eASIC

History

eASIC — the American producer of the structured dedicated integrated circuits founded in 1999 which combine developments of ASIC and FPGA.

The company develops chips, using the tools and techniques inherent to matrixes of FPGA thanks to what the development cycle is reduced and productions of products, are also provided high rates of economy of a power consumption and space on a crystal. At the same time performance and scenarios of use of such chips, according to in eASIC, are not worse, than at traditional ASIC.

2018: Intel purchased eASIC

On July 12, 2018 Intel announced acquisition of eASIC. The buyer continued by this transaction strategy implementation on diversification of business outside central processors (CCPs) for computers.

Intel did not disclose acquisition value and only called it "insignificant". In November, 2017 investors estimated eASIC approximately at $110 million.

After the closing of the transaction planned for the third quarter 2018, the eASIC command as a part of about 120 people will join the division   of Intel Programmable Solutions Group which is engaged in development of programmable semiconductor devices, including FPGA. This division was created based on Altera company which Intel absorbed in 2015 for $16.7 billion.

Headquarters of eASIC

Intel says that purchase of eASIC will allow to create in the future a new class of the programmable chips using Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) technology for the consolidation FPGA and ASIC in a uniform product.

It is noted that presence at the range of the structured ASIC solutions will help Intel to meet better the needs of the high-performance and powerful directions which are necessary to many clients of corporation in such segments of the market as wireless communication 4G and 5G, network technologies and Internet of Things.^[1]

As notes Reuters agency, specialized chips are more effective than traditional solutions, but their development is more expensive, and they are not suitable for anything, except tasks for which they are intended.

The solutions Altera in this plan hold some kind of intermediate position. They allow clients to connect again with each other different parts of the chip after purchase by their reprogramming. As a result the client receives the best characteristics of custom chips, at the same time without adhering to the integrated project solution.

Buying eASIC, Intel will offer clients one more option. If they have a preferred choice of setup of programmable chips of Intel, the special program can be built in a chip at the plant for the subsequent activation by the customer. In this case it will get advantages, close to full-fledged specialized chips, but without additional expenses.

Instead of programming on site, the chip will be programmed at the plant. It still costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, but for its creation it is required for two years, and four months — the head   of Intel Programmable Solutions Group Dan McNamara told news agency.

According to him, Intel locates a complete line of programmable chips and uses own capacities for production of the most advanced models. As for products of initial level, the company attracts the Taiwan TSMC to their production.

By July, 2018 chips from eASIC are made by the companies TSMC and Globalfoundries, but Intel did not solve yet whether it will independently make the solutions eASIC, McNamara noted.

We intend to work well to understand in what direction it is necessary to develop products of the next generation — he added.

Notes