Imagination in new fabric collaboration with NetSpeed

The companies are developing both non-coherent and coherent fabric solutions for deployment in Imagination’s IP platforms as well as Imagination customers’ SoC designs. Fabrics are the on-chip connection technologies that are key to complex IP platforms and SoCs, where several high-performance processors such as CPU, GPU, communications and memory are integrated together. Non-coherent fabrics are ideal for many embedded and mainstream systems. Coherent fabrics are the latest example of moving advanced interconnect technologies traditionally used in high-end servers and networking devices into mainstream mobile, consumer, and also automotive applications. Designs for today’s sophisticated electronics can include upwards of 10 IP cores for mainstream products and can exceed 100 cores for high-end multicluster networking or compute solutions. This adds complexity for chip designers and manufacturers who must interconnect the many IPs and integrate them in to their designs while meeting tight product development timelines. NetSpeed has developed on-chip networking technology that simplifies and automates this task, and enables SoC architects to design, configure and simulate on-chip interconnect solutions that are guaranteed to meet power, performance and area requirements in a fraction of the time normally required. Imagination has adopted NetSpeed’s network-on-chip technology and tools and is enhancing and building on these with its IP platform and SoC focused technologies including OmniShield capable security components, advanced I/O Memory Management Unit features and state-of-the-art Quality of Service capabilities. Says Sundari Mitra, co-founder and CEO of NetSpeed: “There are huge advantages to using a cache coherent on-chip interconnect. It is the ideal way to achieve optimal performance in today’s complex, highly integrated SoC designs. We are very excited and honored that Imagination has chosen to collaborate with us and use our technology to revolutionize the way SoCs are developed.” Says Sir Hossein Yassaie, CEO, Imagination: “The industry has come to rely on a robust IP ecosystem that accelerates the pace of innovation. With a vast array of IPs available, a critical piece is the means to rapidly and reliably interconnect the growing number of IPs or IP subsystems in a manner that enables maximum reuse from one design to the next. We are working with NetSpeed, a leader in this area, to solve this design challenge in a very innovative way that enables next-generation products to come to market much faster, with less risk, and more profitability.” Other fabrics