Chips with undisclosed datasheets

Nubility

Chips with undisclosed datasheets [Copy link]

There have always been chips whose datasheets are not public, and they are divided into two categories.

One type is some high-end chips, which are only available to manufacturers with an absolute monopoly. For example, in the past, sports cameras used the Sony IMX 283 sensor, but they had to sign various agreements and promise to reach a certain usage before they could get the data.

Another type is the counterfeit chip, which is a chip that uses mature chips on the market to analyze the layout and extract the circuit netlist, then takes it to tape-out production and sells it. This kind of chip certainly dare not publish the datasheet, otherwise it will be completely exposed, so this kind of chip can only be found on the Internet with a very brief and unstandardized introduction of one page, or even no introduction, only a contact number.

wsmysyn

Another type is to prevent competitors. You need to give yourself some time to prevent your competitors from "copying" too quickly.

Manuals are easily made public, and since you don't have absolute dominance, it's easy for competitors to copy your features, or even do a pin-to-pin, and then start a price war.

Of course, people won’t do reverse layout. Now it’s all about IP connection. Forward design is faster and more accurate than reverse design.

Chips are not easy to make now. 22nm or even 12nm IPC or AI ISP chips can be sold for 10 RMB, but the gross profit is less than half.

hjl2832

So, are many domestic manufacturers in the first or second category? Many do not disclose information. There is nothing on the official website, and some do not even release the pin diagram, just a function introduction.

qwqwqw2088

The first category is the customized ones that cannot be used up and cannot be mass-produced

The second type is the so-called fake chip, which has incomplete functional pins. If the functional chip you use doesn’t have it, you’re left hanging.

Nubility

qwqwqw2088 posted on 2024-2-1 13:47 The first category is the customized ones that cannot be used up and cannot be mass-produced. The second category is the so-called fake chips, which do not have complete functional pins. It happens that the function you use...

Not really. In fact, it is a pirated chip. The information is not public, so it is difficult for people to verify. Then the seller of pirated chips also requires buyers to sign an agreement not to pass on the information.

xyf2234

Indeed indeed

玩物尚志

Small companies can no longer use chips like this. In other words, he doesn't care about the small companies' quantity.