ChipInventor (chipinventor.com) is a cloud based semiconductor design EDA tool with a visual language to design chips using a collaborative block-based visual approach, allowing fast and effective web-based semiconductor design - from simple ASICs to complete processors.
We have also integrated Efabless' production flow into our platform. With this, after completing the chip design, you can send it directly to Efabless using the Caravel architecture on the ChipInventor cloud.
ChipInventor EDA Platform uses the OpenROAD concepts, a set of well integrated and professional open license tools, offering a user-friendly semiconductor development environment. OpenLane is an automated RTL to GDSII flow based on several components including OpenROAD and other open license EDA tools.
ChipInventor not only enables the usage of these concepts joining the support, knowledge and experience of our team at semiconductor designs, but also uses a cloud based structure eliminating the need of a dedicated IT team.
A responsive and intuitive block interface enables beginners to easily learn semiconductor design by dragging and dropping shared blocks from a vast community library.
Users can also code in Verilog HDL to create custom modules or seek assistance via an AI interface.
As part of the frontend design phase, two simulators are available: a schematic interface for behavioral validation and a complex one for developing and verifying testbenches.
ChipInventor allows you to easily prototype and test your design's functionality using an FPGA. Through the Synthesize menu, you can select the FPGA option, which launches the RTL, place and route, and packaging tools based on the chosen FPGA type/model. You can use our DevBoard (if TangNano 9k / 20k) or directly program the selected FPGA with the generated files.
Additionally, ChipInventor is developing user-friendly FPGA programming devices that will be available soon.
After completing the frontend phase and possibly validating your design through a quick prototype, you can utilize all backend resources of ChipInventor. By clicking on the Synthesize menu, you can initiate the backend flow, which includes RTL Synthesis, STA, Floorplanning, Placement, CTS, Optimizations, Global Routing, LEC, Detailed Routing, GDS Streaming, and more.
At the end of this process, you can read the most important logs and access all execution logs through the Files menu. Tool parameters can be configured to optimize or correct issues for a new build.
You can explore the layout of your design joining a 3D journey using a layout viewer tool where you will be able to see the layers/masks, zoom, rotate, select specific cells, get used cells statistics and a lot of other functionalities.
One synthesis option is the Caravel/Efabless architecture, where ChipInventor allocates a dedicated virtual machine to process the complete flow, eliminating the need for the user to have a powerful machine.
Inside the VM, the Caravel GitHub repository is cloned, running the STA, LVS verification, and finally all the precheck steps. This process does not require any installation on the user's desktop, as the entire synthesis is managed automatically by ChipInventor Cloud.
ChipInventor provides access to some semiconductor foundries for mass production and also turnkey companies that enable lower volume productions to silicon proven activities and semiconductor prototypes.
Skywater 130nm and 90nm (FDSOI);
GlobalFoundries 180nm MCU Bulk Process Technology (GF180MCU);
IHP 130nm BiCMOS Open Source PDK (dedicated for analog, mixed signal and RF designs).
A complete environment for RISC-V semiconductor development.
We developed our Core IP following the RISC-V architecture definitions, some of its modules and some semiconductor devices like serial interfaces (UARTs and SPIs) and a DMA to control an external memory device. All available at ChipInventor Platform.
In addition to RISC-V Core and peripheral IPs, ChipInventor also offers an IDE (NoCode) for coding (C language) and compiling to RISC-V, loading the final result into the designed chip!
Aiming to provide a complete environment for everyone to learn about FPGAs and semiconductor design, we have developed the ChipInventor DevBoard.
This development board can be used for quickly prototype your design, speeding operation tests and the application environment development.
Turn your solution into a real silicon device by accessing the platform right now! Explore an environment friendly, automatically, full of features and completely on the cloud.
We also have a section with examples and tutorials to help you get started. If you still have any questions, contact the ChipInventor team.
CHIPINVENTOR: CLOUD-BASED CHIP DESIGN
Vendor
ChipInventor
System-Level
Free
Vendor
Proprietary