An enhanced, system-centric, fully hierarchical design method to enable nanometer system-on-chip IC development

System-on-chip (SoC) design requirements - including project scale, design content and the technical requirements for successful design - are growing concurrently and, in many cases, exponentially. Business success increasingly requires first-to-market delivery of innovative and competitive new products with rapid ramp to volume production. In many cases, the manufacturing life of individual designs is trending downwards, from many years to (typically) about one year. Recent design experience in developing several industry-first SoCs - as it relates to improvements in design methods, new design technologies, design methodology, and the circuit and chip electrical and physical design techniques which contributed to first silicon success - is presented. The results enabled successful attainment of business and technical objectives set for the designs.