Thalia, Catena demo analog IP re-use
The two companies have worked together to migrate Catena’s WiFi and variants of Bluetooth IP including a low-power version, between multiple sub-40nm process nodes and foundry providers.
Retargeting of analog IP has traditionally been a manual process requiring and often substantial analog, ground-up redesign. Thalia claims that use of its tools can reduce the time and costs required for such migrations by up to 50 percent.
The three projects were a migration of a WiFi RF circuit to Globalfoundries’ 28nm process; migration of Bluetooth IP between TSMC and Globalfoundries processes; and a second low power Bluetooth IP migration between 28nm and 40nm nodes.
These included complex analog and RF blocks covering multiple integer and fractional phase-locked loops (PLLs); analog-to-digital converters (ADCs); low noise and power amplifiers (LNAs and PAs); mixers; bandgaps; multiple low drop-out regulators (LDOs); and timing and temperature sensing blocks. Thalia was able to fine-tune the performance and power requirements of the entire receiver/transmitter chain, against tight schedules ranging from four to six months.
“These first three tape-outs provide strong validation of Catena’s new, more agile approach to analog IP creation and reuse,” said Kave Kianush, CTO of Catena. “Thalia’s design automation technology and expertise has been instrumental in delivering these projects on time, to budget and, just as importantly, to specification.”
Related links and articles:
News articles:
NXP’s Catena Group selects Thalia for analog reuse
Thalia case study: Design centering of an LNA
Welsh EDA firm opens up in India
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