Industry Expert Blogs

Why does one choose a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) IP offering? While there are many factors involved in the decision making, a few critical ones that drive the end outcome are:

• Time Constraint: Developing an IP core from scratch can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. By opting for a COTS IP core, organizations can significantly reduce development time and accelerate their time-to-market.
• Reduced risk and Higher reliability: COTS IP cores are pre-designed, tested, and often silicon-approved across various projects, which greatly reduces associated risks and ensures higher reliability and easier integration.
• Significant cost savings: COTS IP eliminates the need for both in-house expertise and in-house development. With the cost of development being shared across multiple end buyers of the IP, there are significant total cost savings when option for COTS IP cores.

Though the above are critical factors in driving the decision towards a COTS IP in a make vs buy situation, the Quality of the IP and the Support offered by the organisation offering the IP are two hidden factors that can become crucial in the post sale phase of purchasing a COTS IP and in deciding the supplier.

In case of an IP core, quality refers to whether the core has been fully tested, what levels of code coverage do the tests confirm, whether the outputs are verified, and whether it delivers on the key features as per the standard it is referring to. If it has been taped out on silicon, then in the industry terminology the IP is “Silicon Proven”, which is a measure of reduced risk and fewer compatibility issues.

Even the most reliable and high-quality IP is bound to require some level of integration and customization for the individual project it is being deployed in, which means some level of trouble shooting is needed. Hence, choosing a partner that not only delivers a high quality and cost-effective IP but offers a comprehensive support mechanism is key. It is never a pleasant experience to buy an IP that comes with bare minimum support, limited to reference of a user manual, prolonged query turnaround times, and no definite escalation matrix.

At Chip Interfaces, we pride ourselves on delivering state-of-the-art, high-quality IP cores that meet the demanding requirements of modern communication systems. Our commitment to quality and customer support is at the heart of everything we do, ensuring that our clients receive the best possible solutions for their ASIC, FPGA, and system design needs.

Quality at the Core

Quality is a fundamental aspect of our IP cores. From the initial design phase to the final implementation, we adhere to stringent quality control measures to ensure that our products meet the highest standards. Our IP cores undergo exhaustive, UVM regression verification for full functional coverage against industry standards and specifications, reducing customer risk and ensuring success. This meticulous approach to quality begins with developing an efficient architecture optimized for the intended end use and continues through best practice coding and design rules.

Figure: Chip Interfaces product development process delivering verifiable quality.

Chip Interfaces IP cores are silicon agnostic and silicon proven, with multiple tape outs. The IP cores are backed by detailed documentation including user manuals, release notes, test cases, test scripts and demos on hardware as well as evaluation modules.

Comprehensive Support

At Chip Interfaces, we understand that providing high-quality IP cores is only part of the equation. Equally important is the support we offer to our customers throughout the entire IP implementation process. Our team of experts provides comprehensive support, ensuring that our clients can seamlessly integrate our IP cores into their projects. This includes direct support from the engineers who designed and developed the IP cores, offering timely and accurate guidance to enable faster time to market.

Customer-Centric Approach

Our customer-centric approach is evident in our mission to drastically reduce product cost, risk, and time-to-market for our customers. We achieve this by offering silicon-agnostic and customizable IPs that are interoperability tested with leading PHY providers and validated using the latest UVM regression techniques. This commitment to interoperability, verification, and validation simplifies the design process and minimizes the risk of integration issues, ensuring quality and reliability.

Innovative Solutions

Chip Interfaces is at the forefront of innovation, continuously developing new IP cores and enhancing existing ones to meet the evolving needs of the industry. Our portfolio includes a wide range of IP blocks for chip-to-chip interfaces, wireless fronthaul, MIPI, and RS-FEC.

Chip Interfaces your partner for Quality first IP cores with unwavering support

At Chip Interfaces, our unwavering commitment to quality and exceptional customer support sets us apart in the industry. By providing state-of-the-art IP cores and comprehensive support, we empower our customers to achieve their design goals with confidence. Whether you are working on ASIC, FPGA, or system design projects, you can count on Chip Interfaces to deliver high-quality and the support you need to succeed.