Brian Bailey Consulting

The functional verification of electronic systems has become one the most difficult and time consuming tasks within the chip development cycle. Statistics show that it has become both an inefficient and ineffective process. 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 falter.

Young 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 the 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 can 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 other companies such as Jasper Design Automation 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 a blog on my ESL website and a new blog on Chip Design Magazine called Verification Vertigo. I also contribute to many other industry publications, such as SCDsource, EE Times, Chip Design Magazine and others. I have four book published so far, and a fifth one is being written at the moment.

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.

Events:

I will be speaking at DVClub in Boston on June 1st.

Announcements:

I have signed a contract with Springer for my new book "ESL Models and their Application", which should be available towards the end of 2009 or eaarly 2010. I will be co-writing this book with Grant Martin.

New Blog on Chip Design Magazine titled Verification Vertigo

Books

Brian Bailey, Kathy Werner: "Intellectual Property for Electronic Systems: An essential introduction", IEC 2007

Brian Bailey, Grant Martin, Andrew Piziali: "ESL Design and Verification: A prescription for Electronic System Level Methodology", Elsevier 2007

Taxonomies for the Development and Verification of Digital Systems. Brian Bailey, Grant Martin, Thomas L. Anderson. Published by Springer April 2005. For more information please go to the edataxonomy site.

The Functional Verification of Electronic Systems: an overview from various points of view. Edited by Brian Bailey. Published by International Engineering Consortium.