14 DAY TRIAL // ARM, the popular processor maker, has just announced the purchase of leading-edge IC design optimization software tools developer Prolific, Inc.
A privately-owned company based in Newark, California, Prolific's tools can significantly reduce development time, while also improving the performance of cell-based designs, ARM notes.
“We have been successfully collaborating with Prolific for a number of years,” said Simon Segars, EVP and GM, Physical IP Division, ARM.
“The technology and expertise that will come with this acquisition will expand our capabilities to accelerate ecosystem adoption of advanced process nodes at 20nm and below.”
The latest advancements on the industry have opened the door to the production of application processors using the 20nm and below manufacturing process, and ARM notes that these process technologies require automated layout optimization solutions.
Thus, the company plans on coming up with innovative physical IP products set to enable its partners to benefit from highly integrated, low-power system-on-chip solutions, and the new acquisition should prove beneficial in this direction.
“Prolific has a long history of improving the efficiency of complex physical design process flows,” said Paul de Dood, president and founder of Prolific, Inc.
“The ARM partnership will benefit from faster time to market for advanced node solutions through the addition of Prolific’s leading-edge optimization tools, which enable optimum power, performance and area with accelerated development time lines.”
ARM also announced that the Prolific team will become part of the ARM Physical IP team that is currently based in San Jose, CA.
Prolific has been providing leading-edge IC design optimization software tools for the past sixteen years or so.
ARM offers a wide range of chips that have been included inside advanced digital products, and is widely known for the application processors that are loaded inside mobile phones, smartphones and tablet PCs today.
The company offers microprocessors, graphics processors, video engines, embedded memories, and a series of other products as well.