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Low Cost Custom ASIC for

Edge Device Applications

$70K - 20 WEEKS - 50 SAMPLES

WHITEPAPER
Custom SoCs for
MEMS Products

Easy Fast Custom ASIC Creation

Leverage automated configurable design templates to rapidly generate your custom IC.

Specify your own SoC thru easy drop-down menus

Your SoC design is automatically generated and
fabricated thru the platform

Automated Design Generation

Complete the design yourself

OR

Utilize a turn-key service

Target Applications

The first SoC design template is targeted for IoT Edge Devices optimized for cost, performance, power and size.

Features:

  • Single Cortex M0 processor
  • Embedded SRAM up to 32KB
  • Quad-SPI controller for off-chip Flash
  • Range of analog and digital peripherals:
    ADC, DAC, GPIO, SPI, timers, etc.
  • Option for a custom digital block
    (e.g. accelerator)
  • Templates for X-FAB 180nm and GF 130nm process nodes

Target Applications:

  • New products or product line extensions
  • Second generation+ products looking to optimize cost or functionality
  • Ideal applications: IoT Controllers, Intelligent
    Sensing / Monitoring, Industrial, Manufacturing

Target Use Cases

Rapid PoC / Demonstration:

  • Demonstration for their concept or novel IP leveraging a configurable SoC reference design
  • Pre-regulation product testing for industries like Medical and Automotive

For Mature Nodes – the cost of development is driven by IP licenses, EDA tools and labor versus Silicon fabrication.

First Product Development:

  • Initial or limited volumes that don’t support the business case for traditional design service providers
  • Companies with limited resources / expertise
  • The amount of labor to develop is significantly reduced by leveraging reference designs and design automation through the platform

Example ASIC for MEMS Sensor

Combines custom analog front-end with configurable SoC design template

  • Leverage SoC design template for MCU-based ASIC controller
  • Configuration optimized based on application requirements
  • Leverages existing design for digital system design
  • Integrated with user provided analog front-end

What Are The Benefits?

Easy, Simplified Creation

Custom SoC designs are automatically generated from a web-based UI using dropdown menus

Leverage Existing Designs and Expertise

Allows you to create a full SoC without needing expertise for the full system design

Fast

Designs are automatically generated along with software drivers and verification tests. Samples can be provided in as little as 20 weeks

Low NRE Cost

Design time is reduced thru automated design generation. License fees for tools and IP are eliminated or deferred

Eliminated or Deferred Licensing Costs

Licensing costs for many IP are included as part of the solution

For IP with licensing costs, most are deferred until after initial samples

Mixed Signal Design with Analog

Full SoC / ASIC design capability including digital and analog devices

Custom Analog & Digital Options

Custom analog and digital blocks can be requested and included to provide further customization

Open-source and Proprietary Designs / IP

Flexibility to utilize and mix a growing portfolio of open-source and proprietary IP in your designs

What Are The Benefits of Custom Silicon?

Power and Performance Optimization

Power can be optimized through pruning unused features and intelligent management of peripherals. Speed can be accelerated by moving from FPGA to hard implementations.

Component and System Cost

Cost can be reduced by moving from complex off-the-shelf parts as well as integration many discrete components.

Reduce the Footprint of Electronics

Footprint is reduced through integration of discrete components into silicon and reducing board size.

Protection of Design Details

Implementing critical functions or designs in silicon protects from reverse engineering by competitors.

Easy Fast Custom ASIC Creation

Simple Fixed Pricing
Makes It Easy

Pricing incudes the delivery of 50 sample dies

Fabrication is based on scheduled foundry MPW shuttles

No IP licensing fees required for samples

Packaging included

EDA tool cost included -- Design Assisted and Roll-Your-Own services include use of EDA design flow on the Efabless platform

Dedicated shuttle pricing available upon request

Flexible Development Models

How It Works

Getting samples for your custom SoC is made easy and fast through a streamlined process on the Efabless platform.

Create an SoC Configuration

Create a custom configuration of an SoC using simple pulldown menus and a web-based wizard tool. Note any customization requirements.

Generate a Request

Submit a request to Efabless to create samples. We will contact you to confirm your order and any additional requirements before proceeding.

Get Your SoC Samples Parts

Get your SoC samples, either as packaged parts and/or on evaluation PCBAs. Use our example firmware to verify.

Move to Production

Transfer your design to a production mask. Lower upfront NRE by sharing mask and fabrication costs with other Efabless customers. Transition to an Efabless partner for long-term production and support.

Example Configuration and Layout

Raptor Demo Chip Block Diagram

Raptor Demo Chip Layout

Current Limitations

Degree of Customization

Only what is available through configuration of the design template

Generated design can be further customized manually

New design templates will be added over time to address new application requirements

IP Selection

IP selection based on a silicon-proven pre-integrated IP library

Custom IP can be included for specific design templates & New IP will be added over time

Processor and Memory Configurations

Generated design can be further customized manually

Technology Nodes and Foundries

The technology node is specified based on design template

New technology nodes and foundries to be added over time

Support for On-chip RF & Flash

IP for on-chip RF and Flash are currently not available. Options to integrate RF and Flash are available through a SIP integrated solution

Why Not Use An FPGA?

* Power calculations based on 32MHz clock and an activity factor of 0.1. FPGA is filled with 16-bit counters.
Note - core voltage for the FPGA is 1.2V vs 1.8V for Raptor.

Efabless Simplifies
SoC Creation

Efabless platform and marketplace opens the market for custom SoC creation and delivery

  • Scalable resources thru community
  • Low-cost, fast delivery
  • Collaborative & open
  • Open SoC design templates
  • Complete set of capabilities and resources
  • Leverages a mature ecosystem around
    Arm’s Cortex processor family

Marketplace & Platform