Open-Silicon and Cadence Collaborate on DSP-Based Custom SoC Platform

MILPITAS, CA -- August 27, 2015 -- Open-Silicon, a system optimized ASIC solution provider, announced today the collaborative development of a scalable SoC subsystem using the Cadence® Tensilica® Fusion digital signal processor (DSP). Through its OpenMODEL™ process, Open-Silicon constantly strives to enable customers to utilize the best technology available by providing them with pre-validated solutions that deliver the low power and performance required for computing, communications, consumer, industrial, and IoT applications. Using the Tensilica DSP, Open-Silicon can create edge device ASICs for ultra low-power applications that need DSPs for complex sensor fusion algorithms, baseband communication, and other signal processing functions.

Open-Silicon's SoC subsystem using the Tensilica DSP is based on the proven Xtensa® Innovation Processor. By utilizing the Xtensa Processor Generator tool with the option to create custom instructions using the TIE feature, designers can create an application specific implementation with the desired power, performance, and area, which is critical to custom solutions. With the capability to do complete software development on Tensilica DSPs including RTOS porting, sensor, and communication stacks development, Open-Silicon offers a complete energy-efficient ASIC turnkey solution.

"Targeting emerging industrial IoT applications, we have implemented an FPGA-based IoT edge device platform with support for peripherals like sensor modules and radios, allowing customers to explore various HW-SW partitioning options, verify custom IPs and validate system level use-cases with a complete software stack," said Huzefa Cutlerywala Sr. Director of Technical Solutions, Open-Silicon.

This FPGA evaluation platform with Tensilica DSPs and interface IPs like I2C, UART, and SPI is available with support for FreeRTOS, standard sensor modules like temperature, pressure, motion etc., and low power radio modules like LoRa, wirelessHART, Zigbee, and BLE. As an ongoing effort to enhance this DSP-based SoC platform, Open-Silicon is integrating security HW and SW IPs targeting use-cases like secure boot, Over-The-Air software upgrade, and secure data communications.

FPGA based IoT edge device platform with Tensilica DSP demo was showcased at Open-Silicon's booth during CDN Live August 18-19, 2015, Bangalore, India.

About Open-Silicon

Open-Silicon transforms ideas into system-optimized ASIC solutions within the time-to-market parameters desired by customers. The company enhances the value of customers' products by innovating at every stage of design -- architecture, logic, physical, system, and software -- and then continues to partner to deliver fully tested silicon and platforms. Open-Silicon applies an open business model that enables the company to uniquely choose best-in-industry IP, design methodologies, tools, software, packaging, manufacturing, and test capabilities. The company has partnered with over 150 companies ranging from large semiconductor and systems manufacturers to high-profile start-ups, and has successfully completed 300 designs and shipped over 100 million ASICs to date. Privately-held, Open-Silicon employs over 250 people in Silicon Valley and around the world. www.open-silicon.com