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Lexra
Lexra (1997–2003) was a semiconductor intellectual property core company based in Waltham, Massachusetts. Lexra developed and licensed semiconductor intellectual property cores that implemented the MIPS I architecture, except for the four unaligned load and store (lwl, lwr, swl, swr) instructions. Lexra did not implement those instructions because they are not necessary for good performance in modern software. Silicon Graphics owned a patent that was initially granted to MIPS Computer Systems Inc. for implementing unaligned loads and stores in a RISC processor. Lexra did not wish to pay a high license fee for permission to use the patent. Lexra licensed soft cores, unlike ARM Ltd at the time. Lexra was probably the first semiconductor intellectual property core company to do so. In 1998 Silicon Graphics spun out MIPS Technologies Inc. as a semiconductor IP licensing company that would compete directly with Lexra. MIPS Technologies soon sued Lexra, asserting trademark infring ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Semiconductor Intellectual Property Core
A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. Its conductivity can be modified by adding impurities (" doping") to its crystal structure. When two regions with different doping levels are present in the same crystal, they form a semiconductor junction. The behavior of charge carriers, which include electrons, ions, and electron holes, at these junctions is the basis of diodes, transistors, and most modern electronics. Some examples of semiconductors are silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, and elements near the so-called " metalloid staircase" on the periodic table. After silicon, gallium arsenide is the second-most common semiconductor and is used in laser diodes, solar cells, microwave-frequency integrated circuits, and others. Silicon is a critical element for fabricating most electronic circuits. Semiconductor devices can display a range of different useful properties, such as passing current more easil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
