As mixed-signal integration became common-place, the semiconductor industry remodeled itself to re-use analog “IP-cores” instead of reinventing the wheel in hundred different companies world over. Cosmic Circuits has been and is a part of this continuing transition. Executives, investors and designers question themselves if putting together an analog team – analog designers are still in demand – for designing an analog function is worth the trouble. Especially when an IP core is already available, one that is optimally designed by experts, and proven on silicon. The answer is usually easy, provided, several other questions are resolved satisfactorily.

Compared to silicon-IP in general, procurers of analog-IP have to answer a few more questions before a “buy” decision, and before choosing the vendor. “It is not synthesizable RTL”, and “its Analog, and not easy”. Here are key questions seen through the eyes of an SOC developer.

The SOC product that I build certainly needs to be differentiated. There is a well defined purpose and differentiation for my chip and the analog IP needs to be in alignment to that purpose. It could be the reduction in power consumption, or miniaturization, or chip cost, or specific features. I would like the analog IP to differentiate my SOC, if not, at the minimum be competitive in terms of the key figure-of-merits – die-area, power, features, for a given performance. If not, I do not have a product that can be sold.
- Where can I, with Certainty, find the expertise and the Analog IP that is differentiated?

The time-to-market of my SOC is critically dependant on the quality of the IP cores and the experience of the team that delivers it. We cannot afford to fail. I need analog IP cores that make my project successful. We are designing with nanometer processes. There are issues of noise, power-supply, process variability, on-chip variability, chip-integration and design-for-test. Has the IP core seen silicon? How much of proven technology is leveraged? I would rather look for all differentiated analog cores from one source so that my project can be better managed. Has the vendor enough breadth of experience?
-Where can I, with Certainty, find quality cores and demonstrated breadth & depth of experience with analog, considering all the complexities of mixed-signal SOC design in nanometer process nodes?

Analog IP is hard IP – it’s not synthesizable to a new process node or foundry. Would the vendor be able to support me through my roadmap? As we continually improve the SOC product, there could be changes to the type of IP that is integrated. We may integrate more analog for some product variants, and less for others. We may improve the specifications in some. Will the vendor support me in porting the technology to different foundry nodes? Would the vendor continue to support my spin-off products and next-generation products? What if the standards change? Is the vendor committed to analog IP?
- Where can I find a vendor that has demonstrated a clear commitment to analog IP, to bring certainty to my analog integration roadmap?

I need some changes to the Analog IP to make it more optimal to my specific chip application. The power-supply voltage for example or maybe specific power-saving sleep-modes for the core. Further, there are challenges with chip integration of analog IP, design-for-manufacturing, test and ramp-to-production. Nanometer technology nodes makes these complex. I need the vendor to be with me and support me on these aspects. There are aspects of silicon-characterization that needs my vendor support. I’m not fully done until I ramp to production – would my vendor be flexible to adapt to my requirements design cycle, and stay the course with me?
- Where can I find an analog IP vendor that is totally customer centric when it comes to support flexibility and customization, to make my project success a Certainty?

Solid Expertise - Technology & Experience
Cosmic brings proven expertise in Analog circuits, Systems and IP integration. With differentiation in every technology family offered, Cosmic provides superior cores and IP sub-systems using world-class technology. We incorporate novel architectures (several patents filed and more in the pipe), and engineered robust for high-volume use. We were the first vendor outside the interface/USB space to offer several silicon proven analog cores in 40nm.
With Cosmic, you find solid expertise, technology and experience that bring you differentiated analog, helping your product stay differentiated with Certainty.

Strong silicon-proven nanometer IP portfolio
A portfolio of over 200+ differentiated analog IP cores. Spread across 7 different technology families. Covering leading foundries and nodes. More than 50% of our cores are for 65nm and below. Be it A/D converters, D/A converters, clocking, wireless, audio, MIPI, or auxiliary functions, you can find it all under a one-stop shop. Silicon proven cores bring you get high confidence and short TTM
With Cosmic, by leveraging our strong silicon proven portfolio of nanometer IP cores, you achieve Certainty with time-to-market.

Committed to Analog IP
In order to ensure your product/roadmap continuity, Cosmic offers nanometer cores for all leading foundries and nodes. With a growing 120+ team that’s committed to Analog, we always keep pace with new standards, platforms and cores. We invest in development to be ready with optimized and proven cores – demonstrated by our 200+ cores across a breadth of technology families.
With Cosmic, you will find the commitment to Analog IP that brings Certainty to your product roadmap.

Completely Customer Centric
It is not surprising that our customers rate us very good with support, for we support customers in a customer-team extension mode. Supporting flexible customization of the IP to the target application, and an adequate level of system-understanding is a must for analog. So is it with supporting the customer’s target foundries and nodes. We recognize these and factor those into our offerings, and work culture. For example, we offer characterization of the customer’s SOC for the integrated analog IP – and ensure complete confidence. We recognize that nanometer SOC development is complex – we stay through the course with you.
With Cosmic, you find analog IP vendor that is totally customer centric, and the SoC project success becomes a Certainty.