CAST COREspondence The IP Newsletter from CAST, Inc. — May 9, 2025
This year we’re acting on several fronts to provide even more of the IP cores that developers need for today’s systems. Security is a big one: already this year we introduced PQC-KEM — initiating a new post-quantum cryptography IP series — and SNOW-V for 5G+ (see articles below).
Now CAST engineers and our expert partners are working on more Functional Safety options, RISC-V processor enhancements, expanding communication offerings, and faster TSN and networking cores.
As always, these new cores will give you A Better IP Experience. That means exceptionally high quality, industry-leading support, and licensing options that best suit your needs.
Watch for these new products in the coming months. Stop by to talk at various events (see below) or contact our sales team to learn more sooner.
— Nikos Zervas, CEO
Post-Quantum Cryptography is Here
This new IP core gives you a step towards ensuring security in a world with increasingly powerful, encryption-breaking quantum computers.
This Module-Lattice Key Encapsulation Mechanism (KEM) core uses the NIST-FIPS 203 standard to let parties share secret information over a public channel. Check it out if your new system needs security robust enough for the modern age: press release, product page.
TSN Ethernet in Action at Embedded World
Time-Sensitive Networking is the backbone for the emerging automotive Zonal Architecture approach and many other aerospace and industrial system solutions. We are proud to offer some of the earliest — and probably the lowest-risk — TSN Ethernet switch and endpoint IP cores available. See them in action in this Embedded World CAST and Fraunhofer IPMS TSN demo video produced by Altera.
Protect 5G+ Networks with SNOW-V
Modern high-speed communications networks need new high-performance security measures to protect the data they transmit. This new IP core is ready: it implements the published SNOW-V mechanism in a fast, low-latency hardware stream cipher engine suitable for 5G, 6G, and future mobile networks.
The core’s high throughput rates enable it to generate a stream of 128-bit keys that can be used to encode or decode very secure ciphertext. We believe it’s the first such SNOW-V IP core available: learn more in the press release and product page.
Semiconductor Deep Dive with Bill Finch
Gain insights into the decisions that have helped CAST succeed for over 30 years in the volatile semiconductor industry. Early Senior Vice President Bill Finch shares his views on what makes for enduring IP solutions, delivering real value to IP customers, and trends that CAST will help customers face. Read the interview at AnySilicon.
New Audio Sample Rate Converter IP Core
We believe this Audio Sample Rate Converter (ASRC) IP core offers the best available combination of capabilities, performance, and hardware efficiency.
This new multichannel ASRC core has asynchronous (real-time) and synchronous (batch) operating modes, very fast operation, and tremendous scalability, all with extremely low distortion (just -130 dB average THD+N). Review the product page and launch announcement, then contact CAST Sales to get the best ASRC around for your next project.
IP & Japanese Expansion with Shikino
Last month we announced an excellent two-way partnership with Shikino High-Tech, one of Japan’s leading semiconductor design, imaging, sensing, and testing firms. In addition to our continuing long-time representative Spinnaker Systems, Shikino will now help handle CAST IP core sales in Japan. Our CEO Nikos Zervas commented:
"[Shikino’s] sterling reputation and strong connections in the Japanese industry will help even more Japanese firms benefit from the Better IP Experience that comes with IP cores from CAST.”
We will also soon add high-quality Shikino-developed IP cores to the CAST IP portfolio, starting with customer-requested JPEG-XL. Let us know if you can use XL’s superior image compression.
CAST will also be exhibiting at the FPGA Conference Europe in Munich July 1–3, 2025. Conference organizers say that FPGAs are “the hidden champions of microelectronics,” and our technology-agnostic IP cores can help you be the champion of your next project with whichever FPGA vendor you choose to use. Our Dr. Kleanthis Papachatzopoulos will present the research paper A Cuckoo Hash-Based CAM Architecture for FPGA and ASICTuesday at 3:05 PM.
