers throughout the design process. This approach ensures that customers can benefit from Cadence's expertise in navigating the complexities of high-speed design and achieving optimal performance in their AI inference systems.

As the AI market continues to advance, Cadence remains at the forefront by offering a comprehensive memory IP portfolio tailored for every segment of this dynamic market. From DDR5 and HBM3E, which cater to the intensive demands of training in servers and high-performance computing (HPC), to LPDDR5X designed for low-end inference at the network edge and in consumer devices, Cadence's offerings cover a wide range of applications.

Looking to the future, Cadence is dedicated to innovating at the forefront of memory system performance, ensuring that the evolving needs of AI training and inference are met with the highest standards of excellence. Whether it's pushing the boundaries with GDDR7 or exploring new technologies, Cadence is dedicated to driving the AI revolution forward, one breakthrough at a time.

Learn more about Cadence GDDR7 PHY

Learn more about Cadence Simulation VIP for GDDR7.

Hi everyone,

I'm designing a digital chip that will be fabricated. I have a HDL top module that includes several submodules inside it. I want to define the position of some of the submodules during the PnR so that later I can specify there positions in the Micrograph photo after the IC fabrication. When I perform the PnR using Innovus, I always got a layout shape where the submodules seems to be flatted. I wonder if there is a way to specify the placement of each submodule in my top module  (maybe in the tcl file) during the PnR so later I can define there positions in the micrograph photo. 

Thanks in Advance!

I am trying to remove the cdn_loop_breaker cells from the netlist. 
When I tried the below 2 things, genus synthesis tool removing the cdn_loop_breaker cells but while connecting the cdn_loop_breaker cell input to its proper connection, its somehow misleading the connections

Things i tried:
1.  remove_cdn_loop_breaker -instances *cdn_loop_breaker*
then i just ran remove_cdn_loop_breaker  comand without the -instances switch
2. remove_cdn_loop_breaker  
     
both of the above things are not providing the proper connections after removing the loop_breaker_cells

can anyone suggest the best possible workaround for this please?

Hi all,

I'm trying to model the clock of a clock doubler. The doubler consists of a delay cell and an XOR gate, which generates a pulse on both the rising and falling edge of the input clock. I've created a simple module to evaluate this. In this case, DEL1 and XOR2 are standard library cells. There is a don_touch constraint on both library cells as well as on clk_d.

module top (
input wire clk,
output reg Q);

//Doubler
wire clk_d;
wire clk_2x;
DEL1 u_delay (.I(clk),.Z(clk_d));
XOR2 u_xor (.A1(clk),.A2(clk_d),.Z(clk_2x));

//FF for connecting the clock to some leaf:
always @(posedge clk_2x) Q<=~Q;

endmodule

My SDC looks like this:

create_clock [get_ports {clk}] -name clk_i -period 100
set_clock_latency -rise 0.1 [get_pins u_xor/Z]
set_clock_latency -fall 0.4 [get_pins u_xor/Z]
create_generated_clock -name clk_2x -edges {1 1 2 2 3} -source clk [get_pins u_xor/Z]

The generated clock is correctly generated but the pulse width is zero. I would be expecting that the pulse width is the difference between fall and rise latency but is not applied:

report_clocks:

report_clocks -generated:

clk_2x is disconnected from the FF after syn_generic. What can I do to model some minimum pulse width? Will innovus later on model this correctly with the delay of DEL1?

Hi,all

  I want to remove some Tests form adexl automatically,there have any function to achieve that?

Hi guys,

I see that inside VNC I can’t resize window boxes by mouse. While pressing the arrow at the box edge and dragging it nothing happens:

is it a bug, or setup change require?

Noted, it only happens when trying to resize window box from left and right side..

Thx

I was trying to remove the cdn_loop_breaker cells from the netlist. 
When I tried the below 2 things, it removing the cdn_loop_breaker cells but while connecting the cdn_loop_breaker cell input to its proper connection, its somehow misleading the connections

Things i tried:
1.  remove_cdn_loop_breaker -instances *cdn_loop_breaker*
then i just ran remove_cdn_loop_breaker  comand without the -instances switch
2. remove_cdn_loop_breaker  
     
both of the above things are not providing the proper connections after removing the loop_breaker_cells

With the DRAM fabrication advancing from 1x to 1y to 1z and further to 1a, 1b and 1c nodes along with the DRAM device speeds going up to 8533 for Lpddr5/8800 for DDR5, Data integrity is becoming a really important issue that the OEMs and other users have to consider as part of the system that relies on the correctness of data being stored in the DRAMs for system to work as designed.

It’s a complicated problem that requires multiple ways to deal with it.

Traditionally one of the main approaches to deal with data errors is to rely on the ECC. ECC requires additional memory storage in which the ECC codes will calculated and stored at the time of memory write to DRAM. These codes will be read back along with the memory data during to the reads and checked against the data to make sure that there are no errors. Typical ECC schemes use Hamming code that provide for single bit error correction and double bit error detection per burst. Also, while several of previous generation of DRAM required Host to keep aside system memory for ECC storage latest DRAMs like Lpddr5 and DDR5 support on die ECC as part of the normal DRAM function that can be enabled using mode registers. DDR5 further requires Host to run through an ECC Error Check and Scrub (ECS) cycle on an average every tECSint time (Average Periodic ECS Interval) to prevent data errors.

Not meeting the DRAM Refresh requirement is a major reason that can lead to loss of data. This could be challenging as the PVT variation can cause the refresh requirement to change over time. Putting the DRAM in Self Refresh mode can help off-loading Refresh tracking responsibilities to DRAM but may prevent Host to do other scheduling optimizations and should be carefully considered.

Some of the other things that can affect the DRAM data are

1. Row hammer where same or adjacent rows are activated again and again leading to loss or changing of data contents in the rows that has not being addressed. Latest DRAMs like Lpddr5/Ddr5 support Refresh Management (including DRFM and ARFM) that allows the Host to compensate for these problems by issuing dedicated RFM commands helping DRAMs deals with potential Data loss issues arising out of Row hammer attacks.
2. Device temperature is another important factor that the Host needs to be aware of and if the application requires DRAM to operate at elevated temperature. The user needs to check with DRAM Vendor on the temperature range that DRAM can still operate. Data integrity at thresholds greater than certain temperature is not assured regardless of refresh rate unless DRAM is manufactured to withstand that.
3. Loss of power to DRAM will cause DRAM to lose all its contents. If this is a real concern for the system designer, they should consider using NVDIMM-N devices which has an onchip controller and a power source which is just enough to allow the DRAM contents to be copied into a backup non-volatile memory before power is lost. When the power is stored back, the stored memory contents in the non-volatile memory will be written back to the DRAM and system can continue to operate as it was before the power loss event occurred.

For transmissions and manufacturing errors DRAMs support additional features like CRC, DFE, Pre-Emphasis and PPR which will be covered in the next blog.

Cadence MMAV VIPs for DDR5/DDR5 DIMM and LPDDR5 are compressive VIP solutions and supports all of the above-listed Data integrity features including support for ECC error injection and SBE correction/DBE detection to assist with the verification challenges dealing with data integrity issues.

More information on Cadence DDR5/LPDDR5 VIP is available at Cadence VIP Memory Models Website.

Shyam 

The automotive industry revolutionized the definition of a vehicle in terms of safety, comfort, enhanced autonomy, and internet connectivity. With this trend, the automotive industry rapidly adopted automotive Ethernet such as 10Base-T1, 100Base-T1, and in some cases, 1000Base-T1. 

Faster Speed (than CAN-FD), Scalability, embedded security protocols (like MacSec), cost and energy efficiency, and simple yet redundant network made Ethernet an obvious choice over CAN(FD) and FlexRay.  

Ethernet 10Base-T1 

10BASE-T1S is defined under IEEE with 802.3cg. The S in 10BASE-T1S stands for a short distance. 10BASE-T1S uses a multidrop topology, where each node connects to a single cable. Multidrop topology eliminates the need for switches and, as a result, fewer cables/less cost. The primary goal of 10BASE-T1S is a deterministic transmission on a collision-free multidrop network. 10BASE-T1S cables use a pair of twisted wires. As per IEEE, at least eight nodes can connect to each, but more connections are feasible.    

The Physical Layer Collision Avoidance [PLCA] protocol ensures that it uses the entire 10 Mbps bandwidth. In 10BaseTs, Reconciliation Sublayer provides optional Physical Layer Collision Avoidance (PLCA) capabilities among participating stations. Using PLCA-enabled Physical Layers in CSMA/CD half-duplex shared-medium networks can provide enhanced bandwidth and improved access latency under heavily loaded traffic conditions. The working principle of PLCA is that transmit opportunities on a mixing segment are granted in sequence based on a node ID unique to the local collision domain (set by the management entity). 10BASE-T1S also supports an arbitration scheme that guarantees consistent node access to the media within a predefined time.  

The 10BASE-T1S PHY is intended to cover the low-speed/low-cost applications in the industrial and automotive environment. A large number of pins (16) required by the MII interface is one of the significant cost factors that must be addressed to fulfill this objective. The 10BASE-T1S "Transceiver" solution is suited for embedded systems where the digital portion of the PHY is fully integrated, e.g., into an MCU or an Ethernet switch core, leaving only the analog portion (the transceiver) into a separate IC. 

Ethernet 100Base-T1/1000Base-T1 

100Base-T1 and 1000Base-T1 can be used for audio/video information. With Higher bandwidth capacity, 100Base-T1/ 1000Base-T1 paired with AVB (Audio video bridging) can be used for car infotainment systems. 100Base-T1/1000Base-T1 paired with time-sensitive networking [TSN] protocol can be used to fulfill the automotive industry's mission-critical, time-sensitive, and deterministic latency needs. 

 PTP Over MacSec  

With today's automotive network, all the Electronic Control Units connected require timing accuracy and network synchronization, Precision Time Protocol (PTP), defined in IEEE 1588, provides synchronized clocks throughout a network.  While maintaining the timing accuracy for mission-critical applications, protecting the vehicle network from vulnerable threats is mandatory, and PTP over MacSec provides the consolidated solution.  

With the availability of the Cadence Verification IP for 10/100/1000BaseT1 and TSN, adopters can start working with these specifications immediately, ensuring compliance with the standard and achieving the fastest path to IP and SoC verification closure. The 10/100/1000GBaseT1 and TSN provide a full-stack solution, including support to the PHY, MAC, and TSN layers with a comprehensive coverage model and protocol checkers. Ethernet BaseT1 and TSN VIP covers all features required for complete coverage verification closure. More details are available in the Ethernet Verification IP portfolio. 

Krunal 

Xcelium Simulator has been in the industry for years and is the leading high-performance simulation platform. As designs are getting more and more complex and verification is taking longer than ever, the need of the hour is plug-and-play apps that ar...(read more)

The rising customer expectations, intermingling fields and high performance needs can be satisfied with the system based design. An intelligent Systems Design strategy can offer a quicker route to an optimum design and helps to increase designers' productivity and analyzes efficiency by providing the ability to explore the entire design space. Cadence Intelligent System Strategy enables a system design revolution and reduces project schedules with optimized continuous integration.(read more)

Community engagement is a dynamic concept that does not adhere to a singular, universal approach. Its various forms, methods, and objectives can vary significantly depending on the specific context, goals, and desired outcomes. Whether you seek assis...(read more)

Melika Roshandell, Cadence product marketing director for the Celsius Thermal Solver, recently published an article in Designing Electronics discussing how the use of modern thermal analysis techniques can help engineers meet the challenges of today’s complex electronic designs, which require ever more functionality and performance to meet consumer demand.

Today’s modern electronic designs require ever more functionality and performance to meet consumer demand. These requirements make scaling traditional, flat, 2D-ICs very challenging. With the recent introduction of 3D-ICs into the electronic design industry, IC vendors need to optimize the performance and cost of their devices while also taking advantage of the ability to combine heterogeneous technologies and nodes into a single package. While this greatly advances IC technology, 3D-IC design brings about its own unique challenges and complexities, a major one of which is thermal management.

To overcome thermal management issues, a thermal solution that can handle the complexity of the entire design efficiently and without any simplification is necessary. However, because of the nature of 3D-ICs, the typical point tool approach that dissects the design space into subsections cannot adequately address this need. This approach also creates a longer turnaround time, which can impact critical decision-making to optimize design performance. A more effective solution is to utilize a solver that not only can import the entire package, PCB, and chiplets but also offers high performance to run the entire analysis in a timely manner.

Celsius Thermal Management Solutions

Cadence offers the Celsius Thermal Solver, a unique technology integrated with both IC and package design tools such as the Cadence Innovus Implementation System, Allegro PCB Designer, and Voltus IC Power Integrity Solution. The Celsius Thermal Solver is the first complete electrothermal co-simulation solution for the full hierarchy of electronic systems from ICs to physical enclosures. Based on a production-proven, massively parallel architecture, the Celsius Thermal Solver also provides end-to-end capabilities for both in-design and signoff methodologies and delivers up to 10X faster performance than legacy solutions without sacrificing accuracy.

By combining finite element analysis (FEA) for solid structures with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for fluids (both liquid and gas, as well as airflow), designers can perform complete system analysis in a single tool. For PCB and IC packaging, engineering teams can combine electrical and thermal analysis and simulate the flow of both current and heat for a more accurate system-level thermal simulation than can be achieved using legacy tools. In addition, both static (steady-state) and dynamic (transient) electrical-thermal co-simulations can be performed based on the actual flow of electrical power in advanced 3D structures, providing visibility into real-world system behavior.

Designers are already co-simulating the Celsius Thermal Solver with Celsius EC Solver (formerly Future Facilities’ 6SigmaET electronics thermal simulation software), which provides state-of-the-art intelligence, automation, and accuracy. The combined workflow that ties Celsius FEA thermal analysis with Celsius EC Solver CFD results in even higher-accuracy models of electronics equipment, allowing engineers to test their designs through thermal simulations and mitigate thermal design risks.

Conclusion

As systems become more densely populated with heat-dissipating electronics, the operating temperatures of those devices impact reliability (device lifetime) and performance. Thermal analysis gives designers an understanding of device operating temperatures related to power dissipation, and that temperature information can be introduced into an electrothermal model to predict the impact on device performance. The robust capabilities in modern thermal management software enable new system analyses and design insights. This empowers electrical design teams to detect and mitigate thermal issues early in the design process—reducing electronic system development iterations and costs and shortening time to market.

To learn more about Cadence thermal analysis products, visit the Celsius Thermal Solver product page and download the Cadence Multiphysics Systems Analysis Product Portfolio.

Starting SPB 23.1, in Allegro X PCB Editor and Allegro X Advanced Package Designer, you can align components by using offset mode. Earlier only spacing mode was available.

Follow these steps to Align Components using Offset Mode:

1. Set Application Mode to Placement Edit.
2. Drag the components that need to be aligned and right-click and choose Align Components.
3. Now, in the Options tab, you will notice Spacing Section with Equal Offset. You can equally and individually offset the components by using the +/- buttons for increment or decrement.

hello, help me!

There are many change in the bump design. I want to design bump by APD.

The bump(die) is a stagger , create it by die generator. 

Because，the pin is not isometric. In order to RDL routing, so the bump is not isometric.

I move the symbol pin in APD symbol edit（as show in the picture）,  and selected symbol RBM write device file, write library symbol.

Export the bga text( bga text out) ,But the bump is not modified, the bump is still stagger.

Can you help me!

pitch2> pitch1

thanks

The application of real-time data processing or responsiveness is crucial, such as in high-performance computing, data centers, or applications requiring low-latency data transfers. It enables efficient use of PCIe bandwidth and resources by intelligently managing memory write operations based on system dynamics and workload priorities. By effectively leveraging Deferrable Memory Write [DMWr], Devices can achieve optimized performance and responsiveness, aligning with the evolving demands of modern computing applications.

What Is Deferrable Memory Write?

Deferrable Memory Write (DMWr) ECN introduced this new memory transaction type, which was later officially incorporated in PCIe 5.0 to CXL2.0. This enhanced type of memory transaction is Deferrable Memory Write [DMWr], which flows as another type of existing Read/Write memory transaction; the major difference of this Deferrable Memory Write, where the Requester attempts to write to a given location in Memory Space using the non-posted DMWr TLP Type, it Postponing their completion of memory write transactions to improve overall system efficiency and performance, those memory write operation can be delay or deferred until other priority task complete.

The Deferrable Memory Write (DMWr) requires the Completer to return an acknowledgment to the Requester and provides a mechanism for the recipient to defer (temporarily refuse to service) the Request.

DMWr provides a mechanism for Endpoints and hosts to choose to carry out or defer incoming DMWr Requests. This mechanism can be used by Endpoints and Hosts to simplify the design of flow control, reduce latency, and improve throughput. The Deferrable Memory writes TLP format in Figure A.

(Fig A) Deferrable Memory writes TLP format.

Example Scenario

Here's how the DMWr works with a simplified example: Imagine a system with an endpoint device (Device A) and a host CPU (Device B). Device B wants to write data to Device A's memory, but due to varying reasons such as system bus congestion or prioritization of other transactions, Device A can defer the completion of the memory write request. Just follow these steps:

1. Initiation of Memory Write: Device B initiates a memory write transaction to Device A. This involves sending the memory write request along with the data payload over the PCIe physical layer link.
2. Acknowledgment and Deferral: Upon receiving the memory write request, Device A acknowledges the transaction but may decide to defer its completion. Device A sends an acknowledgment (ACK) back to Device B, indicating it has received the data and intends to complete the write operation but not immediately.
3. Deferred Completion: Device A defers the completion of the memory write operation to a later, more opportune time. This deferral allows Device A to prioritize other transactions or optimize the use of system resources, such as memory bandwidth or processor availability.
4. Completion and Response: At a later point, Device A completes the deferred memory write operation and sends a completion indication back to Device B. This completion typically includes any status updates or additional information related to the transaction.

Usage or Importance of DMWr

Deferrable Memory Write usage provides the improvement in the following aspects:

• Reduced Latency: By deferring less critical memory write operations, more critical transactions can be processed with lower latency, improving overall system responsiveness.
• Improved Efficiency: Optimizes the utilization of system resources such as memory bandwidth and CPU cycles, enhancing the efficiency of data transfers within the PCIe architecture.
• Enhanced Performance: Allows devices to manage and prioritize transactions dynamically, potentially increasing overall system throughput and reducing contention.

Challenges in the Implementation of DMWr Transactions

The implementation of deferrable memory writes (DMWr) introduces several advancements and challenges in terms of usage and verification:

1. Timing and Synchronization: DMWr allows transactions to be deferred, complicating timing requirements or completing them within acceptable timing windows to avoid protocol violations. Ensuring proper synchronization between devices becomes critical to prevent data loss or corruption.
2. Protocol Compliance: Verification must ensure compliance with ECN PCIe 6.0 and CXL specifications regarding when and how DMWr transactions can be initiated and completed.
3. Performance Optimization: While DMWr can improve overall system performance by reducing latency, verifying its impact on system performance and ensuring it meets expected benchmarks is crucial.
4. Error Handling: Handling errors related to deferred transactions adds complexity. Verifying error detection and recovery mechanisms under various scenarios (e.g., timeout during deferral) is essential.

Verification Challenges of DMWr Transactions

The challenges to verifying the DMWr transaction consist of all checks with respect to Function, Timing, Protocol compliance, improvement, Error scenario, and security usage on purpose, as well as Data integrity at the PCIe and CXL.

1. Functional Verification: Verifying the correct implementation of DMWr at both ends of the PCIe link (transmitter and receiver) to ensure proper functionality and adherence to specifications.
2. Timing Verification: Validating timing constraints associated with deferring writes and ensuring transactions are completed within specified windows without violating protocol rules.
3. Protocol Compliance Verification: Checking that DMWr transactions adhere to PCIe and CXL protocol rules, including ordering rules and any restrictions on deferral based on the transaction type.
4. Performance Verification: Assessing the impact of DMWr on overall system performance, including latency reduction and bandwidth utilization, through simulation and testing.
5. Error Scenario Verification: Creating and testing scenarios to verify error handling mechanisms related to DMWr, such as timeouts, retries, and recovery procedures.
6. Security Considerations: Assessing potential security vulnerabilities related to DMWr, such as data integrity risks during deferred transactions or exposure to timing-based attacks.

Major verification challenges and approaches are timing and synchronization verification in the context of implementing deferrable memory writes (DMWr), which is crucial due to the inherent complexities introduced by deferred transactions. Here are the key issues and approaches to address them:

Timing and Synchronization Issues

1. Transaction Completion Timing:
   • Issue: Ensuring deferred transactions are completed within the specified time window without violating protocol timing constraints.
   • Approach: Design an internal timer and checker to model worst-case scenarios where transactions are deferred and verify that they are complete within allowable latency limits. This involves simulating various traffic loads and conditions to assess timing under different scenarios.
2. Ordering and Dependencies:
   • Issue: Verifying that transactions deferred using DMWr maintain the correct ordering and dependencies relative to non-deferred transactions.
   • Approach: Implement test scenarios that include mixed traffic of DMWr and non-DMWr transactions. Verify through simulation or emulation that dependencies and ordering requirements are correctly maintained across the PCIe link.
3. Interrupt Handling and Response Times:
   • Issue: Verify the handling of interrupts and ensure timely responses from devices involved in DMWr transactions.
   • Approach: Implement test cases that simulate interrupt generation during DMWr transactions. Measure and verify the response times to interrupts to ensure they meet system latency requirements.

In conclusion, while deferrable memory writes in PCIe and CXL offer significant performance benefits, their implementation and verification present several challenges related to timing, protocol compliance, performance optimization, and error handling. Addressing these challenges requires rigorous testing and testbench of traffic, advanced verification methodologies, and a thorough understanding of PCIe specifications and also the motivation behind introducing this Deferrable Write is effectively used in the CXL further. Outcomes of Deferrable Memory Write verify that the performance benefits of DMWr (reduced latency, improved throughput) are achieved without compromising timing integrity or violating protocol specifications.

In summary, PCIe and CXL are complex protocols with many verification challenges. You must understand many new Spec changes and consider the robust verification plan for the new features and backward compatible tests impacted by new features. Cadence's PCIe 6.0 Verification IP is fully compliant with the latest PCIe Express 6.0 specifications and provides an effective and efficient way to verify the components interfacing with the PCIe 6.0 interface. Cadence VIP for PCIe 6.0 provides exhaustive verification of PCIe-based IP and SoCs, and we are working with Early Adopter customers to speed up every verification stage.

More Information

• For more info on how Cadence PCIe Verification IP and TripleCheck VIP enable users to confidently verify PCIe 6.0, see our VIP for PCI Express, VIP for Compute Express Link, and TripleCheck for PCI Express
• See the PCI-SIG website for more details on PCIe in general and the different PCI standards.

Wild River Technology (WRT), the leading supplier of signal integrity measurement and optimization test fixtures for high-speed channels at data rates of up to 224G, has announced the availability of a new advanced channel modeling solution that helps achieve extreme signal integrity design to 70GHz. Read the press release. The CMP-70 program continues the industry-first simulation-to-measurement collaboration with Cadence that was initially established with the CMP-50. Significant resources were dedicated to the development of the CMP-70 by Cadence and WRT over almost three years. The CMP-70 will be on display at DesignCon 2025 , January 28-30, in Cadence booth 827 to benchmark the Cadence Clarity 3D Solver . “I am not a fan of hype-based programs that simply get attention,” remarked Alfred P. Neves, WRT’s co-founder and chief technical officer. “Both Cadence and Wild River brought substantial skills to the table in this project as we continued our industry-first simulation-to-measurement collaboration. The result is a proven, robust and accurate platform that brings extreme signal integrity to 70GHz designs. This application package has also been instrumental in demonstrating the robust 3D EM simulation capability of the Cadence Clarity solver.” “We’re delighted to continue the joint development and validation program with WRT that started with the CMP-50,” said Gary Lytle, product management director at Cadence. “The skilled and experienced signal integrity technologists that both companies bring to the program results in a superior signal integrity solution for our mutual customers.” CMP-70 Solution Features The solution is available both in a standard configuration and as a custom solution for customer-specific stackups and fabrication. The primary target application is to support a 3D EM solver analysis modeling versus the time- and frequency-domain measurement methodologies. The solution features include: The CMP-70 platform, assembled and 100% TDR NIST traceable tested, with custom stands Material Identification overview web-based meeting including anisotropic 3D material identification A cross-section PCB report and structures for using as-fabricated geometries Measured S-parameters, pre-tested for quality (passivity/causality and resampled for time domain simulations) A host of novel crosstalk structures suited for 112G HD level project analysis PCB layout design files (NDA required) An EDA starter library including loss models with industry-first accurate surface roughness models Comprehensive training available for 3D EM analysis – correspondence, material ID in X-Y and Z axis for a host of EDA tools Industry-First Hausdorff Technique The WRT application package also includes an industry-first modified Hausdorff (MHD) technique , included as MATLAB code. This algorithmic approach provides an accurate way to compare two sets of measurements in multi-dimensional space to determine how well they match. The technique is used to compare the results simulated by the Clarity solver with those measured on the CMP-70 platform. The methodology and initial results are shown in the figure below, where the figure of merit (FOM) is calculated from 10, 35, and finally to 50GHz. The MHD algorithm requires a MATLAB license, but WRT also accommodates customer data as another option, where WRT provides the comparison between measured and simulated data. Additional Resources If you are attending DesignCon 2025 , be sure to stop by Cadence booth 827 to see WRT’s CMP-70 advanced channel modeling solution in action with the Clarity 3D Solver. Check out our on-demand webinar, " Validating Clarity 3D Solver Accuracy Through Measurement Correlation ." Learn more about the CMP-70 solution and the Clarity 3D Solver . For more information about Cadence’s full suite of integrated multiphysics simulation solutions, download our Multiphysics System Analysis Solutions Portfolio .

In this edition of the Women in CFD series, we feature Vassiliki Moschou, aka Vicky, senior supervisor at BETA CAE, now part of Cadence. Her career journey serves as an inspiration for anyone who believes that studying in one field and working in another is less desirable. Vicky demonstrates how knowledge gained in one discipline can be effectively applied in another, often providing fresh and intriguing insights. Join us in this conversation to learn more about Vicky, her career path, and her advice for those considering a career in a field different from their studies. Tell us something about yourself. I've lived all my 41 years in the vibrant city of Thessaloniki, Greece. I’m married to my high school sweetheart, and together we're raising two incredible daughters who are 11 and almost 8 years old. These girls are absolutely the center of my world, and every day with them feels like a gift. My entire life, including where I have built my career and family, is deeply rooted in Thessaloniki. It's not just where I am from; it's a big part of who I am. Could you share your educational background and how you first became interested in computational fluid dynamics (CFD)? In 2001, I started my academic journey at the Computer Science Department of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , where I focused on studying signal processing and artificial intelligence. This field fascinated me, and I pursued a master’s degree in the same area to further my expertise. Concurrently, I was involved in European research programs on signal/audio processing and machine learning methodologies. It became evident early on that my career would revolve around software engineering, a path I was fully prepared to pursue. However, everything took a turn when I joined BETA CAE in 2008. It was there that I was introduced to the field of CFD, which was completely unfamiliar to me at the time. This presented a new challenge that I eagerly accepted. I received support from all my colleagues, but I was primarily mentored by two brilliant and dedicated engineers, Michael Giannakidis and Vangelis Skaperdas , who introduced me to the world of CFD. Over time, what was once an unknown territory for me has become my passion. My journey through CFD has been a significant part of my professional growth. In my 30s, I pursued and completed a PhD in systems physiology in collaboration with the Medical and Computer Science Departments of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Our research focused on examining the EGF-activated MAPK pathway (often associated with cancer) from the perspective of complex self-organizing systems. Using graph theory, signal processing, and machine learning, we extracted information from the signals observed in this dynamic, distributed biological system to target novel drug development. What are the different positions you have held within the company, and what responsibilities do you currently hold? I started my career as a junior engineer at BETA CAE (now Cadence). It was a role that plunged me deep into the fascinating worlds of software and CFD, a crucial time of my career filled with learning and growth. My hard work and dedication didn't go unnoticed, and after a few years, I was promoted. That promotion was the first step on a career ladder that I've been ascending ever since. Now, I'm in the position of a senior supervisor. Though my job now involves a wide range of managerial tasks, I'm still deeply passionate about the technical side of things. I love writing code and working through the complexities of our projects, merging my leadership responsibilities with my enthusiasm for the technical facets of our work. What would you be doing if not working in CFD? Had my career taken a different trajectory, I envision myself in a role deeply embedded in human connections—perhaps as the owner of a quaint bakery or a cozy hotel, a teacher, or even venturing into human resources. There's a certain allure in careers that foster direct engagement with people, creating experiences and memories. In fact, I have an inherent desire to connect and communicate with people, aspects that are fundamentally different yet equally fulfilling as my current career. What are some of your favorite pastimes and hobbies? Family is at the center of my leisure time. We love taking short trips to the village, hanging out with our friends, and connecting. Our activities range from solving puzzles in escape rooms to passionately cheering at basketball games, especially since my older daughter has taken up the sport. But beyond these activities, being a mother is my most cherished pastime. The moments I share with my daughters, the lessons we learn together, and the joy we find in everyday adventures are what I hold dear. What are your thoughts on women in technical fields? The landscape for women in technical fields is gradually transforming, a change I observe with optimism and hope. In Greece, the increasing presence of women in engineering is a positive sign. In Cadence specifically, the representation of women is high compared to other tech companies. As a mother to two daughters, I am acutely aware of the importance of being a role model to them. It's crucial to demonstrate that aspirations should not be limited by gender and that the technical field is as much a place for women as it is for men. Encouraging this mindset is vital for the progress of our society and for the empowerment of the next generation of women in technology. Advice from Vicky for those considering a career in a field different from their studies: Learning is a lifelong journey. Embrace every challenge as an opportunity to grow and learn something new. Stay curious and adaptable to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of technology. Being labeled an 'expert' is less important than the willingness to learn and adapt. Finding happiness in your work can lead to natural success. In the epoch of artificial intelligence, train the most powerful neural network: your brain. At Cadence, our commitment is towards establishing an inclusive workspace where women feel empowered to achieve their professional best. Anchored by our One Cadence—One Team ethos, we take pride in fostering a community where our driven, devoted, and skilled women employees excel, making exceptional contributions to our customers, communities, and one another. Are you just like Vicky, venturing beyond your academic background, and considering a career in a different domain while being surrounded by an encouraging and uplifting atmosphere? Then, you won't want to miss exploring career opportunities at Cadence—celebrated as 'A Great Place for Women to Work'! Click the button below to discover your next adventure! Learn more about Cadence Fem.AI Alliance, which aims to lead the gender equity revolution in the AI workforce.

DDR5 DIMM Architectures The DDR5 generation of Double Data Rate DRAM memories has experienced rapid adoption in recent years. In particular, the JEDEC-defined DDR5 Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) cards have become a mainstay for systems looking for high-density, high-bandwidth, off-chip random access memory[1]. Within a short time, the DIMM architecture evolved from an interconnected hierarchy of only SDRAM memory devices (UDIMM[2]) to complex subsystems of interconnected components (RDIMM/LRDIMM/MRDIMM[3]). DIMM Designs and Popular Verification Use Cases The growing complexity of the DIMMs presented a challenge for pre-silicon verification engineers who could no longer simply validate against single DDR5 SDRAM memory models. They needed to consider how their designs would perform against DIMMs connected to each channel and operating at gigahertz clock speeds. To address this verification gap, Cadence developed DDR5 DIMM Memory Models that encapsulated all of the architectural complexities presented by real-world DIMMs based on a robust, easy-to-use, easy-to-debug, and easy-to-reconfigure methodology. This memory-subsystem-in-a-single-instance model has seen explosive adoption among the traditional IP Developer and SOC Integrator customers of Cadence Memory Models. The Cadence DIMM models act as a single unit with all of the relevant DIMM components instantiated and interconnected within, and with all AC/Timing parameters among the various components fully matched out-of-the-box, based on JEDEC specifications as well as datasheets of actual devices in the market. The typical use-case for the DIMM models has been where the DUT is a DDR5 Memory Controller + PHY IP stack, and the validation plan mandated compliance with the JEDEC standards and Memory Device vendor datasheets. Unique Use Case for the DIMM Discrete Component Models Although the Cadence DIMM models have enjoyed tremendous proliferation because of their cohesive implementation and unified user API, the actual DIMM Models are built on top of powerful, flexible discrete component models, each of which was designed to stand on its own as a complete SystemVerilog UVM-based VIP. All of these discrete component models exist in the Cadence VIP Catalog as standalone VIPs, complete with their own protocol compliance checking capabilities and their own configuration mappings comprehensively modeling individual AC/Timing parameters. Because of this deliberate design decision, the Cadence DIMM Discrete Component Models can support a unique use-case scenario. Some users seek to develop IC Designs for the various DIMM components. Such users need verification environments that can model the individual components of a DIMM and allow them the option to replace one or another component with their Component Design IP. They can then validate that their component design is fully compatible with the rest of the components on the DIMM and meets the integrity of the overall DIMM compliance with JEDEC standards or Memory Vendor datasheets. The Cadence Memory VIP portfolio today includes various examples that demonstrate how customers can create DIMM “wrappers” by selecting from among the available DIMM discrete component models and “stitching” them together to build their own custom testbench around their specific Component Design IP. A Solution for Unique Component Scenarios The Cadence DDR5 DIMM Memory Models and DIMM Discrete Component Models can provide users with a flexible approach to validating their specific component designs with a fully populated pre-silicon environment. Augmented Verification Capabilities When the DIMM “wrapper” model is augmented with the Cadence DFI VIP[4] that can simulate an MC+PHY stack and offers a SystemVerilog UVM test API to the verification engineer, the overall testbench transforms into a formidable pre-silicon validation vehicle. The DFI VIP is designed as a combination of an independent DFI MC VIP and a DFI PHY VIP connected to each other via the DFI Standard Interface and capable of operating seamlessly as a single unit. It presents a UVM Sequence API to the user into the DFI MC VIP with the Memory Interface of the PHY VIP connected to the DIMM “wrapper” model. With this testbench in hand, the user can then fully take advantage of the UVM Sequence Library that comes with the DFI VIP to enable deep validation of their Component Design inside the DIMM “wrapper” model. Verification Capabilities Further Enhanced A possible further enhancement comes with the potential addition of an instance of the Cadence DIMM Memory Model in a Passive Monitor mode at the DRAM Memory Interface. The DIMM Passive Monitor consumes the same configuration describing the DIMM “wrapper” in the testbench, and thus can act as a reference model for the DIMM wrapper. If the DIMM Passive Monitor responds successfully to accesses from the DFI VIP, but the DIMM wrapper does not, then it exposes potential bugs in the DUT Components or in the settings of their AC/Timing parameters inside the DIMM wrapper. Debuggability, Interface Visibility, and Protocol Compliance One of the key benefits of the DIMM Discrete Component Models that become manifest, whether in terms of the unique use-case scenario described here, or when working with the wholly unified DDR5 DIMM Memory Models, is the increased debuggability of the protocol functionality. The intentional separation of the discrete components of a DIMM allows the user to have full visibility of the memory traffic at every datapath landmark within a DIMM structure. For example, in modeling an LRDIMM or MRDIMM, the interface between the RCD component and the SDRAM components, the interface between the RCD component and the DB components, and the interface between the SDRAM components and the DB components—all are visible and accessible to the user. The user has full access to dump the values and states of the wire interconnects at these interfaces to the waveform viewer and thus can observe and correlate the activity against any protocol violations flagged in the trace logs by any one or more of the DIMM Discrete Component Models. Access to these interfaces is freely available when using the DIMM Discrete Component Models. On the unified DDR5 DIMM Memory Models, a feature called Debug Ports enables the same level of visibility into the individual interconnects amidst the SDRAM components, RCD components, and DB components. When combined with the Waveform Debugger[5] capability that comes built-in with the VIPs and Memory Models offered by Cadence and used with the Cadence Verisium Debug[6] tool, the enhanced debuggability becomes a powerful platform. With these debug accesses enabled, the user can pull out transaction streams, chip state and bank state streams, mode register streams, and error message streams all right next to their RTL signals in the same Verisium Debug waveform viewer window to debug failures all in one place. The Verisium Debug tool also parses all of the log files to probe and extract messages into a fully integrated Smart Log in a tabbed window fully hyperlinked to the waveform viewer, all at your fingertips. A Solution for Every Scenario Cadence's DDR5 DIMM Memory Models and DIMM Discrete Component Models , partnered with the Cadence DFI VIP, can provide users with a robust and flexible approach to validating their designs thoroughly and effectively in pre-silicon verification environments ahead of tapeout commitments. The solution offers unparalleled latitude in debuggability when the Debug Ports and Waveform Debugger functions of the Memory Models are switched on and boosted with the use of the Cadence Verisium Debug tool. [1] Shyam Sharma, DDR5 DIMM Design and Verification Considerations , 13 Jan 2023. [2] Shyam Sharma, DDR5 UDIMM Evolution to Clock Buffered DIMMs (CUDIMM) , 23 Sep 2024. [3] Kos Gitchev, DDR5 12.8Gbps MRDIMM IP: Powering the Future of AI, HPC, and Data Centers , 26 Aug 2024. [4] Chetan Shingala and Salehabibi Shaikh, How to Verify JEDEC DRAM Memory Controller, PHY, or Memory Device? , 29 Mar 2022. [5] Rahul Jha, Cadence Memory Models - The Gold Standard , 15 Apr 2024. [6] Manisha Pradhan, Accelerate Design Debugging Using Verisium Debug , 11 Jul 2023.

Each November, we are reminded of the bravery and dedication of those who have served our country. At Cadence, we thank our Veteran employees for their patriotism by reaffirming our commitment to honoring their sacrifices and recognizing their contributions to our business success. Our diverse and inclusive culture is strengthened by the unique perspective of our Veteran employees, and we are proud to support the Veterans Inclusion Group as a space for community members and their allies to connect. In celebration of Veterans Day, we were excited to catch up with Johnathan Edmonds, Veterans Inclusion Group Lead and Design Engineering Director, for a heartfelt chat on his journey through military service to leadership within Cadence. Throughout the conversation, he shared the importance of creating space for Veterans, the skills they offer, and his aspirations for what the Veterans Inclusion Group will achieve in the years ahead. Oh yeah, and he flies planes, too! Join us as we dive into what makes this holiday special for so many across the nation and how we can respectfully commemorate it together. Johnathan, you’re a retired Air Force Reservist, pilot, and now a Design Engineering Director. Can you tell us about your journey from the military to your current role at Cadence? I started my military and electronics journey in the Navy. I enlisted at 18 and served for six years as an aviation electronics technician. During this time, I was able to learn about and repair electronics on planes. This set me up for success, and when I was honorably discharged, I attended Virginia Tech to study computer engineering. Once I graduated, I continued my career as an engineer, but I still wanted to be a military pilot. From my past experience, I knew the reserves were an option where I could learn to fly and still have a civilian career. Not only was I lucky enough to get selected to go to pilot training, but after I returned from flight school, my luck grew, and I was hired at Cadence. Cadence has supported me throughout my military career, which has been a great benefit, as many companies don’t support reservists. The best thing about serving and being employed at Cadence is how I could blend my skill sets to further the Air Force’s mission and achieve great things in engineering. As the first lead of Cadence’s Veterans Inclusion Group, you played an integral part in growing our culture and building community at the company since launching the group four years ago. What inspired you to take on the role of Inclusion Group Lead? I was inspired by three things: camaraderie, service, and outreach. I wanted to see if we could achieve a similar sense of community through the Veterans Inclusion Group as we had during our service life. I also wanted to see how we could better serve our Veterans here at Cadence. I wanted to explore any benefits that could be expanded, roles that could be developed by Vets, and, lastly, I wanted to serve a broader community. COVID-19 put a damper on some of the community support, but we are getting back on track with Veteran employment programs and volunteer efforts like Carry the Load and Gold Star Families. Why is it important to have this space dedicated to Veteran employees? There are many reasons! Networking, for one, creates a stronger, more unified Cadence culture. Two, Vets face a variety of issues not generally understood by those who have not served, such as PTSD, where to get help for disabilities, how to get an old medical record, etc. As I mentioned, I’m also passionate about connecting Veterans with employment and job opportunities. It is so nice to work for a company that actively recruits Vets. We have our own “language,” if you will, so it’s nice to have a space to talk in the language that we are familiar with. What have been some of your favorite moments leading this group over the past few years? Are there any “wins” that you would like to recognize? We have a lot of wins. Events held during COVID-19 and getting past COVID-19, donating to worthwhile causes, and hosting guest speakers are all fantastic milestones and accomplishments. That said, the biggest win is the hiring of new Veteran employees. Mark Murphy, Corporate VP of Sales Operations, and I have both welcomed Vets to our team during this time, and it is such a joy to watch what someone can do when given the opportunity to succeed in the right environment. As you are set to transition out of the lead role next year, what do you hope to see the Veterans Inclusion Group accomplish next? My hope is that the Veterans Inclusion Group partners with other companies, expanding our reach externally and exploring new opportunities to engage Veterans outside of Cadence. Johnathan (left) speaks on an inclusion group panel, along with David Sallard (center), lead of Cadence's Black Inclusion Group and Sr. Principal Application Engineer; Christina Jamerson (on screen), lead of Cadence's Abilities Inclusion Group and Demand Generation Director; and Dianne Rambke (right), lead of Cadence's Latinx Inclusion Group and Marketing Communications Director. What are the important ways that people can signal inclusion and respectfully honor Veterans at work? What are the most meaningful or impactful actions employees everywhere can take to support Veteran coworkers? I think there is one answer to both questions. I recommend that people engage with their companies’ employee resource groups (ERGs) and have conversations with them. Opening up the lines of communication will lead to new paths in their journeys. What are you looking forward to in 2025, both personally and professionally? In 2025, professionally, I am looking forward to taking mixed-signal systems and verification to another level by including emulation, automatic model generation, and seeing which boundaries we can push in our SerDes and Chiplets products. Personally, I am looking forward to making my SXS street legal so I can drive places without getting a ticket, seeing my children participate in sports, church, and school, and taking my wife on vacation to Europe or somewhere else we can unplug. Learn more about Cadence’s Inclusion Groups, diverse culture, and commitment to belonging.

I am looking for LM117 Pspice model. Can someone send me the file. Thank you

When the Arduino Mega2560 is added to the first serial port, the dynamic memory is 2000 bytes, and when the second serial serial is added, the dynamic memory is 4000 bytes. Now I need to add the third Serial serial port. The dynamic memory is 6000 bytes. Due to the many variables in the program itself, the dynamic memory is not enough. Please help me how to save the dynamic memory?

Please give me some ideas. Thank you very much.

While doing the lvs it's showing an error in gnd connection, I am not being able to understand exactly what is the error and what do I need to do to remove this error?

Hi,

I need to design EPC8002 eGaN switch in cadence. Can someone provide me step by step guide on hoe to add EPC8002 into my cadence. I am working on BCD180.

Thank you 

Ihsan

This is the 17th installment of The Rationalist, my column for the Times of India.

One of my favourite English words comes from chess. If it is your turn to move, but any move you make makes your position worse, you are in ‘Zugzwang’. Narendra Modi was in zugzwang after the Pulwama attacks a few days ago—as any Indian prime minister in his place would have been.

An Indian PM, after an attack for which Pakistan is held responsible, has only unsavoury choices in front of him. He is pulled in two opposite directions. One, strategy dictates that he must not escalate. Two, politics dictates that he must.

Let’s unpack that. First, consider the strategic imperatives. Ever since both India and Pakistan became nuclear powers, a conventional war has become next to impossible because of the threat of a nuclear war. If India escalates beyond a point, Pakistan might bring their nuclear weapons into play. Even a limited nuclear war could cause millions of casualties and devastate our economy. Thus, no matter what the provocation, India needs to calibrate its response so that the Pakistan doesn’t take it all the way.

It’s impossible to predict what actions Pakistan might view as sufficient provocation, so India has tended to play it safe. Don’t capture territory, don’t attack military assets, don’t kill civilians. In other words, surgical strikes on alleged terrorist camps is the most we can do.

Given that Pakistan knows that it is irrational for India to react, and our leaders tend to be rational, they can ‘bleed us with a thousand cuts’, as their doctrine states, with impunity. Both in 2001, when our parliament was attacked and the BJP’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee was PM, and in 2008, when Mumbai was attacked and the Congress’s Manmohan Singh was PM, our leaders considered all the options on the table—but were forced to do nothing.

But is doing nothing an option in an election year?

Leave strategy aside and turn to politics. India has been attacked. Forty soldiers have been killed, and the nation is traumatised and baying for blood. It is now politically impossible to not retaliate—especially for a PM who has criticized his predecessor for being weak, and portrayed himself as a 56-inch-chested man of action.

I have no doubt that Modi is a rational man, and knows the possible consequences of escalation. But he also knows the possible consequences of not escalating—he could dilute his brand and lose the elections. Thus, he is forced to act. And after he acts, his Pakistan counterpart will face the same domestic pressure to retaliate, and will have to attack back. And so on till my home in Versova is swallowed up by a nuclear crater, right?

Well, not exactly. There is a way to resolve this paradox. India and Pakistan can both escalate, not via military actions, but via optics.

Modi and Imran Khan, who you’d expect to feel like the loneliest men on earth right now, can find sweet company in each other. Their incentives are aligned. Neither man wants this to turn into a full-fledged war. Both men want to appear macho in front of their domestic constituencies. Both men are masters at building narratives, and have a pliant media that will help them.

Thus, India can carry out a surgical strike and claim it destroyed a camp, killed terrorists, and forced Pakistan to return a braveheart prisoner of war. Pakistan can say India merely destroyed two trees plus a rock, and claim the high moral ground by returning the prisoner after giving him good masala tea. A benign military equilibrium is maintained, and both men come out looking like strong leaders: a win-win game for the PMs that avoids a lose-lose game for their nations. They can give themselves a high-five in private when they meet next, and Imran can whisper to Modi, “You’re a good spinner, bro.”

There is one problem here, though: what if the optics don’t work?

If Modi feels that his public is too sceptical and he needs to do more, he might feel forced to resort to actual military escalation. The fog of politics might obscure the possible consequences. If the resultant Indian military action causes serious damage, Pakistan will have to respond in kind. In the chain of events that then begins, with body bags piling up, neither man may be able to back down. They could end up as prisoners of circumstance—and so could we.

***

Also check out:

Why Modi Must Learn to Play the Game of Chicken With Pakistan—Amit Varma
The Two Pakistans—Episode 79 of The Seen and the Unseen
India in the Nuclear Age—Episode 80 of The Seen and the Unseen

The India Uncut Blog © 2010 Amit Varma. All rights reserved.
Follow me on Twitter.

This is the 22nd installment of The Rationalist, my column for the Times of India.

Trade wars are on the rise, and it’s enough to get any nationalist all het up and excited. Earlier this week, Narendra Modi’s government announced that it would start imposing tariffs on 28 US products starting today. This is a response to similar treatment towards us from the US.

There is one thing I would invite you to consider: Trump and Modi are not engaged in a war with each other. Instead, they are waging war on their own people.

Let’s unpack that a bit. Part of the reason Trump came to power is that he provided simple and wrong answers for people’s problems. He responded to the growing jobs crisis in middle America with two explanations: one, foreigners are coming and taking your jobs; two, your jobs are being shipped overseas.

Both explanations are wrong but intuitive, and they worked for Trump. (He is stupid enough that he probably did not create these narratives for votes but actually believes them.) The first of those leads to the demonising of immigrants. The second leads to a demonising of trade. Trump has acted on his rhetoric after becoming president, and a modern US version of our old ‘Indira is India’ slogan might well be, “Trump is Tariff. Tariff is Trump.”

Contrary to the fulminations of the economically illiterate, all tariffs are bad, without exception. Let me illustrate this with an example. Say there is a fictional product called Brump. A local Brump costs Rs 100. Foreign manufacturers appear and offer better Brumps at a cheaper price, say Rs 90. Consumers shift to foreign Brumps.

Manufacturers of local Brumps get angry, and form an interest group. They lobby the government – or bribe it with campaign contributions – to impose a tariff on import of Brumps. The government puts a 20-rupee tariff. The foreign Brumps now cost Rs 110, and people start buying local Brumps again. This is a good thing, right? Local businesses have been helped, and local jobs have been saved.

But this is only the seen effect. The unseen effect of this tariff is that millions of Brump buyers would have saved Rs 10-per-Brump if there were no tariffs. This money would have gone out into the economy, been part of new demand, generated more jobs. Everyone would have been better off, and the overall standard of living would have been higher.

That brings to me to an essential truth about tariffs. Every tariff is a tax on your own people. And every intervention in markets amounts to a distribution of wealth from the people at large to specific interest groups. (In other words, from the poor to the rich.) The costs of this are dispersed and invisible – what is Rs 10 to any of us? – and the benefits are large and worth fighting for: Local manufacturers of Brumps can make crores extra. Much modern politics amounts to manufacturers of Brumps buying politicians to redistribute money from us to them.

There are second-order effects of protectionism as well. When the US imposes tariffs on other countries, those countries may respond by imposing tariffs back. Raw materials for many goods made locally are imported, and as these become expensive, so do those goods. That quintessential American product, the iPhone, uses parts from 43 countries. As local products rise in price because of expensive foreign parts, prices rise, demand goes down, jobs are lost, and everyone is worse off.

Trump keeps talking about how he wants to ‘win’ at trade, but trade is not a zero-sum game. The most misunderstood term in our times is probably ‘trade-deficit’. A country has a trade deficit when it imports more than what it exports, and Trump thinks of that as a bad thing. It is not. I run a trade deficit with my domestic help and my local grocery store. I buy more from them than they do from me. That is fine, because we all benefit. It is a win-win game.

Similarly, trade between countries is really trade between the people of both countries – and people trade with each other because they are both better off. To interfere in that process is to reduce the value created in their lives. It is immoral. To modify a slogan often identified with libertarians like me, ‘Tariffs are Theft.’

These trade wars, thus, carry a touch of the absurd. Any leader who imposes tariffs is imposing a tax on his own people. Just see the chain of events: Trump taxes the American people. In retaliation, Modi taxes the Indian people. Trump raises taxes. Modi raises taxes. Nationalists in both countries cheer. Interests groups in both countries laugh their way to the bank.

What kind of idiocy is this? How long will this lose-lose game continue?

The India Uncut Blog © 2010 Amit Varma. All rights reserved.
Follow me on Twitter.

Read this blog to know how you can easily create and insert connect modules using Spectre AMS Designer with the Verilog-AMS standard language defined by Accellera. (read more)

At a bustling Cadence event, we met Adrian, an intern at a startup who immerses himself in Cadence tools for his research and work.

Adrian was enthusiastic about the innovative technologies at his disposal but faced a significant challenge: internet access was limited to a single machine for new joiners, forcing interns to wait in line for their turn to use online resources.

Adrian's excitement soared when he discovered a game-changing solution: Doc Assistant. The cloud-based help viewer, Doc Assistant, ships with all Cadence tools, enabling Adrian to access help resources offline from any machine equipped with the software. This meant Adrian could continue his research and work seamlessly, irrespective of internet availability!

Meeting Cadence users and customers at such events has given us the opportunity to showcase how they can benefit from the diverse features that Doc Assistant offers.

With that note, welcome back to our Doc Assistant A-Z blog series! In Part 1, we explored key features and benefits that our innovative viewer brings to the table. Today, in Part 2, we'll dive deeper into the advanced functionalities and customization options that make Doc Assistant indispensable for its users.

Whether you're looking to streamline your workflow or enhance your user experience, this blog will provide the insights you need to fully leverage the capabilities of our documentation viewer. Let’s get started!

What Makes Doc Assistant Stand Out?

Here are a few (more) cool features of Doc Assistant!

That's not all. We have more coming your way. Until next time, take care and stay tuned for our next edition!

Want to Know More?

For any questions or general feedback, write to docassistant.support@cadence.com.

Subscribe to receive email notifications about our latest Custom IC Design blog posts.

Happy reading!

-Priya Sriram, on behalf of the Doc Assistant Team

Read this blog to know more about the innovation behind Universal Connect Modules (UCM).(read more)

Welcome back to the Doc Assistant A-Z blog series!

Since the launch of Doc Assistant, we've been gathering feedback and input from our customers regarding their experiences with our latest documentation viewer. My interaction with Ralf was particularly useful and interesting.

Ralf is a design engineer who works on complex schematics and intricate layouts. For each release, he is challenged with the task of verifying the tool and feature changes across multiple releases. He shared with me that he has been using Doc Assistant’s capabilities to help him achieve this.

Ralf explained that he utilizes Doc Assistant to open and compare documents from different releases side-by-side, seamlessly tracking updates across multiple releases and verifying those updates in his Cadence tools. Additionally, in Doc Assistant’s online mode, he compares documents across previous tool versions, ensuring a thorough review of any changes. Finally, he was happy to share with me that Doc Assistant features have helped him significantly reduce the time he spends on identifying such changes.

You, of course, can also achieve such productivity gains using several Doc Assistant features designed to help simplify such tasks!

In previous editions of this blog series, we looked at some key features and benefits of Doc Assistant. If you've missed these editions, I would highly recommend that you read them:

• Doc Assistant A-Z: Making the Most of the Cadence Cloud-Based Help Viewer: Part 1
• Doc Assistant A-Z: Making the Most of the Cadence Cloud-Based Help Viewer: Part 2
  

In this third installment, we're diving into some more of Doc Assistant's key capabilities.

To learn more about how to use the above features, check out the Doc Assistant User Guide.

These are just a few of the productivity gain features in Doc Assistant. We’ll cover more in the next blog in the series.

Want to Know More?

If you have any feedback on Doc Assistant or would like to request more information or a demo, please contact docassistant.support@cadence.com.

Subscribe to receive email notifications about our latest Custom IC Design blog posts.

Happy reading!

- Priya Sriram, on behalf of the Doc Assistant Team

Hi, 

When I try to run Monte Carlo it gives me a 3 items message for possible failure:

1. It says the machine selected in the current job setup policy isnot reachable

2. The Cadence hierarchy is not detected, not installed properly. or

3. Job start script (with a path and a name like swiftNetlistService#) is not found on the remote machines.

Any recommendation on how to fix this?

ncsim will consume an increasing ammount of memory when a function has an output port that return an associative array which was not initialized. My simulator version is 12.10-s011.

Below is a code example to reproduce the failure. The code is inside a class (uvm_object):

function void a_function(output bit ret_val[int]);

// empty 

endfunction : get_cov

Attached is the latest emacs mode for e/Specman - version 1.23

Please follow the install instructions in the top section of the actual file
(after unzipping it) to install/load this package with your emacs.

Using the EMX solver, X-FAB design engineers can efficiently develop next-generation RF technology for the latest communication standards (including sub-6GHz 5G, mmWave, UWB, etc.), which are enabling technologies for communications and electric vehicle (EV) wireless applications. (read more)