Orientation Dr. Paul D. Franzon Purposes Put this class (and other classes) within the context of your career Understand how silicon systems are designed in a global economy
2012, Dr. Paul D. Franzon, www.ece.ncsu.edu/erl/faculty/paulf.html 1
ECE 520 / ECE 733 Class Notes
High value The Global Enterprise (Example) Low cost
Fabs
System Integrator IP Providers Serdes/package team Design Services
Chip Integrator Logic team Verification team 2012, Dr. Paul D. Franzon, www.ece.ncsu.edu/erl/faculty/paulf.html 2 ECE 520 / ECE 733 Class Notes
2012, Dr. Paul D. Franzon, www.ece.ncsu.edu/erl/faculty/paulf.html 3
ECE 520 / ECE 733 Class Notes
Design Flow (2)
High Value Teams Low Cost Teams
Design Execution Logic Design to Spec (RTL)
Against system models Constant monitoring of all teams Circuit Design to Spec
C, Java coding to Spec
High IP / High complexity content Designs Design components with high novelty element Generation of new or modified IP by IP companies
High Value Design Services
Complex CAD tools Early planning for performance attainment
2012, Dr. Paul D. Franzon, www.ece.ncsu.edu/erl/faculty/paulf.html 4
ECE 520 / ECE 733 Class Notes
Design Flow High Value Teams Low Cost Teams
Verification Coding for verification
System model and metrics Speeding up verification convergence Debug and repair
Performance Verification Achieving clock and power goals CAD flow management Debug and repair
2012, Dr. Paul D. Franzon, www.ece.ncsu.edu/erl/faculty/paulf.html 5
ECE 520 / ECE 733 Class Notes
Design Flow High Value Teams Low Cost Teams
System Integration & Verification Detailed Package Design and Signal
Packaging and component Integrity Verification integration Prototyping and transition to Manufacturing transition and scale-up / manufacuturing cost-reduction Debug and repair
Marketing
2012, Dr. Paul D. Franzon, www.ece.ncsu.edu/erl/faculty/paulf.html 6
ECE 520 / ECE 733 Class Notes
Defense and Security
Entire Design usually done in the United States Often using commercially provided chips, and sub- systems not originally intended for defense Tends to emphasize Unique System Integration Approach
Lots of embedded software
Lots of FPGAs
Specialized ultra-high-performance defense-
specific components (which are often new chips) All new design (logic, analog, etc.) done in the United States
2012, Dr. Paul D. Franzon, www.ece.ncsu.edu/erl/faculty/paulf.html 7
ECE 520 / ECE 733 Class Notes
What this means to you
Assuming you want a high value (i.e. high wage) job.
Defense and Security
US Citizenship Wide variety of point skills particularly at high performance edge Develop system integration skills (breadth as well as depth, project management, etc.)
Commercial Have to know detailed design in order to do system design and manage design process Need broad knowledge in order to have system view Need to be on the leading edge of innovation (patents, IP, techniques) PhD beneficial
Develop deep skills in design services speciality
2012, Dr. Paul D. Franzon, www.ece.ncsu.edu/erl/faculty/paulf.html 8
ECE 520 / ECE 733 Class Notes
What this means at NCSU
Innovations in Curricula: Introduced ECE 745 ASIC Verification as a graduate course (deep skill set) Introduced ECE 720 Electronic System Level (ESL) design in Spring 2011 Pre-requisite: ECE 520
Many advanced design teams demand circuit level knowledge even for digital designers (ECE 546 / 733) Encourage students to obtain application domain knowledge Encourage students to deepen software engineering skills Scripting (Python/Perl)
C / C++
2012, Dr. Paul D. Franzon, www.ece.ncsu.edu/erl/faculty/paulf.html 9
