Diamond cores to become hard macros

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, Virage Logic Corp and Tensilica are collaborating to provide hard macro versions of Tensilica's new Diamond Standard processor cores.

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, Virage Logic Corp and Tensilica are collaborating to provide hard macro versions of Tensilica's new Diamond Standard processor cores.

The processors will be implemented using Virage Logic's silicon-proven IPrima Foundation Platform IP and will target SMIC's 130nm process technology.

"Tensilica's new Diamond Standard processor cores are among the industry leaders in high performance and low power", stated Paul OuYang, Vice President of Design Services at SMIC.

"By implementing the cores with Virage Logic's IPrima Foundation Platform IP, the Diamond Standard processors should be reliable and easily manufacturable, thus reducing risk and shortening the overall design cycle".

"We believe that a large number of our customers will be interested in using these cores".

"We are pleased to work with Tensilica and SMIC to develop hard macro versions of the Diamond Standard processors", said Adam Kablanian, President and CEO, Virage Logic.

"By utilising the embedded memories and standard cell libraries in our IPrima Foundation for SMIC's 130nm process, Tensilica's worldwide Diamond Series processor customers will be able to gain both high performance and low power advantages".

"SMIC is one of the leading semiconductor manufacturers in the world, and Virage Logic produces technically superior semiconductor IP platforms, so we are delighted to work with both companies to provide hardened versions of our Diamond Standard processors", stated Chris Rowen, Tensilica's President and CEO.

"We believe there will be a strong interest in China, where we believe our ultra-low-power controller cores and the unique Diamond 330Hifi audio processor to be very good fits with the rapid growth of consumer electronics design firms".

Under the agreement, SMIC will provide complete design and manufacturing services - including incorporation of the Diamond Series hard macros into design databases - for companies requiring low-power, high-performance processors and DSPs in SMIC's 130nm process.

The hard macro solutions resulting from the collaboration will enable systems and semiconductor companies to use SMIC's foundry process with minimum integration cost, accelerated integration time and reduced risk.

A hardened core is a complete and tested physical design of a processor core, which can be included into an ASIC design.

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