NoC design tool is cloud-based

Today, there is a need to design multiple chipets and design scalable designs with chiplet-based systems, explained Purna Mohanty, CEO of SignatureIP. As the interconnect between compute, storage, memory and I/O blocks on a chip, the NoC is complex to define, requiring physical checks as well as validation of topology and design before synthesisable design.

iNoCulator simplifies the design process, says the company, spanning architectural exploration to RTL generation and physical implementation. It has interactive whiteboard editing of the NoC topology, connection of initiators, routers and endpoints as well as configuration and one-click RTL generation for SoC design or fpga emulation flows.

The cloud-based interface is fast and easy to get up and running, said the company, with an evaluation agreement and no need to install software.

The tool allows users to explore the design at the NoC’s top level to make architectural decisions. It also allows users to change its topology, experiment with different configuration settings, and instantly simulate the results.

Setting the target power, performance, area and timings into iNoCulator, generates possible topologies that can be easily and quickly adjusted to find the optimal solution, said the company. Built-in intelligent capabilities automate and speed up many of the scenario building processes which would typically be configured manually to produce an optimised, custom-configured NoC design delivered in an RTL (register transfer level) format.

The tool is processor-agnostic and can be used with Arm, RISC-V or other processors. It can connect to other on-chip IP blocks such as PCIe, CXL, (with a combined system option scheduled for Q3) and has AI acceleration to create heterogeneous SoCs for data centre acceleration and edge AI devices.

NoCs can be generated in a variety of topologies, supporting multiple protocols, bus widths, and clocking and power control schemes and supports popular interface protocols (AXI, AHB, APB, SRAM) and various bus widths. Multiple clocking schemes include GALS, and the power control has power island generation and UPF output. Multi-factor authentication

The cloud-based tool has multi-factor authentication, and each customer’s designs are secured in their own private area with no access from other users or from SignatureIP unless requested.