隨著越來越多的通信設(shè)備商選擇采用 FPGA 作為系統(tǒng)核心，以取代 ASIC 與 ASSP ， FPGA供貨商相繼推出支持通信系統(tǒng)的一系列核心產(chǎn)品組合。 賽靈思公司(Xilinx)日前發(fā)表一系列針對無線與資料中心系統(tǒng)的核心產(chǎn)品組合。過去兩年來，賽靈思不斷透過收購與自行開發(fā)，目前已累積了一系列的相關(guān)IP組合── SmartCore 系列提供了大約75種通信專用核心。 Altera公司表示，同樣已經(jīng)具備至少75款的通信核心產(chǎn)品組合。這兩家公司都表示，通信設(shè)備制造商采用越來越多的FPGA進(jìn)行設(shè)計，而逐漸少用ASIC了。 根據(jù)IDC的調(diào)查報告，2011年采用ASIC的設(shè)計減少至2,313項，較2002年下滑了6%。特別是在有線通信設(shè)計領(lǐng)域，2011年的ASIC僅442項，明顯減少了近兩倍，并較2002年更少11%。 賽靈思公司聲稱，今年全球主要的幾家通信OEM擁有不到50個ASIC設(shè)計，采用28nm的設(shè)計項目還不到20個。賽靈思公司策略行銷與業(yè)務(wù)計劃資深總監(jiān)Robert Bielby表示，供貨商必須取得4億美元的營收，才能負(fù)擔(dān)得起28nm的ASIC設(shè)計。 而 另一項由Altera提供的研究，一家市場研究公司估計開發(fā)一款28奈米ASIC的成本約8千萬美元，而一款20納米 ASIC 的開發(fā)成本更高達(dá)1億600千萬元。“我們已經(jīng)看到設(shè)備商的想法改變了，以前他們必須證明值得采用 FPGA，而今則得對 ASIC 加以考慮了，”Bielby說。

根據(jù)Altera所提供的資料分析，ASIC的成本正快速攀升。
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盡管如此，思科(Cisco)公司的一位主管近日表示，該公司正大力投資于其ASIC團(tuán)隊。此外，華為(Huawei)旗下芯片設(shè)計公司──海思半導(dǎo)體(HiSilicon)，目前已成為中國最大的無晶圓廠芯片設(shè)計公司。 在去年的一次季報會議中，Altera公司宣布失去兩項FPGA設(shè)計訂單，據(jù)稱是受到華為的ASIC設(shè)計影響。分析師預(yù)計，華為在2012年大約取得了35項ASIC訂單，較前一年的24項更多。 Linley Group資深分析師Jag Bolaria說， FPGA 在高階、相對較少量的市場較具優(yōu)勢，例如核心光纖網(wǎng)絡(luò)。而在傳統(tǒng)的蜂巢式基地臺也有其重要性，“但當(dāng)市場轉(zhuǎn)移到小型蜂巢式基地臺時，客戶需要一個完全整合 的設(shè)備，這將會壓縮到FPGA的發(fā)揮空間，”他說。 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Susan Hong 參考英文原文：FPGAs add comms cores amid ASIC debate，by Rick Merritt

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{pagination} FPGAs add comms cores amid ASIC debate Rick Merritt SAN JOSE, Calif. – FPGA vendors are bolstering their arsenals of cores for communications systems amid reports of a decline in ASIC starts among comms systems vendors. Xilinx announced a portfolio of cores last week targeting wired, wireless and data center systems. Its SmartCore offering of about 75 comms-specific cores is a collection of intellectual property acquired or developed in house over the last two years. Archrival Altera said it has at least 75 comms cores in its portfolio as well. Both companies say comms equipment makers are designing fewer ASICs on average and adopting more FPGAs. International Data Corp reported total ASIC starts declined to 2,313 in 2011, down six percent from 2002 levels. In wired comms, the decline was nearly twice as steep to 442 ASICs in 2011, down 11 percent from 2002. Xilinx claims it has seen less than 50 ASIC starts among the top the comms OEMs this year, less than 20 of them at the 28-nm node. Vendors need system revenues of $400 million or more to justify 28-nm ASICs, said Robert Bielby, senior director of strategic marketing and business planning at Xilinx. In a study provided by Altera, one market researcher estimated the costs of developing a new 28-nm ASIC at more than $80 and a 20-nm device at nearly $160 million. “The mind shift we have seen is they used to have to justify FPGAs, but now they have to justify ASICs,” Bielby said. Click on image to enlarge. ASIC costs are rising fast, according to an analysis provided by Altera. Despite the figures, a Cisco chip executive said recently that Cisco is investing about as much as ever in its ASIC teams. In addition, Huawei’s silicon design division, HiSilicon, has become China’s largest fabless chip design house. In a quarterly earnings call last year, Altera announced it lost two FPGA design wins to ASICs, at least one of them believed to be at Huawei. One analyst estimated Huawei designed 35 ASICs in 2012 up, from 24 the previous year. FPGAs have a strong presence in high-end, relatively low-volume markets such as core optical networks, said Jag Bolaria, senior analyst at the Linley group (Mountain View, Calif.). They have also done well in traditional cellular base stations, “but as the market shifts to small cell base stations, customers want a single full integrated device and this will squeeze out FPGAs,” he said.