Rambus has signed both a patent and a technology license agreement with IBM. According to Frank Ferro, senior director of product management at Rambus, the agreement authorizes the integration of Rambus’ memory and serial link interface technologies.
“Specific terms of the agreements are confidential,” Ferro told Rambus Press.
“However, I can confirm the technology license agreement will have Rambus develop and deliver high-performance memory interface design IP to enhance IBM systems and semiconductor offerings.”
As Ferro points out, the above-mentioned deal is quite important for Rambus because it validates the company’s technologies and solutions with one of the world’s largest systems and semiconductor providers.
“IBM is a strategic customer of ours and we are pleased to have signed these agreements,” he added.
In a wider context, says Ferro, semiconductor companies are frequently faced with demanding design challenges that require an intelligent balance between high performance and low power.
“In-house design costs are often both timely and expensive, which is why many semiconductor companies choose to license hardened IP from a trusted third-party,” Ferro explained. “Like ARM and Imagination, Rambus designs IP that can be implemented by fabless and fully integrated semiconductor companies at a fast pace and relatively low cost.”
Indeed, as Rambus CEO Ron Black recently told Citigroup analyst Atif Malik, chipless semiconductor companies such as Rambus tend to focus on creating real value in specific areas.
“I like to think of ourselves really as a semiconductor IP licensing company where we are providing cores,” said Black. “Quite candidly, I think it’s a very nice sweet spot for the IP companies of the future. It’s been really quite successful [for Rambus].”
Interested in learning more? You can check out the official Rambus IP core solutions page here.
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