y Gauteng Police to Raid Spaza Shops in Food Safety Crackdown - South African News Briefs - November 11, 2024 By allafrica.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 05:59:38 GMT [allAfrica] Full Article Food and Agriculture Education Health and Medicine Legal and Judicial Affairs South Africa Southern Africa
y Cosatu Is Deeply Concerned By Government's Withdrawal of the SABC Soc Ltd Bill From Parliament By allafrica.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 07:58:37 GMT [COSATU] The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is deeply concerned by the Minister for Communications and Digital Technologies, Mr. S. Malatsi's sudden withdrawal of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) SOC Ltd Bill from Parliament where it was being engaged upon by the National Assembly's Portfolio Committee: Communications and Digital Technologies. Full Article Economy Business and Finance Governance Labour South Africa Southern Africa
y Russian, South African Companies Join Forces On Nuclear Energy in Africa By allafrica.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 12:05:54 GMT [Namibian] Russian company Rosatom and South African AllWeld Nuclear and Industrial are joining forces to promote the sustainable development of nuclear energy in Africa. Full Article Economy Business and Finance Energy Europe and Africa External Relations South Africa Southern Africa
y Cosatu Welcomes the Drop in the Unemployment Rate By allafrica.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 06:47:22 GMT [COSATU] The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the slight drop in the expanded unemployment rate from 42.6% in the second quarter to 41.9% in the third quarter of this year. Full Article Economy Business and Finance Governance Labour South Africa Southern Africa
y Media Reminder - Na and NCOP to Hold Plenary Sittings to Discuss 16 Days of Activism and Infrastructure Development By allafrica.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:05:45 GMT [Parliament of South Africa] Parliament, Tuesday, 12 November 2024 - The National Assembly (NA) will hold a plenary session scheduled to start at 10:00. Among the items on the agenda from 10:00 to 13:00 is the statement by the Minister of Water and Sanitation on water security in the country and a debate on 16 Days of Activism for no violence against women and children. The debate will be held under the theme, "Marking 30 years of democratic rights for women and fostering national unity to end gender-based violence". Full Article Press and Media South Africa Southern Africa Women and Gender
y A South African Politician Ends Up Homeless in Nthikeng Mohlele's Spicy New Novel - but Is It Any Good? By allafrica.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 05:04:31 GMT [The Conversation Africa] Despite the flaws in the latest novel by South African writer Nthikeng Mohlele, there is something alluring about Revolutionaries' House. It is Mohlele's most political novel, and the parallels drawn between love and politics - and their pitfalls - are intriguing. Full Article Arts Culture and Entertainment Books Governance South Africa Southern Africa
y These Matriculants Have Been Waiting for Their Matric Certificates for Three Years By allafrica.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 04:51:22 GMT [GroundUp] The education department says there's only one SETA official assisting all nine provinces Full Article Education Governance South Africa Southern Africa
y Are You SAFE Yet? Leveraging the Ecosystem to Boost Your Product Time to Market By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 09 Jul 2024 05:00:00 GMT We live in a rapidly growing “digitalized world,” with an ever-increasing need for video/music streaming, gaming, AI/machine learning, etc. All of these propel demand on modern SoC design to quickly evolve the SoC by fitting more sophisti...(read more) Full Article IP featured Silicon Solution Group PCIe 5.0 samsung foundry PCIe SSG PCIe 6.0 safe PCI Express Protocol IP
y GDDR7: The Ideal Memory Solution in AI Inference By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Aug 2024 20:53:00 GMT The generative AI market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the increasing parameter size of Large Language Models (LLMs). This growth is pushing the boundaries of performance requirements for training hardware within data centers. For an in-depth look at this, consider the insights provided in "HBM3E: All About Bandwidth". Once trained, these models are deployed across a diverse range of applications. They are transforming sectors such as finance, meteorology, image and voice recognition, healthcare, augmented reality, high-speed trading, and industrial, to name just a few. The critical process that utilizes these trained models is called AI inference. Inference is the capability of processing real-time data through a trained model to swiftly and effectively generate predictions that yield actionable outcomes. While the AI market has primarily focused on the requirements of training infrastructure, there is an anticipated shift towards prioritizing inference as these models are deployed. The computational power and memory bandwidth required for inference are significantly lower than those needed for training. Inference engines typically need between 300-700GB/s of memory bandwidth, compared to 1-3TB/s for training. Additionally, the cost of inference needs to be lower, as these systems will be widely deployed not only in data centers but also at the network's edge (e.g., 5G) and in end-user equipment like security cameras, cell phones, and automobiles. When designing an AI inference engine, there are several memory options to consider, including DDR, LPDDR, GDDR, and HBM. The choice depends on the specific application, bandwidth, and cost requirements. DDR and LPDDR offer good memory density, HBM provides the highest bandwidth but requires 2.5D packaging, and GDDR offers high bandwidth using standard packaging and PCB technology. The GDDR7 standard, announced by JEDEC in March of this year, features a data rate of up to 192GB/s per device, a chip density of 32Gb, and the latest data integrity features. The high data rate is achieved by using PAM3 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) with 3 levels (+1, 0, -1) to transmit 3 bits over 2 cycles, whereas the current GDDR6 generation uses NRZ (non-return-to-zero) to transmit 2 bits over 2 cycles. GDDR7 offers many advantages for AI Inference having the best balance of bandwidth and cost. For example, an AI Inference system requiring 500GB/s memory bandwidth will need only 4 GDDR7 DRAM running at 32Gbp/s (32 data bits x 32Gbp/s per pin = 1024Gb/s per DRAM). The same system would use 13 LPDDR5X PHYs running at 9.6Gbp/s, which is currently the highest data rate available (32 data bits x 9.6Gb/s = 307Gb/s per DRAM). Cadence stands at the forefront of AI inference hardware support, being the first IP company to roll out GDDR7 PHYs capable of impressive speeds up to 36Gb/s across various process nodes. This milestone builds on Cadence's established leadership in GDDR6 PHY IP, which has been available since 2019. The company caters to a diverse client base spanning AI inference, graphics, automotive, and networking equipment. While GDDR7 continues to utilize standard PCB board technology, the increased signal speeds seen in GDDR6 (20Gbp/s) and now GDDR7 (36Gb/s) calls for careful attention with the physical design to ensure optimized system performance. In addition to providing the PHY, Cadence also offers comprehensive PCB and package reference design, which are essential in helping customers achieve optimal signal and power integrity (SI/PI) for their systems. Cadence is dedicated to ensuring customer success beyond just providing hardware. They provide expert support in SI/PI, collaborating closely with customers throughout the design process. This approach ensures that customers can benefit from Cadence's expertise in navigating the complexities of high-speed design and achieving optimal performance in their AI inference systems. As the AI market continues to advance, Cadence remains at the forefront by offering a comprehensive memory IP portfolio tailored for every segment of this dynamic market. From DDR5 and HBM3E, which cater to the intensive demands of training in servers and high-performance computing (HPC), to LPDDR5X designed for low-end inference at the network edge and in consumer devices, Cadence's offerings cover a wide range of applications. Looking to the future, Cadence is dedicated to innovating at the forefront of memory system performance, ensuring that the evolving needs of AI training and inference are met with the highest standards of excellence. Whether it's pushing the boundaries with GDDR7 or exploring new technologies, Cadence is dedicated to driving the AI revolution forward, one breakthrough at a time. Learn more about Cadence GDDR7 PHY Learn more about Cadence Simulation VIP for GDDR7. Full Article featured gddr6 inference HBM training AI GDDR7
y Advancing Die-to-Die Connectivity: The Next-Generation UCIe IP Subsystem By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 08 Oct 2024 06:34:00 GMT Cadence tapes out 32G UCIe interface IP for high speed, highly efficient chiplet designs and demonstrate high data rate performance in TSMC's 3nm technology(read more) Full Article ucie IP die-to-die
y The Future of Driving: How Advanced DSP is Shaping Car Infotainment Systems By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:40:00 GMT As vehicles transition into interconnected ecosystems, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies become increasingly crucial. Infotainment systems have evolved beyond mere music players to become central hubs for connectivity, entertainment, and navigation. With global demand for comfort, convenience, and safety rising, the automotive infotainment market is experiencing significant growth. Valued at USD14.99 billion in 2023, it is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9% from 2024 to 2030. To keep pace with this evolution, infotainment systems must accommodate a range of workloads, including audio, voice, AI, and vision technologies. This requires a flexible, scalable Digital Signal Processor (DSP) solution that acts as an offload engine for the main application processor. Integrating a single DSP for varied functions offers a cost-effective solution for high-performance, low-power processing, which aligns well with the needs of Electric Vehicles (EVs). If you missed the detailed presentation by Casey Ng, Product Marketing Director at Cadence at CadenceLIVE 2024, register at the CadenceLIVE On-Demand site to access it and other insightful presentations. Stay ahead of the curve and explore the future of innovative electronics with us. Cadence Infotainment Solution: Leading the Charge Cadence Tensilica HiFi DSPs play a crucial role in enhancing audio capabilities in vehicle infotainment systems. They support applications like voice recognition, hands-free calling, and deliver immersive audio experiences. This technology is also paramount for features such as active noise control, which reduces road and cabin noise, and acoustic event detection for identifying unusual sounds like broken glass. One notable innovation is the "audio bubble," enabling personalized audio zones within the vehicle, ensuring passengers enjoy distinct audio settings. Cadence HiFi DSP technology enriches the driving experience for electric vehicles by mimicking traditional engine sounds, while its advanced audio processing ensures optimal performance across various digital radio standards. It significantly contributes to noise reduction, hence improving the cabin experience. Integrating a Double Precision Floating Point Unit (FPU) stands out, as it upgrades audio performance and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) through efficient 64-bit processing, allowing control over numerous speakers without hitches. These advancements distinguish the DSP as an essential tool in evolving infotainment systems, offering unmatched performance and adaptability. Tensilica HiFi processors, crucial to advanced infotainment SoCs, serve as efficient offload processors, augmenting real-time execution and energy efficiency. Cadence’s ecosystem, with over 200 codecs and software partnerships, propels the evolution of innovative infotainment systems. Introducing the HiFi 5s DSP marks a new era in connected car experiences, setting the stage for groundbreaking advancements. Exploring Tomorrow with HiFi 5s DSP Technology The HiFi 5s represents the apex of audio and AI digital signal processing performance. Built on the Xtensa LX8 platform, it introduces capabilities like auto-vectorization, which allows standard C code to be automatically optimized for performance. This synergy of hardware and software co-design marks a significant step forward in DSP technology. By leveraging its extended Single Instruction, Multiple Data (SIMD) capabilities alongside features like a double-precision floating-point unit (DP_FPU), the HiFi 5s delivers unparalleled precision and speed improvements in signal and audio processing tasks. Equally notable are its branch prediction and L2 cache enhancements, which optimize system performance by refining the control code execution and recognizing codec efficiency. The application of such enhancements are particularly beneficial in real-world scenarios. AI-Powered Audio Cadence's focus on AI integration with the HiFi 5s demonstrates significant improvements in audio clarity through AI-powered solutions. AI models learn from real-world data and adapt dynamically, while classic DSP algorithms rely on fixed rules. AI can be fine-tuned for specific scenarios, whereas classic DSP lacks flexibility. AI handles extreme and marginal noise patterns better, generalizes well across different environments, and is robust against varying noise characteristics. Cadence's dedication to artificial intelligence marks a pivotal shift in audio processing. Traditional DSP algorithms, bound by rigid rules, are eclipsed by AI's ability to learn dynamically from real-world data. This adaptability equips AI models to tackle challenging noise patterns and offer unmatched clarity even in noisy environments, making them ideal for automotive and consumer audio applications. Realtime AI-Optimized Speech Enhancements by OmniSpeech and ai|coustics OmniSpeech Our partner, OmniSpeech, has advanced AI-based audio processing that enhances the performance of audio software, specifically for omnidirectional and dipole microphones. Impressively, their technology operates with less than 32MHz and requires only 418kB of memory. Test results show that background noise is significantly reduced when AI employs a single omnidirectional microphone, outperforming non-AI solutions. Additionally, when using a dipole microphone with AI, there is a 3.5X improvement in the weighted Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and more than a 28% increase in the Global Mean Opinion Score (GMOS) across various background noise. ai|coustics ai|coustics, a Cadence partner specializing in advanced audio technologies, utilizes real-time AI-optimized speech enhancement algorithms. They leverage an extensive speech-quality dataset containing thousands of hours and 100 languages to transform low-quality audio into studio-grade audio. Their process includes: De-reverb, which eliminates room resonances, echoes, and reflections Removing artifacts from downsampling and codec compression Dynamic and adaptive background noise removal Reviving audio materials with analog and digital distortions Providing support for all languages, accents, and a variety of speakers Applications include: Automotive: Enhances clarity of navigation commands and communication for driver safety Consumer audio: Improves voice clarity for better dialogue understanding in TV programs. Optimizes speech intelligibility in communication for both uplink and downlink audio streams Smart IoT: Boosts voice command detection and response quality Performance Enhancements The advancements in branch prediction and L2 cache integration have significantly boosted performance metrics across various systems. With HiFi 5s, branch prediction increases codec efficiency by an average of 5%, reaching up to 16% in optimal conditions. L2 cache improvements have drastically enhanced system-level performance, evidenced by a 2.3X boost in EVS decoder efficiency. Adding MACs and imaging ISA in imaging use cases has led to substantial advancements. When comparing HiFi 5s to HiFi 5, imaging ISA performance improvements range with >60% average performance improvements. The Crescendo of the Future As Cadence continues to blaze trails in DSP technology, the HiFi 5s emerges as the quintessential solution for consumer and automotive audio use cases. With a robust framework for auto-vectorization, an unmatched double-precision FPU, AI-driven audio solutions, and comprehensive system enhancements, Cadence is orchestrating the next era of audio processing, where every note is clearer, every sound richer, and every experience more engaging. It is not just the future of audio—it's the future of how we experience the world around us. Discover how Cadence Automotive Solutions can transform your business today! Full Article Automotive DSP infotainment Tensilica HiFi 5s
y Change rout design metal layer effort By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 30 Apr 2024 19:10:22 GMT Hi, Is there any way to instruct the tool to reduce the low metals effort and route more on top layers? Full Article
y Specifying the placement of submodules in the top module during the pnr using Innovus By community.cadence.com Published On :: Fri, 10 May 2024 13:16:51 GMT Hi everyone, I'm designing a digital chip that will be fabricated. I have a HDL top module that includes several submodules inside it. I want to define the position of some of the submodules during the PnR so that later I can specify there positions in the Micrograph photo after the IC fabrication. When I perform the PnR using Innovus, I always got a layout shape where the submodules seems to be flatted. I wonder if there is a way to specify the placement of each submodule in my top module (maybe in the tcl file) during the PnR so later I can define there positions in the micrograph photo. Thanks in Advance! Full Article
y Innovus 'syntax error'. but works in Genus By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 10:18:36 GMT Hi everyone,I'm new to using Innovus and I'm encountering an issue while trying to perform the "init_design" command. My goal is to perform the place and route. Here are the commands I'm using:``set init_verilog ./test.vset init_top_cell TESTset init_pwr_net {VDD VDD_2 VDD_3}set init_gnd_net {VSS VSSA}set init_lef_file { /home/laumecha/uw_openroad_free45/pdk/Drexel-ECEC575/Encounter/NangateOpenCellLibrary/Back_End/lef/NangateOpenCellLibrary.lef}set init_mmmc_file {./viewDefinition.tcl}init_design```However, I receive the following error:```#% Begin Load netlist data ... (date=06/04 12:07:50, mem=1478.7M)*** Begin netlist parsing (mem=1439.0M) ***Created 0 new cells from 0 timing libraries.Reading netlist ...Backslashed names will retain backslash and a trailing blank character.**ERROR: (IMPVL-209): In Verilog file './test.v', check line 16 near the text # for the issue: 'syntax error'. Update the text accordingly.Type 'man IMPVL-209' for more detail.Verilog file './test.v' has errors! See above.*** Memory Usage v#1 (Current mem = 1439.027M, initial mem = 634.098M) ***#% End Load netlist data ... (date=06/04 12:07:50, total cpu=0:00:00.0, real=0:00:00.0, peak res=1478.7M, current mem=1478.7M)**ERROR: (IMPVL-902): Failed to read netlist ./test.v. See previous error messages for details. Resolve the issues and reload the design.``` However, the file works perfectly in Genus. It seems there is a syntax error in my Verilog file at line 16, but I'm not sure how to resolve it. Any guidance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.Thanks in advance! Full Article
y removing cdn_loop_breaker from the genus synthesis netlist By community.cadence.com Published On :: Wed, 12 Jun 2024 04:54:24 GMT I am trying to remove the cdn_loop_breaker cells from the netlist. When I tried the below 2 things, genus synthesis tool removing the cdn_loop_breaker cells but while connecting the cdn_loop_breaker cell input to its proper connection, its somehow misleading the connectionsThings i tried:1. remove_cdn_loop_breaker -instances *cdn_loop_breaker*then i just ran remove_cdn_loop_breaker comand without the -instances switch2. remove_cdn_loop_breaker both of the above things are not providing the proper connections after removing the loop_breaker_cellscan anyone suggest the best possible workaround for this please? Full Article
y Tempus ECO initial setup summary not matching timing report results By community.cadence.com Published On :: Sat, 29 Jun 2024 01:51:01 GMT We are currently setting up the Tempus flow and have ran into some mismatched data regarding ECO and timing reports. I generated a timing report before running ECO and saw six total setup violations. When running opt_signoff -setup, the initial setup summary that was printed in the shell only showed one violation. I can see that violation from the initial setup summary in my pre-ECO timing report and it is not the worst path. Upon further investigation, I forced the tool to try to fix setup on one of the other five violations from the timing report using the opt_signoff_select_setup_endpoints attribute and the tool said that the endpoint had positive slack and would be ignored. Has anyone experienced something like this before? Full Article
y UPF 3.1 / Genus - Cannot find any instance for scope By community.cadence.com Published On :: Sat, 06 Jul 2024 21:40:46 GMT Hi, I'm using genus (Version 21.14-s082_1) to synthesis a VHDL-design with multiple power-domains. After reading the power intent file and calling 'apply_power_intent', I get the following warning: Warning : Potential problem while applying power intent of 1801 file. [1801-99] : Cannot find any instance for scope '/:CHIP_TOP'. Rest of commands in this scope will be skipped (set_scope:../../upf/CHIP_TOP.upf:2). : Check the power intent. If the scenario is expected, this message can be ignored. The fist two lines of CHIP_TOP.upf: upf_version 3.1set_scope :CHIP_TOPI simulated the same UPF and VHDL files with Xeclium and was able to verify all the IEEE1801/UPF aspects I need without any problems. I don't know, why genus is having a problem with the 'scope'.In genus, after getting the warning, running 'set_db power_domain:CHIP_TOP/BLOCK_A/PD_CORE_D .library_domain PD0V5' returns the following error:Error : <Start> word is not recognized. [TUI-182] [set_db] : 'power_domain:CHIP_TOP/BLOCK/PD_CORE_D' is not a recognized object/attribute. Type 'help root:' to get a list of all supported objects and attributes. : Check if the given <Start> word is a valid object_type, object or attribute. Running 'commit_power_intent' gives me:Started inserting low power cells...====================================Info : Command 'commit_power_intent' cannot proceed as there are no power domains present. [CPI-507] : Design with no power domains is 'design:CHIP_TOP'.Completed inserting low power cells (runtime 0.00).====================================================I'm suspecting that the problem lies in 'set_scope' and VHDL. I never had such problems with Verilog. I tried every way to reference the hierarchy in the code and now I'm at my wit's end and I need your help o/ How to set the scope with 'set_scope' in UPD 3.1 to the toplevel in VHDL, so that genus accepts it? Or is the problem caused by something else?Best, Iqbal Full Article
y Off grid violations on M2 layer By community.cadence.com Published On :: Sat, 27 Jul 2024 04:43:31 GMT Hi all, I have off grid violations on M2 layer. I have tried ecoRoute -fix_drc and deleting violations and rerouting. But the tool is still placing these routes off grid. The on grid option in nanoroute is turned on. Since there is a fat metal closer to these routes, the tool is honouring the drc and not placing the metals on track. How do I ignore drc while routing? Also if there is any other way I can fix it, please let me know Full Article
y Innovus post CTS Timing Analysis issue By community.cadence.com Published On :: Mon, 29 Jul 2024 05:57:40 GMT While performing the timing analysis after post-CTS. We are getting warnings on all input ports defined in our design. **WARN: (IMPESI-3095): Net: 'CLK' has no receivers. SI analysis is not performed.**WARN: (IMPESI-3095): Net: 'RESET' has no receivers. SI analysis is not performed.**WARN: (IMPESI-3095): Net: 'UART_BAUD_SWITCHES_2' has no receivers. SI analysis is not performed.**WARN: (IMPESI-3095): Net: 'UART_BAUD_SWITCHES_1' has no receivers. SI analysis is not performed. We've checked our design netlist, and all the required connections are present for the input ports through pads. We are using Innovus version: v21.12 Full Article
y Generate LEF/GDS LayerMap File By community.cadence.com Published On :: Wed, 14 Aug 2024 06:41:05 GMT I have a standard cell library containing LEF, GDS, and spice models but no OA views. I'm unable to import these files into Virtuoso without a LayerMap file. How can I obtain or generate this required LayerMap file? Full Article
y Find layer map file name and path for a library By community.cadence.com Published On :: Sun, 29 Sep 2024 20:45:41 GMT I'm trying to write a generic piece of code that will return the layermap file location, with file name, for a variety of projects (which could potential have different layermap file naming conventions. The below code is what I've used to date, but this assumes the file name is xxxx.layermap. I can obviously do some string matching to find it, assuming the various files all contain some common characters. I thought I'd ask if there is a simpler way to find it, I know that this information is automatically loaded into the Xstream out gui, so maybe I can use the same approach to find it. techLibName=techGetTechFile(cv)~>libName techLibLayerMap=strcat(ddGetObj(techLibName)~>readPath "/" techLibName ".layermap") Full Article
y How to import different input combination to the same circuit to get max, min, and average delay, power dissipation and area By community.cadence.com Published On :: Wed, 16 Oct 2024 02:47:12 GMT Hi everyone. I'm very a new cadence user. I'm not good at using it and quite lost in finding a way to get the results. With the topic, I would like to ask you for some suggestions to improve my cadence skills. I have some digital decision logic. Some are combinational logic, some are sequential logic that I would like to import or generate random input combination to the inputs of my decision logic to get the maximum, minimum, and average delay power dissipation and area when feeding the different input combination. My logic has 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit input. The imported data tends to be decimal numbers. I would like to ask you: - which tool(s) are the most appropriate to import and feed the different combination to my decision logic? - which tool is the most appropriate to synthesis with different number of input? - I have used Genus Synthesis Solution so far. However with my skill right now I can only let Genus synthesize my Verilog code one setup at a time. I'm not sure if I there is anyway I can feed a lot of input at a time and get those results (min, max, average of delay, power dissipation and area) - which language or scripts I should pick up to use and achieve these results? -where can I find information to solve my problem? which information shall I look for? Thank you so much for your time!! Best Regards Full Article
y Always on buffering By community.cadence.com Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 17:22:01 GMT Hello All,How do we control the Always on buffering for a power domain called B in Power domain A.here B-power domain nets going through A , hence tool is inserting Always on buffers.How do we avoid this specific power domain ? Thanks,Bshaik Full Article
y Is there a skill command for "Assign Layout Instance terminals"? By community.cadence.com Published On :: Thu, 17 Oct 2024 18:36:39 GMT Is there a skill command for "Assign Layout Instance terminals", this form appears when i click on define device correspondence and Bind the devices.Also, Problem Statement : i have a schematic with a couple of transistor symbols and and i alos have a corresponding layout view with respective layout transistors but they all are inside a pCell(created by me) i.e layout transistor called inside a custom Pcell. Now i have multiple symbols in schematic view and a single instance(pCell) in layout view. Is there a way how i can bind these schematic symbols with layout symbols inside the pCell(custom)? Even if i have to use cph commands i'm fine with it. need help here. The idea here is to establish XL connectivity between the schematic symbols and corresponding layout transistors(inside the pCell). Thanks, Shankar Full Article
y Coordinates(bBoxes) of all the shapes(layers) in a layout view By community.cadence.com Published On :: Thu, 17 Oct 2024 18:58:34 GMT Hello Community, Is there any simple way how i can get the coordinates of all the shapes in a layout view? Currently i'm flattening the layout, getting all the lpps from CV and using setof to get all the shapes of a layer and looping through them to get the coordinates. Is there a way to do it without having to flatten the layout view and shapes merged or any other elegant way to do it if we flatten it? Also, dbWriteSkill doesn't give output how i desired Thanks, Shankar Full Article
y How to add custom indicators to Dynamic Display measuring HUD By community.cadence.com Published On :: Wed, 23 Oct 2024 20:31:55 GMT I am attempting to use dbGetNeighbor() function inside the dynamic display HUD so that the distance to the next metal on that layer could be viewed. Think of another line in this dynamic table here... My SKILL code is essentially the following: procedure(getNearestNeighborOnMetal(cv) let((direction tmpBoundingBox) direction = internal_function() tmpBoundingBox = dbCreateRect(geGetEditCellView() "tmp" list(hiGetCommandPoint() hiGetCommandPoint())) car(dbGetNeighbor(geGetEditCellView() tmpBoundingBox direction)) )) this returns the distance to the closest metal based on some tests. Next, I try to register this function to work in the Dynamic Display / Info Balloon world by executing odcRegisterCustomFunc() for each and every object type (I know, absurd, but trying to debug) In the dynamic display menu, I toggle the "Custom SKILL Function" check in layoutXL, then hit apply, then OK. After this I find I am unable to view the changes reflected in any info balloons or in the drawing HUD (above) for this wire. I have tried replacing my function with the sample "customFunc" from the odcRegisterCustomFunc() documentation and was still unable to produce any new output. Any help diagnosing the use of this feature would be very much appreciated Full Article
y Virtuoso Fluid Guard Ring Layout error "do_something=nil" By community.cadence.com Published On :: Thu, 24 Oct 2024 07:22:30 GMT Hello, When I draw a Fluid Guard Ring in Virtuoso, the layout is not visible, and instead, "do_something=nil" appears. When I check the details with Q, it shows the same information as a regular NFGR guard ring, and Ctrl+F also displays the instance name, just like with a regular NFGR. Additionally, the Pcells of Fluid Guard Rings from previous projects appear broken. The version I’m currently using is not different from the one used in the past. Even when I access the same version as the one used during the project, the Pcells still appear broken. These two issues are occurring, and I’m not sure what to check. I would greatly appreciate it if you could assist me in resolving this issue. // Reinstalling the PDK resolved the issue! I’m not exactly sure what the problem was, but I suspect there might have been an internal issue with permissions or the PDK path. Full Article
y Refer instances and vias to technology library during importing By community.cadence.com Published On :: Sun, 27 Oct 2024 04:30:15 GMT Hi, My query is regarding importing of layout. After importing, we see that the imported transistor instances and vias are all referring to the library in which they are imported, instead of referring to the technology library. Please let me know how we can refer them to the technology library. Will surely provide more details if my query is unclear. Thanks, Mallikarjun. Full Article
y How to create draw region button like the one used in the Area and Density calculator By community.cadence.com Published On :: Mon, 28 Oct 2024 23:47:16 GMT Hello, I would like to create a button for my form that prompts the user to click on a cellview and draw a rectangle bounding box, exactly like the one used in the Area and Density Calculator. Can someone please help me with this? Thanks! Beto Full Article
y can't resize window by mouse By community.cadence.com Published On :: Sun, 03 Nov 2024 13:36:50 GMT Hi guys, I see that inside VNC I can’t resize window boxes by mouse. While pressing the arrow at the box edge and dragging it nothing happens: is it a bug, or setup change require? Noted, it only happens when trying to resize window box from left and right side.. Thx Full Article
y DRC warning when use abConvertPolygonToPath.ils code By community.cadence.com Published On :: Mon, 04 Nov 2024 21:34:25 GMT Hi All, I'm using a code (abConvertPolygonToPath.ils) that I found in other posts to convert a rect object to a path object inside a pcell code, but when I try to run a DRC, the layout export fails due to a warning message, here is the log message *WARNING* (DB-270001): Pcell evaluation for 18A_asaavedr/lay_mesh_BM0_BM4_3p6_3p6/layout has the following error(s): *WARNING* (DB-270002): ("eval" 0 t nil ("*Error* eval: undefined function" abConvertPolygonToPath)) ERROR (XOASIS-231): Pcell evaluation failed for '18A_asaavedr/lay_mesh_BM0_BM4_3p6_3p6/layout' because the Pcell SKILL code contains either a syntax error or an unsupported XOasis function. Check the standard output or the Virtuoso log file for more information. Cadence recommends correcting the Pcell SKILL code to resolve the issue. However, to ignore these errors and continue the translation, you may use the 'ignorePcellEvalFail' option. INFO (XOASIS-282): Translation Failed. '1' error(s) and '3' warning(s) found. And when compile the code I get the following message: *WARNING* defgeneric function already defined - abConvertPolygonToPath I will aprreciate any help in how to waive this error, or fix it. Thank you Full Article
y How to restrict the variable's data type of procedure with @key By community.cadence.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 02:37:35 GMT Hi, I want to define a procedure that with @key, and I also want to restrict the variable's datatype, I tried with folloing but I received error in CIW procedure(tt(handler @key str1 str2 "ssS") printf("handler: %L " handler)) tt('test) The error is like: *Error* tt: argument for keyword ?str1 should be a symbol (type template = "ssS") at line 11 of file Thanks, James Full Article
y Destructive form of "cons" - efficiently prepending an item to a procedure's argument which is a list By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:20:40 GMT Hello, I was looking to destructively and efficiently modify a list that was passed in as an argument to a procedure, by prepending an item to the list. I noticed that cons lets you do this efficiently, but the operation is non-destructive. Hence this wouldn't work if you are trying to modify a function's list parameter in place. Here is an example of trying to add "0" to the front of a list: procedure( attempt_to_prepend_list(l elem) l = cons(elem l) ) a = list(1 2 3) ==> (1 2 3)attempt_to_prepend_list(a 0)==> (0 1 2 3)a==> (1 2 3) As we can see, the original list is not prepended. Here is a function though which achieves the desired result while being efficient. Namely, the following function does not create any new lists and only uses fast methods like cons, rplacd, and rplaca procedure( prepend_list(l elem) ; cons(car(l) cdr(l)) results in a new list with the car(l) duplicated ; we then replace the cdr of l so that we are now pointing to this new list rplacd(l cons(car(l) cdr(l))) ; we replace the previously duplicated car(l) with the element we want rplaca(l elem) ) a = list(1 2 3) ==> (1 2 3)prepend_list(a 0)==> (0 1 2 3)a==> (0 1 2 3) This works for me, but I find it surprising there is no built-in function to do this. Am I perhaps overlooking something in the documentation? I know that tconc is an efficient and destructive way to append items to the end of a list, but there isn't an equivalent for the front of the list? Full Article
y Cross-probe between layout veiw and schematic view By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:52:10 GMT Hi there I am trying to make cross-probe btw layout and schematic view. so when I execute the code in schematic using bindkey, the code will raise the layout view (hiRaiseWindow) and then I want to descend to the same hierarchy as schematic. (geSelectFig, leHiEditInPlace) But looks like current cellview still stays at schematic view. I got this error msg, and when I print current cell view name at where I got this msg, it replys schematic. *Error* geSelectFig: argument #1 should be a database object (type template = "d") - nil is there any way to change the current cellview to layout view? I also added this code, but didn't work. geGetEditCellView(geGetCellViewWindow(cvId)) ;cvId is layout view I don't want to close the schematic view, just want to move the focus or make geSelectFig works. Thanks in advance. Full Article
y μWaveRiders: New Python Library Provides a Higher-Level API in the Cadence AWR Design Environment By community.cadence.com Published On :: Mon, 18 Jul 2022 21:12:00 GMT A new Python library has been written to facilitate an interface between Python and AWR software using a command structure that adheres more closely to Python coding conventions. This library is labeled "pyawr-utils" and it is installed using the standard Python pip command. Comprehensive documentation for installing and using pyawr-utils is available.(read more) Full Article RF Simulation Circuit simulation AWR Design Environment Python API pyawr utilities awr RF design VBA microwave office Visual System Simulator (VSS) scripting
y μWaveRiders: Thermal Analysis for RF Power Applications By community.cadence.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Sep 2022 08:27:00 GMT Thermal analysis with the Cadence Celsius Thermal Solver integrated within the AWR Microwave Office circuit simulator gives designers an understanding of device operating temperatures related to power dissipation. That temperature information can be introduced into an electrothermal model to predict the impact on RF performance.(read more) Full Article CFD RF Simulation featured Circuit simulation AWR Design Environment awr Cadence Celsius Thermal Analysis microwave office electrothermal models thermal solver
y μWaveRiders: Setting Up a Successful AWR Design Environment Design - Layout and Component Libraries By community.cadence.com Published On :: Fri, 16 Dec 2022 20:15:00 GMT When starting a new design, it's important to take the time to consider design recommendations that prevent problems that can arise later in the design cycle. This two-part compilation of guidelines for starting a new design is the result of years of Cadence AWR Design Environment platform Support experience with designs. Pre-design decisions for user interface, simulation, layout, and library configuration lay the groundwork for a successful and efficient AWR design. This blog, part 2, covers the layout and component library considerations designers should note prior to starting a design.(read more) Full Article RF Simulation Circuit simulation AWR Design Environment awr Component library Layout microwave office Visual System Simulator (VSS)
y Knowledge Booster Training Bytes - The Close Connection Between Schematics and Their Layouts in Microwave Office By community.cadence.com Published On :: Wed, 04 Jan 2023 04:03:00 GMT Microwave Office is Cadence’s tool-of-choice for RF and microwave designers designing everything from III-V 5G chips, to RF systems in board and package technologies. These types of designs require close interaction between the schematic and its layout. A new Training Byte demonstrates how the schematic-layout connections is built into Microwave Office.(read more) Full Article RF RF Simulation RF designer AWR customization RF design microwave office
y Knowledge Booster Training Bytes - Working with Data Sets in Microwave Office By community.cadence.com Published On :: Fri, 06 Jan 2023 19:39:00 GMT Data sets are a powerful and easy-to-use feature in Microwave Office. Data can be effortlessly be swapped in graphs, and circuit schematics.(read more) Full Article RF Simulation AWR Design Environment awr AWR customization AWR Microwave Office microwave office
y Unlock Your RF Engineering Potential with a Cadence AWR Free Academic Trial! By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 09:47:00 GMT Are you ready to revolutionize your RF design experience? Look no further! Cadence AWR software is your gateway to mastering the intricacies of Radio Frequency (RF) circuit design, and now, you can explore its power with our exclusive Free Academic T...(read more) Full Article Cadence Academic Network AWR Design Environment awr TRIAL AWR training RF design
y Constraining some nets to route through a specific metal layer, and changing some pin/cell placements and wire directions in Cadence Innovus. By community.cadence.com Published On :: Fri, 03 Feb 2023 22:13:10 GMT Hello All: I am looking for help on the following, as I am new to Cadence tools [I have to use Cadence Innovus for Physical Design after Logic Synthesis using Synopsys Design Compiler, using Nangate 45 nm Open Cell Library]: while using Cadence Innovus, I would need to select a few specific nets to be routed through a specific metal layer. How can I do this on Innovus [are there any command(s)]? Also, would writing and sourcing a .tcl script [containing the command(s)] on the Innovus terminal after the Placement Stage of Physical Design be fine for this? Secondly, is there a way in Innovus to manipulate layout components, such as changing some pin placements, wire directions (say for example, wire direction changed to facing east from west, etc.) or moving specific closely placed cells around (without violating timing constraints of course) using any command(s)/.tcl script? If so, would pin placement changes and constraining some closely placed cells to be moved apart be done after Floorplanning/Powerplanning (that is, prior to Placement) and the wire direction changes be done after Routing? While making the necessary changes, could I use the usual Innovus commands to perform Physical Design of the remaining nets/wires/pins/cells, etc., or would anything need modification for the remaining components as well? I would finally need to dump the entire design containing all of this in a .def file. I tried looking up but could only find matter on Virtuoso and SKILL scripting, but I'd be using Innovus GUI/terminal with Nangate 45 nm Open Cell Library. I know this is a lot, but I would greatly appreciate your help. Thanks in advance. Riya Full Article
y Instance of standard cell does not have layout? By community.cadence.com Published On :: Sat, 04 Feb 2023 00:56:55 GMT Hi, I have synthesized a verilog code. When performing the pnr in innovus it is showing the error "Instance g5891__718 (similar for other) of the cell AND2_X6 has no physical library or has wrong dimension values (<=0). Check your design setup to make sure the physical library is loaded in and attribute specified in library are correct. When importing synthesized netlist in virtuoso then it says " Module AND2_X6, instantiated in the top module decoder, is not defined. Therefore the top module decoder will be imported as functional." Please help what's going on here? Full Article
y Stream in gds to virtuoso from directory other than where cds.lib exists By community.cadence.com Published On :: Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:35:39 GMT I am scripting gds streamin using 'strmin', which works fine so far. But, as it apparently doesn't have an option to specify where the cds.lib file is, I have to run it from the directory where the cds.lib file is, or I guess I could create a dummy one to source that one. Is there a way to tell strmin where the cds.lib file is? Full Article
y Conformal LEC can't finish at analyze abort step. How do I proceed? By community.cadence.com Published On :: Mon, 07 Aug 2023 02:19:35 GMT Hi Cadence & forumers, I am running a conformal LEC with a flattened netlist against RTL. The run hang for 5 days at the "analyze abort" step which is automatically launched by the compare. The netlist is flattened at some levels so hierarchical flow which I tried didn't help much. The flattened/highly optimized netlist is from customer and the ultimate goal. How shall I proceed now? On the a side note, a test run with a hierarchical netlist from a simple DC "compile -map_effort medium" command finished after 1 day or so. Thank you! // Command: vpx compare -verbose -ABORT_Print -NONEQ_Print -TIMEstamp// Starting multithreaded comparison ... Comparing 241112 points in parallel. // Multithreading Overhead: 38% Gates: 8501606/6168138// Multithreaded processing completed. ================================================================================Compared points PO DFF DLAT BBOX CUT Total --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Equivalent 1025 241638 30 75 21 242789 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Abort 0 124 0 0 0 124 ================================================================================Compare results of instance/output/pin equivalences and/or sequential merge ================================================================================Compared points DFF Total --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Equivalent 204 204 ================================================================================// Warning: 512 DFFs/DLATs have 1 disabled clock port: skipped data cone comparison// Resolving aborts by analyze abort... Full Article
y How to identify old Orcad Schematic entry version By community.cadence.com Published On :: Fri, 19 Jan 2024 10:49:20 GMT Good morning,I dug up an old project from 2005 and I should open the schematic to check some things.This is the schematic of a XILINX XC95108-pq160 CPLD which the XILINX ISE 6.1 software then translated and compiled, to generate a JEDEC file to burn CPLD.My problem is that I can't open schematics with the versions of Orcad Schematic Entry that I have.Can anyone help me understand which version of Orcad Schematic Entry I need to install to see these files?I shared the files on:drive.google.com/.../viewThank you very much Full Article
y copy paste circuit from one schematic design to another By community.cadence.com Published On :: Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:59:20 GMT Hi, have two designs and would like to copy paste one area of circuit from the old design to the new design, best way/approach and guidance please.. Full Article
y Want to use Transmission Gate in my design? By community.cadence.com Published On :: Fri, 21 Jun 2024 16:19:26 GMT I want to use a transmission gate in my design, but it is not available as a standard cell for Genus RTL synthesis. How can I perform an analysis of area, power, and critical path delay that includes the transmission gate alongside standard cells? Could you provide guidance or a methodology for integrating custom cells, like the transmission gate, into the synthesis flow for accurate analysis? Full Article
y which tools support Linting for early stages of Digital Design flow? By community.cadence.com Published On :: Thu, 03 Oct 2024 19:08:53 GMT I am trying to understand the Linting process. I know that mainly JasperGold is the tool for this purpose. Though I think JasperGold is more suited for later stages of the design. As a RTL Design Engineer, I want to make sure that if another tool has the capability of doing Linting earlier in the flow. for example, does Xcelium, Genus or Confomal support linting. I have seen some contradicting information online regarding this topic, though I can't find anything related to Linting on any of these tools. Thanks Full Article
y 5X “Time Warp” in Your Next Verification Cycle Using Xcelium Machine Learning By community.cadence.com Published On :: Wed, 22 Jun 2022 05:19:00 GMT Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. Machine learning (ML) and its associated inference abilities promise to revolutionize everything from driving your car to making your breakfast. Verification is never truly complete; it is over when you run...(read more) Full Article xcelium ml machine learning xcelium simulation
y Data Integrity for JEDEC DRAM Memories By community.cadence.com Published On :: Wed, 06 Jul 2022 16:58:00 GMT With the DRAM fabrication advancing from 1x to 1y to 1z and further to 1a, 1b and 1c nodes along with the DRAM device speeds going up to 8533 for Lpddr5/8800 for DDR5, Data integrity is becoming a really important issue that the OEMs and other users have to consider as part of the system that relies on the correctness of data being stored in the DRAMs for system to work as designed. It’s a complicated problem that requires multiple ways to deal with it. Traditionally one of the main approaches to deal with data errors is to rely on the ECC. ECC requires additional memory storage in which the ECC codes will calculated and stored at the time of memory write to DRAM. These codes will be read back along with the memory data during to the reads and checked against the data to make sure that there are no errors. Typical ECC schemes use Hamming code that provide for single bit error correction and double bit error detection per burst. Also, while several of previous generation of DRAM required Host to keep aside system memory for ECC storage latest DRAMs like Lpddr5 and DDR5 support on die ECC as part of the normal DRAM function that can be enabled using mode registers. DDR5 further requires Host to run through an ECC Error Check and Scrub (ECS) cycle on an average every tECSint time (Average Periodic ECS Interval) to prevent data errors. Not meeting the DRAM Refresh requirement is a major reason that can lead to loss of data. This could be challenging as the PVT variation can cause the refresh requirement to change over time. Putting the DRAM in Self Refresh mode can help off-loading Refresh tracking responsibilities to DRAM but may prevent Host to do other scheduling optimizations and should be carefully considered. Some of the other things that can affect the DRAM data are Row hammer where same or adjacent rows are activated again and again leading to loss or changing of data contents in the rows that has not being addressed. Latest DRAMs like Lpddr5/Ddr5 support Refresh Management (including DRFM and ARFM) that allows the Host to compensate for these problems by issuing dedicated RFM commands helping DRAMs deals with potential Data loss issues arising out of Row hammer attacks. Device temperature is another important factor that the Host needs to be aware of and if the application requires DRAM to operate at elevated temperature. The user needs to check with DRAM Vendor on the temperature range that DRAM can still operate. Data integrity at thresholds greater than certain temperature is not assured regardless of refresh rate unless DRAM is manufactured to withstand that. Loss of power to DRAM will cause DRAM to lose all its contents. If this is a real concern for the system designer, they should consider using NVDIMM-N devices which has an onchip controller and a power source which is just enough to allow the DRAM contents to be copied into a backup non-volatile memory before power is lost. When the power is stored back, the stored memory contents in the non-volatile memory will be written back to the DRAM and system can continue to operate as it was before the power loss event occurred. For transmissions and manufacturing errors DRAMs support additional features like CRC, DFE, Pre-Emphasis and PPR which will be covered in the next blog. Cadence MMAV VIPs for DDR5/DDR5 DIMM and LPDDR5 are compressive VIP solutions and supports all of the above-listed Data integrity features including support for ECC error injection and SBE correction/DBE detection to assist with the verification challenges dealing with data integrity issues. More information on Cadence DDR5/LPDDR5 VIP is available at Cadence VIP Memory Models Website. Shyam Full Article Verification IP ddr5 Memory DDR5 DIMM VIP JEDEC DRAM lpddr5 data integrity NVDIMM verification