Upgrading Evaluation GUI Framework for a Family of Devices

Discover Soliton’s contribution to upgrading a semiconductor manufacturer’s Evaluation GUI, improving adaptability, efficiency, and cross-platform support. Learn how these enhancements streamlined the chip validation process, simplified device integration, and revolutionized user experience for lasting impact.

As semiconductor chips progress from manufacturing to end-users, the need to validate and verify their suitability for specific purposes and requirements arises. Evaluation Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) play a pivotal role in this process, facilitating interaction between the chip and the end customer to simplify validation and identify if the product aligns with desired configurations, performance standards, and operational needs. 

Consequently, in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape characterized by increasingly complex hardware components, the demand for sophisticated software systems becomes imperative. Chip manufacturers must deploy feature-rich Eval GUIs capable of addressing modern complexities, offering seamless evaluation experiences. This will enable them to assess chip compatibility effortlessly, make informed decisions about product suitability, and provide a competitive edge in the marketplace. 

Customer in Focus 

The complexity of semiconductor chips extends beyond individual part numbers, often comprising families of devices with various minor alterations or similarities. To effectively validate the diverse array of chips and devices, adopting a streamlined framework adds significant value to the validation process.

Our focus revolves around a prominent semiconductor manufacturer renowned for its diverse lineup of chips and devices. This manufacturer adopted a longstanding framework for their end-customer validation process. However, as the complexity of chips continues to evolve alongside an increase in the number of devices, managing this framework has become increasingly challenging.

The existing Evaluation GUI built upon this framework served its purpose but encountered obstacles concerning adaptability, maintenance, and cross-platform compatibility. Specific pain points encountered by the customer necessitated the upgrade related to:  

• Updating the application with new device specifications for the evaluation process proved laborious and cumbersome, primarily due to its code-centric operation.  
• Any updates, changes or bug fixes required alterations in the code, rendering the application rigid and challenging to adapt to evolving needs.  
• Maintenance of the codebase relied heavily on expert engineers, posing challenges to user onboarding and scalability.  
• The existing application was incompatible with other operating systems, limiting its accessibility and usability.  

These setbacks prompted the realization that a comprehensive upgrade was necessary to address its existing limitations and accommodate natural operational elements, bug fixes, maintenance requirements, and technological advancements.  

Key Features of the Solution  

Upon understanding the customer’s requirements, the Soliton team engineered a solution that collectively addresses their challenges to upgrade their existing Evaluation GUI. Here are some standout features of our upgraded application: 

• Low Code Application Development   

Built on a robust framework with a server-client architecture, the application facilitated minimal changes for developers to maintain the Eval GUI, reducing complexity while ensuring smooth operation.  

• Simplified Addition of New Devices   

As the number of devices increased, developers quickly wanted to develop GUIs with less effort. The upgraded application simplified the addition of devices through a no or low-code GUI, allowing end-users to effortlessly integrate new devices by placing data. 

• External API Integrations  

Due to the complexity of EVM devices and the need for automation in testing for end-customers using multiple interfaces, the upgraded application integrates smoothly with external software such as LabVIEW and Python. It’s compatible with any application supporting TCP/IP through a versatile API. This empowers EVAL GUI developers to utilize existing tools and enables users to trigger actions remotely. 

• Wizard-based Device Configuration  

To simplify and streamline the DUT evaluation process, the upgraded application featured an intuitive wizard mode for simplified configuration setup, enabling end-users to save and switch between multiple configurations effortlessly. 

• Easy Access to Device Data Sheet and its Register Maps  

To facilitate a clear visualization of register bits and offer intuitive device control, the upgraded application included a register map page displaying device registers and fields. 

• Cross-platform Support  

The earlier version of the application was limited to compatibility with only one operating system (Windows). In contrast, the upgraded application now supports separate installers for Windows and Linux, offering hassle-free installation with one-click functionality and ensuring accessibility across platforms. 

• Action Recording and Auto Playback  

End-users could now build and record action sequences within the application, automating repetitive tasks and enhancing efficiency with auto playback functionality.  

Impact Delivered with the Collaboration  

Through its robust architecture and versatile features, the application delivered impactful outcomes to the customer, revolutionizing the user experience and operational efficiency. Some of the impacts delivered include:  

Summary

In partnership with Soliton, our semiconductor customer witnessed an upgrade to their Evaluation GUI and its encompassing framework, marked by streamlined development, reduced support needs, enhanced functionality, and other features that the upgraded solution delivered. Soliton’s expertise in understanding the customer’s pain points and collaborative approach exemplify our commitment to delivering tailored solutions for unparalleled success in today’s dynamic market.