Utility of Reuse - Semiconductor
Easy integration is desirable for all segments
Semiconductor industry:
- Profits = margin_per_design X design_wins X volume_per_design
- High-value IP implies high margin per design
- currently cost of integrating a significant IP block (e.g. 32-bit risc microprocessor such as MIPS R4000) is quite high.
- Non-recurring engineering (NRE) cost limits volume size that can be accommodated within a particular program (ɭM parts in many programs)
- Lower NRE costs lower the barriers to utilizing semiconductor IP. More design_wins means more volume. More volume means more profit.
- Semiconductor companies are also trying to glue customers into their fab