Design & Reuse

Lightspeed Logic Ceases Operations -- Licenses Technologies and Patent Rights

Lightspeed Logic's Mask Reconfigurable Logic as Well as Its DesignBuilder EDA Tool and Other Technologies Are Made Available

SANTA CLARA, CA-- February 25, 2008 -- Lightspeed Logic, Inc., the leading provider of mask reconfigurable logic IP, today announced that it ceased development operations on February 22, 2008. Lightspeed Logic provided mask reconfigurable logic IP and I/Os as well its patented AutoTest® architecture and its timing-driven DesignBuilder EDA tool which enabled the industry's densest and highest performance reconfigurable logic solution.

Lightspeed Logic is best known for its standard cell based mask reconfigurable architecture which provides faster time-to-market, lower NRE and increased flexibility in ICs by allowing portions of a platform chip design to be wholly changed by altering a few masks in the manufacturing process, thereby enabling an entire product family with the development cost of one platform device. The logic has been instantiated by customers in 150nm, 90nm, 65nm and 45nm. This logic architecture is immediately available for non-exclusive license.

Lightspeed Logic was able to provide the densest and highest performance in its logic IP due to both the logic architecture and due to their DesignBuilder EDA tool. DesignBuilder is a timing driven mapper/placer which also performs clock-tree synthesis and buffering. DesignBuilder packs higher density and optimizes critical path at far greater efficiency than other tools available on the market for the fixed logic architecture domain. Lightspeed Logic is licensing the non-exclusive rights to the DesignBuilder source code.

"Our IP and the DesignBuilder tool have been well-received by our customers. These customers have the vision to use reconfigurable logic to address the high costs of chip development in nanometer technologies. The challenges only get tougher at 45nm, 32nm and beyond," said Dave Holt, President and CEO of Lightspeed Logic. "We have had a talented and dedicated engineering team at Lightspeed Logic who delivered this best-in-class technology. We greatly regret this outcome for our customers, shareholders and our employees."

Lightspeed Logic is offering licenses for the following:

  • Mask reconfigurable logic architecture
  • DesignBuilder source code
  • AutoTest, an ATPG technology where the test routes are already present in the chip prior to regular place & route and where all of the RTL is tested, even clocks. The test pattern generation is automatic.
  • Mask reconfigurable I/O
  • Rights to its patent portfolio