STARC and Cadence to develop next-generation analog/mixed-signal reference flow

SAN JOSE, USA: Cadence Design Systems Inc. today announced that it will collaborate with STARC to develop the Japanese electronic design consortium’s next-generation analog/mixed-signal reference flow. Cadence and STARC will use Cadence Virtuoso IC 6.1 technology as the platform for developing the STARCAD-AMS flow.

STARC is a consortium made up of 10 electronics companies, six of whom participate in the areas of analog and mixed-signal design. One of STARC’s key roles is to validate and support the best design flow for client companies, and members stated that they selected Cadence for the flow project because Virtuoso IC 6.1 technology met STARC’s strict criteria.

STARC previously built its reference flow for digital designs on the Cadence Encounter Digital Implementation System. This new project represents STARC’s first reference flow for analog/mixed-signal designs.

“We are excited to work with Cadence on our analog/mixed-signal reference flow,” said Yoshio Okamura, vice president of STARC’s Development Department-2. “The members of STARC agreed that Cadence was the obvious choice for this collaboration, and we’re anticipating results that will be just as helpful to our customers as the digital design flow we developed with Cadence.”

The new reference flow will be introduced at client companies as STARC’s standard design flow, delivering a comprehensive analog/mixed-signal environment and the potential for greater productivity and improved quality of results. Cadence will continuously provide STARC the best technology in the Virtuoso platform to help the consortium’s client companies win in their highly competitive markets.

The new flow will support more advanced custom design techniques, including both schematic and constraint-driven layout and process variations to enable users to build more manufacturing-robust designs. These custom blocks can then be implemented and verified within larger SoCs.

“We are very proud that, having previously selected Cadence for our reference flow for digital designs, STARC now chose Cadence to team with on this important analog/mixed-signal project,” said Chi-Ping Hsu, senior vice president, Research and Development in the Cadence Implementation Group.

“STARC customers will be well-served by the reference flow we’re designing with our latest Virtuoso technology. We look forward to helping make STARCAD-AMS an extremely successful and valuable project.”