SandCraft to pursue 'multipipelining'

SandCraft to pursue 'multipipelining'
By Craig Matsumoto, EE Times
February 12, 2002 (1:23 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020212S0021

SAN MATEO, Calif. — MIPS-based-processor vendor SandCraft Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) is focusing its engineering team on a high-end architecture that's best described as "multiple-pipeline parts," a company executive told EE Times.

The news comes as SandCraft begins volume shipments of its first chip, several months behind schedule.

SandCraft's original road map included what appeared to be dual-core and multicore chips, code-named Wolfgang and Ludwig, that were due to be announced this year. But the company's next phase will involve something more complex, chief executive Paul Vroomen said.

"Putting two cores next to each other is a simplistic way to solve this problem. We think there are better ways," he said.

While Vroomen didn't discuss competition, the multipipelined devices would appear to be an answer to the two-core B CM1250 developed by SiByte Inc., a fellow MIPS-processor developer that was acquired by Broadcom Corp. late in 2000. Vroomen wouldn't disclose details of the future architectures, however, and it's unclear whether Wolfgang and Ludwig referred to the multipipeline chips all along or whether the latter are a new development.

In any event, SandCraft has channeled the bulk of its engineering resources toward the multipipeline products, Vroomen said. He declined to estimate when the products might become available.

"I think analysts agree that the size of the control-plane market has probably shrunk by a good 40 percent from the year 2000," he said, while noting that design activity in networking continues to be brisk.