Presenter : Ching-Hua Huang 2012/11/3 Implementation and Prototyping of a Complex Multi-Project System-on-a-Chip Chun-Ming Huang, Chien-Ming Wu, Chih-Chyau Yang, Wei-De Chien, Shih-Lun Chen, Chi-Shi Chen, Jiann-Jenn Wang, and Chin-Long Wey National Chip Implementation Center (CIC), Hsinchu, Taiwan Department of Electrical Engineering, National Central University, Jhongli, Taiwan Circuits and Systems, ISCAS IEEE International Symposium on National Sun Yat-sen University Embedded System Laboratory
A silicon prototyping methodology is presented for Multi-Project System-on-a-Chip(MP-SoC) implementation. A multi-projects platform was created for integrating heterogeneous SoC projects into a single chip. The total silicon prototyping cost of these projects can be greatly reduced by sharing a common platform. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, a MP-SoC chip was implemented with ten SoC projects sharing the common platform. The total silicon area is about 37.97mm 2 in the TSMC 0.13um CMOS generic logic process technology. Compared with the total chip area mm 2 by implementing these projects separately, the results show that there are 91.42mm 2 silicon areas reduced by the MP-SoC platform. 2
3 In order to verify MP-SoC through silicon prototyping, a system modeling and hardware/ software co-design virtual platform were implemented. A configurable SoC prototyping system, namely CONCORD, is also created as a verification platform for emulating the hardware of MP-SoC before chip being taped-out. The CONCORD system provides higher connection flexibility, modularization, and architecture consistence than conventional FPGA systems.
4 What’s the problem Many projects will be integrated in a SoC, namely MP-SoC. ◦ Reduced more area cost by use the MP-SoC. In order to improve the robustness of MP-SoC design and verification ◦ A design flow was developed by CIC.
5 Related work [This paper] A Novel Methodology for Multi-Project System-on-a-Chip [Popular methodology] Integrated a complex system into a single chip [3-5] [other paper reference] [1] Surviving the SoC Revolution: A Guide to Platformbased Designs [2] Multiprocessor SoC Platforms: A Component-Based Design Approach [3] A Case Study of the Novel Low-Cost SoC Silicon Prototyping Service for Taiwan Academia [4] Multi-Project System-on Chip (MPSoC): A Novel Test Vehicle for SoC Silicon Prototyping [5] PrSoC: Programmable System-on-Chip (SoC) for Silicon Prototyping [6] ARM RealView Versatile, ARM [other paper reference] STEAC: A platform for automatic SOC test [1] System level integration [2] Platform-based design Resolve the problem of high fabrication cost for SoC designs An automatic SOC integration platform “STEAC” was used to facilitate MP-SoC test integration [6] ARM™ RealView Versatile
6 Proposed method Virtual Prototyping ◦ A system modeling and HW/SW co-design virtual platform – ESL design methodology Logical Implementation ◦ For IP’s development and verification Rapid Prototyping ◦ ARM RealView Versatile ◦ A “CONCORD” platform Physical Implementation ◦ The MP-SoC chip taped out to the foundry Testing and Measurement ◦ Verigy ATE ◦ Customized development board
7 The 1’st goal – CoSim ◦ All Verilog-based IP modules are packed with TLM interfaces and connected to SystemC-based platform in the simulation environment. The 2’nd goal – Performance analyze ◦ These analysis functions help designers to detect the system bottlenecks. Faster simulation speed ◦ About 100 times than pre-simulation. Verilog-based IP module
8 STEAC : SOC TEST AID CONSOLE Synopsys VIP : Synopsys Verification IP ◦ Provide the effective approach to verify circuit It also can build the SoC platform rapidly. ◦ Provide the Functional Coverage and Monitoring It can analyze this design whether conform to the specification. IP1 HDL coding Synthesis DFT/ATPG FPGA Synthesis HDL code IPn HDL coding … Synthesis DFT/ATPG … … STEAC Synthesis IEEE 1500 wrapper APR Netlist-> post-sim Netlist->pre-sim STEAC Test patterns
9 ARM™ RealView Versatile ◦ The connection architecture is not enough Support item One core tile sub board One FPGA tile sub board CONCORD ◦ The bus architecture is designed into the main board ◦ The silicon IPs are designed into the sub boards Support OpenRISC 、 ARM and LEON3 system
10 Physical Implementation and Testing Chip Area4998x7598 um^2 Core Area4000x6600 um^2 Ring Width120um I/O Pad #485 ProcessTSMC 0.13um CMOS Process Critical Path TSMC 0.13um 1P8M There are two testing environments are used in this MP-SoC. ◦ Verigy ATE ◦ Customized development board
11 The silicon area can be significantly reduced. ◦ Saving approximately 70.6 % silicon area than fabricated individually. A CONCORD platform ◦ Emulating the MP-SoC hardware before chip taping out. … … 10 IPs = … … v v v = IPs 91.42
12 This paper is related to my tape-out working ◦ Virtual Prototyping Co-Ware ◦ Logical Implementation FPGA verification Design compiler, IEEE 1500 wrapper, DFT and ATPG Pre-layout simulation SoC encounter, DRC and LVS check Post-layout simulation ◦ Testing and Measurement Verigy ATE Customized development board It provide the different design approaches ◦ STEAC : A platform for automatic SOC test ◦ CONCORD : A modulation SoC verification platform