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12 December 2008
Cambridge Silicon Radio Adopts IC Mask Design’s RF Layout Training Program
CSR commissions IC Mask Design to Develop Custom RF IC Layout Training
CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM: Cambridge Silicon Radio (LSE:CSR), the leading global provider of personal wireless technology, has commissioned IC Mask Design to customize its RF Physical Design course to specifically target CSR’s technology and design methodology requirements.
Recognising the critical role that IC layout plays in the performance of their RF designs in silicon, CSR identified this knowledge base as being key to their ongoing design activity. Since delivering the course to CSR’s first group of engineers in October 2006, IC Mask Design has continued to engage with CSR and has currently delivered the content to over 60 engineers across multiple disciplines within the company.
Speaking on the course provided by IC Mask Design, Mr. Paul Egan, Edinburgh Design Centre Manager at CSR said, “We realised that in order to scale the company and deliver successful products to the market right first time, we needed to make sure all of our analogue designers and layout engineers really understood the impact of layout on RF and analogue circuit performance. This is becoming even more important as we move down the process geometry curve. The IC Mask Design RF layout course provides a structured approach to understanding the challenges involved in RF layout. This is coupled with lots of real world examples of the choices and techniques available to produce predictable, repeatable RF layout.
“The IC Mask course is now part of our induction program for any new starters that will be designing layout.” Mr. Egan added. “The training is also offered to package designers as this enhances CSR’s ability to deliver great solutions, not just great chips. The feedback I’ve had from our engineers is that is helps to remove the misconception of RF layout being a ‘Black Art’.
“For CSR the value of the training has been enormous. We have been able to improve our productivity and reduce the amount of RF and analogue layout re-work.”
Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Ciaran Whyte, Co-Founder and CTO of IC Mask Design said, “Having CSR commission IC Mask Design to develop and deliver training in such a key area is a testament to the quality of our RF Layout experience and training content. We are delighted to work closely with a company as well respected as CSR in the Wireless Technology space.”
About Cambridge Silicon Radio
CSR is the leading global provider of personal wireless technology and its product portfolio covers Bluetooth®, FM receivers and Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). CSR offers developed hardware/software solutions, based around its silicon platforms, that incorporate fully integrated radio, baseband and microcontroller elements. CSR's customers include industry leaders such as Apple, Dell, LG, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Panasonic, RIM, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TomTom and Toshiba. CSR has its headquarters and offices in Cambridge, UK, and offices in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, India, France, Denmark, Sweden and both Dallas and Detroit in the USA.
About IC Mask Design
IC Mask Design is an industry leader in the provision of Physical Design Services and Software Solutions to the semiconductor industry. The company’s services encompass IC Layout and Training Programs, delivering expertise in Analog, RF, mixed-signal and digital design using the latest tools from leading EDA vendors. IC Mask Design also provides training courses covering the complete spectrum of physical design. Its Analog Layout Acceleration Platform aims to dramatically reduce analog layout design cycle time whilst producing optimal quality layout structures which incorporate circuit functionality requirements and process artefacts.
Further information is available from IC Mask Design's web site.
For more details, please contact:
Fergal BrosnanTel: +353 (0)61 448 530
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