Brian Bailey Consulting

The functional verification of electronic systems is one of the most difficult and time consuming tasks within the chip development cycle. Statistics show that it has become both an inefficient and ineffective process. Even the ITRS report in 2009 said that the task was out of control. To fix the problem a combination of tools, methodologies and education are necessary. At the same time a paradigm shift has started with a migration to a new level of abstraction, called the Electronic System Level or ESL. This combination of changes within the industry makes it a very challenging, but rewarding, time for the companies that are attempting to address these new user requirements and those who are successfully adopting them. History has shown that when these kinds of changes happen, new companies emerge and the established ones may falter.

Startup companies face many challenges that include traditional problems such as technical, marketing and fund raising challenges, but where a methodology shift is involved, additional challenges arise since their customers are also going through a transition. Both sides are looking for solutions to ill defined problems. This requires having people on the team who can communicate effectively with their potential customers, understand their real issues and come up with ways in which they can be addressed, through technology, service or methodology products. This is what I do, and how I could help you.

There are many ways in which I help companies through this transition, including providing education and guidance, market analysis, tool evaluation, methodology assessment and development. I have led and been involved in many standards efforts and can help your company navigate through these waters. In addition, I can provide help with patents, both on the creation side, evaluation of patents, or in legal defense of patents.

I help companies such as Jasper Design Automation and Zocalo Tech by sitting on their Technical Advisory Board, where I can help them understand the changes that are happening in the industry and to identify specific opportunities for the company, even though I am not involved in the actual engineering efforts to create the solutions.

The third way in which I help the industry is through education. Books, technical papers, conference panels and keynote speeches provide ways in which new ideas can be disseminated. I have six books published to date:

Taxonomies for the Development and Verification of Digital Systems - Springer 2005
The Functional Verification of Digital Systems - IEC Press 2005
Intellectual Property for Electronic Systems - IEC Press 2007
ESL Design and Verification - Elsevier 2007
ESL Models and their Application - Springer 2010
TLM-Driven Design and Verification Methodology - Cadence 2010

If you, or your company, needs some help in navigating these new and exciting areas, then I may be able to provide some assistance for you. Please send me an email so that we can discuss the possibilities.

Blogs

I am the editor for the EETimes EDA DEsignline and blog regularly for the EE Times Programmable DesignLine where I talk about various subjects associated with programmable devices and for EDN where I cover the EDA and IP spaces. I have also started my own blog right here where I talk about both technical issues and the things I enjoy doing in my spare time - hiking, traveling and photography. Please check it out.

Educational Courses

I have produced several fundamentals courses on topics as diverse as Mixed-Signal design and verification, Prototyping, Accelerated verification, and High-level Synthesis. If you would like a course developed for your product, or company, please let me know by phone or email.

Technical and White Papers

Some of these were written under contract for particular companies

The Great EDA Cover-Up

Navigating the RTL to System Continuum - Calypto Design Systems Inc.

System Level Virtual Prototyping becomes a reality with OVP donation from Imperas

Coverage Interoperability and Unification

Risk reduction in a verification upgrade

Assertions: Too good to be reserved for verification only

An Insurance Policy for your Design

Need a paper written? I can write either under my own name or ghost write for you. I charge very reasonable rates.

Market and Company Research

Because of the highly proprietory nature of these reports, I cannot provide access to any of these free of charge. I have conducted reserach on specific products, companies and markets, and could do the same for you.