When you hear the phrase “streaming fabric technology,” the first thing that might come to mind is wearable electronics. But the phrase takes on an entirely new meaning in the light of a recent development from electronic design automation and semiconductor IP provider Synopsys Inc. Here, the “fabric” is a unique on-chip network designed to quickly transport silicon data to and from multiple design blocks and multi-die systems, significantly reducing time to efficiently test and analyze the overall health of the chip for anomalies and failures. According to the company, the technology can shorten both silicon data access and test time by up to 80% while also minimizing excess power.
Streaming fabric technology isn’t about wearable electronics; it’s designed for real-time silicon health monitoring. Source: Synopsys Inc.Generated by the Synopsys TestMAX DFT design-for-test tool and part of Synopsys' silicon lifecycle management family of products, the new streaming fabric achieves two major goals: lowering test costs through reduced data transport time and enhancing data reliability through accurate power estimation.
First, a consideration of test costs. Engineering teams are likely familiar with a “divide-and-conquer” approach for ensuring silicon health and uptime in large, advanced-node designs. Constant data access is incorporated into each design block to allow analysis on parameters such as process, voltage and temperature; the blocks are then connected to the chip-level pins. As a result, the network becomes relatively rigid and requires a significant amount of planning. By contrast, the new streaming fabric technology takes a plug-and-play approach. It can be programmed to accommodate various block speeds and data interface sizes, with minimal planning required. The fabric also supports simplified branching for blocks with small data interface, minimizing required access time.
In terms of enhancing data reliability, the new power estimation technology incorporated in the company’s TestMAX ATPG pattern generation solution determines power drawn at data application time, with an accuracy derived from assigning results of Synopsys’ PrimePower RTL-to signoff power analysis technology. As a result, power drops are mitigated and the potential for overutilizing power — which could produce incorrect silicon data results or damage the part — is addressed.
As with many other Synopsys solutions, this one relies upon tight integration of the company’s portfolio of products. “Fabric” is an apt name: It shares characteristics of the more familiar meaning of the term, in which interconnected fibers function together to produce a cohesive whole.
