Agile ASIC™ Technology
An Agile ASIC is a full-custom mixed signal custom IC that provides enhanced development agility utilizing Triad's patented ViaOnly™ single-mask reconfigurability.
Agile ASIC Benefits
The Realities of Custom Mixed Signal IC Development
Almost all mixed signal custom ICs require multiple revisions to achieve production worthy silicon.
In a digital ASIC development, it is reasonable to strive for and achieve first-time-right success. Mixed signal IC development is more complex and variable than digital IC design. Large semiconductor companies that make mixed signal standard products rarely achieve first-time-right success. The collective experience of the Triad IC design team represents hundreds of designs successfully released to production. These designs were completed at Triad and at other leading semiconductor companies from which Triad's team was assembled. Across hundreds of designs, we have seen over 95% of these designs need at least one silicon re-spin with over 60% needing two revisions.
Full Custom ASIC Revisions Are Time Consuming
When a change is needed in a full custom IC design, it is very likely that the change will require an all mask layer respin. Full custom designs are initially laid out be IC designers by hand. The routing of individual circuits along with the top-level interconnecting of IP blocks is performed by hand. When a change needs to be made, it is often very difficult to find available space and appropriate spare resources to fix the problem in the design. The full custom designer
Full Custom ASIC Revisions Are Expensive
Fast time to market
Agile ASICs can improve time to market for mixed signal ASIC development by a full year or more.
Rapid prototyping
Maintain Schedule Even When Change Happens
All mixed signal custom ICs require at least one re-spin and many require 2. Traditional full custom re-spins can result in six month project slips. These redesigns can also cause cost overruns of hundreds of thousands of dollars per re-spin. In a traditional full custom development these re-spins require manual design rip-up and laborious re-laying out of the design by hand.
Project Cost Containment
Agile Change Management
30 day revisions of silicon
Low Risk
Proven IP - circuits
Proven IP - tiles
Proven IP - global interconnect
Examples of Agile ASIC Change Management
ASIC worked 100% to specification and failed in system
ASIC feature added after tape out
Major architectural changes with a ViaOnly change (50% reduction in power consumption)
[these examples point to pages that describe Agile ASIC change management in detail]
ViaPath™ ViaOnly Place and Route Software
Interactive floorplanning
Graphical Waypoint editor
Hyper Agile ASIC Program
Fastest possible time to market in the semiconductor industry
Kick-off to working silicon in 60 days
Should I Use Full Custom or Agile ASIC?
Full Custom
Agile ASIC
100% of the design is via reconfigurable
Focused Agile ASIC
Portions of the design are via reconfigurable
Other portions of the design are full-custom analog and/or standard-cell digital
Fast-Full-Custom™
Prototypes, early production on an Agile ASIC or Focused Agile ASIC
Highest volume production on full custom IC
Fast Full Custom
Prototyping and early production on an Agile ASIC
Rapid prototype development
Change management and risk mitigation with ViaOnly revisions
Single mask (via-mask) processing through the foundry - days
Expedited assembly and test
After circuits are stable, bugs removed & features added then convert design to full-custom for optimized die size
How much smaller is a full custom design compared to an Agile ASIC
Agile ASIC Benefits
- Fast time to market
- Rapid prototyping
- Agile Change Management
- Rapid design revisions
- Maintain schedule even with changes
- Cost containment even with changes
The Realities of Custom Mixed Signal IC Development
Almost all mixed signal custom ICs require multiple revisions to achieve production worthy silicon.
In a digital ASIC development, it is reasonable to strive for and achieve first-time-right success. Mixed signal IC development is more complex and variable than digital IC design. Large semiconductor companies that make mixed signal standard products rarely achieve first-time-right success. The collective experience of the Triad IC design team represents hundreds of designs successfully released to production. These designs were completed at Triad and at other leading semiconductor companies from which Triad's team was assembled. Across hundreds of designs, we have seen over 95% of these designs need at least one silicon re-spin with over 60% needing two revisions.
Full Custom ASIC Revisions Are Time Consuming
When a change is needed in a full custom IC design, it is very likely that the change will require an all mask layer respin. Full custom designs are initially laid out be IC designers by hand. The routing of individual circuits along with the top-level interconnecting of IP blocks is performed by hand. When a change needs to be made, it is often very difficult to find available space and appropriate spare resources to fix the problem in the design. The full custom designer
Full Custom ASIC Revisions Are Expensive
Fast time to market
Agile ASICs can improve time to market for mixed signal ASIC development by a full year or more.
Rapid prototyping
Maintain Schedule Even When Change Happens
All mixed signal custom ICs require at least one re-spin and many require 2. Traditional full custom re-spins can result in six month project slips. These redesigns can also cause cost overruns of hundreds of thousands of dollars per re-spin. In a traditional full custom development these re-spins require manual design rip-up and laborious re-laying out of the design by hand.
Project Cost Containment
Agile Change Management
30 day revisions of silicon
Low Risk
Proven IP - circuits
Proven IP - tiles
Proven IP - global interconnect
Examples of Agile ASIC Change Management
ASIC worked 100% to specification and failed in system
ASIC feature added after tape out
Major architectural changes with a ViaOnly change (50% reduction in power consumption)
[these examples point to pages that describe Agile ASIC change management in detail]
ViaPath™ ViaOnly Place and Route Software
Interactive floorplanning
Graphical Waypoint editor
Hyper Agile ASIC Program
Fastest possible time to market in the semiconductor industry
Kick-off to working silicon in 60 days
Should I Use Full Custom or Agile ASIC?
Full Custom
Agile ASIC
100% of the design is via reconfigurable
Focused Agile ASIC
Portions of the design are via reconfigurable
Other portions of the design are full-custom analog and/or standard-cell digital
Fast-Full-Custom™
Prototypes, early production on an Agile ASIC or Focused Agile ASIC
Highest volume production on full custom IC
Fast Full Custom
Prototyping and early production on an Agile ASIC
Rapid prototype development
Change management and risk mitigation with ViaOnly revisions
Single mask (via-mask) processing through the foundry - days
Expedited assembly and test
After circuits are stable, bugs removed & features added then convert design to full-custom for optimized die size
How much smaller is a full custom design compared to an Agile ASIC