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NoC-implementeringen er nøglen til succes i højtydende systemchips

NoC-implementeringen er nøglen til succes i højtydende systemchips

Ifølge det engelske chipudviklingshus Sondrel, så er designet af det interne internkonnekteringsnetværk - det såkaldte NoC (Network on Chip) - helt afgørende, når man udvikler store komplekse systemchips (in english).

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As chips become ever more complex to handle the increasing numbers of calculation being carried out every second, there is a significant challenge of keeping the vast quantities of data flowing around the chip in a timely manner.

Sondrel, specialists in complex digital ASIC and SoC designs, explains that designers often overlook the vital importance of this data flow aspect as the design of the Network on Chip (NoC), which is responsible for this, is complex and it is hard to verify that the performance requirements are met in all circumstances as there are lots of corner cases. This results in sub-optimal data transfers by the NoC and the SoC failing to deliver.


- The performance of the NoC must match that of the compute part of the SoC, explains Ben Fletcher, Sondrel’s Director of Engineering.
- The NoC’s function is to supply the input data fast enough to keep the compute IPs on the chip running at their maximum capacity and to store the output data so that the system does not become blocked. We use Arteris FlexNoC IP as the NoC communications backbone for the SoC because it enables us to tape out ever more complex chips in less time.

Why FlexNoc?

He identified some of the specific benefits of using FlexNoC interconnect technology as being firstly the ability to reduced area and wire count. This is done by leveraging the transport layer packetisation and serialisation capabilities so that the NoC architect can precisely control which parts of the NoC can benefit from reduced wire and area without compromising on performance requirements.

Secondly, reducing the power consumption by using the power management features, such as options to configure clock domain crossings and clock-gating support, to ensure that the power consumption is well within the power budget. Thirdly being able to create a physically-aware design as the design teams are able to hand over a netlist to the backend team that is guaranteed to meet timing because the NoC design methodology considers the SoC floorplan and any physical design constraints right from the start of the design.

Lastly, FlexNoc has advanced configuration tooling with excellent UI. The suite of tools provided to generate a performant, timing-clean interconnect is intuitive and incredibly easy for NoC architects to familiarise themselves with, thereby improving productivity.

What does a NoC do?

NoCs interconnect almost every part of an SoC. They are intrinsically linked to the chip’s floorplan, architecture, functional requirements, startup, security, safety and many other aspects.

- This means that there can be a high likelihood that the floorplan will change through the life of the project which requires changes to the NoC. These changes then impact the floorplan creating a feedback loop that can cause delays and cost overruns, warns Ben Fletcher.

- Over the years of designing large complex SoC, we have developed a number of techniques that allow us to carry out performance exploration and verification early in the process. By securing the requirements early on and being able to quickly verify NoC spins meet those requirements, we can stabilise the floorplan and the NoC to reduce unnecessary churn in the design to reduce risk and unnecessary costs.

About Sondrel 

Founded in 2002, Sondrel is the trusted partner of choice for handling every stage of an IC's creation. Its award-winning, define and design ASIC consulting capability is fully complemented by its turnkey services to transform designs into tested, volume-packaged silicon chips. This single point of contact for the entire supply chain process ensures low risk and faster times to market. Headquartered in the UK, Sondrel supports customers around the world via its offices in China, India, Morocco and North America. 

www.sondrel.com 

 




4/7 2022
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