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Q:
Do we have to pay any royalties when using TCI IP?
A: No. The IP license fees do not include per die royalties. They permit a
specific TCI IP for a specific semiconductor process to
be used in a single production chip design and its future versions
that correct functionality. TCI IPs can be used on additional
chip designs for additional license fees.
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Q:
Do we have to pay any maintenance fees when using TCI IP?
A: No. TCI does not charge additional maintenance fees in support of
its licensed products. IP design and documentation updates are
included in the license fee for a given chip. Since TCI IP undergoes
continuous improvement, it is in the best interests of TCI and our
customers to ensure the most current version of a given IP design
is used on a chip tapeout.
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Q:
Is there an extra charge for multiple instances of a TCI IP on a given chip design?
A: No. Multiple instances of a given IP on a given chip are included
in the single use license fee. Due to the wide frequency ranges
and pin programmablility of TCI PLL and DLL IP, TCI's customers can
often reduce their expected IP license fees compared to other
industry IP offerings by using the same TCI IP several times on the
same chip to generate all required clocks.
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Q:
Can we use a TCI IP in a test chip prior to finalizing our production chip without paying any additional license fees?
A: Yes. Licensed TCI IPs can be used on a test chip for no additional
charge provided that the test chip is not sold in any way.
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Q:
Do we have to pay additional license fees if we want to reuse a TCI IP in another one of our products?
A: Yes. TCI IP licenses permit a specific TCI IP for a
specific semiconductor process to be used in a single production
chip design and its future versions that correct functionality.
TCI IPs can be used on additional chip designs for additional
license fees.
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Q:
Does TCI work with design service companies or sales reps?
A: Yes. TCI has established a global network of the industry's leading design
service companies who are intimately familiar with how to select and
implement TCI PLL and DLL IP in their customer's chips. Over the years, many
fabless chip companies and IDMs all over the world have had their chips designed,
developed and delivered by TCI's design services partners. To learn more about
TCI's design services partners, see: http://www.truecircuits.com/design_services_partners.html.
TCI has also partnered with selected sales representation companies in different
international geographies to provide local sales and support. To learn more about
TCI's sales representatives, see: http://www.truecircuits.com/ip_distribution_partners.html.
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Q:
What kind of support will we get from TCI?
A: With most TCI IP licenses, integration support is included in
the license fee. TCI can perform a wide variety of customizations to the licensed products for
additional fees.
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Q:
Can we make modifications to a TCI IP?
A: No. It is not in TCI's business interest to release the proprietary
aspects of its IP. TCI's design kits do not include any
internal schematics and its license agreements do not permit
reverse engineering of the IP.
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Q:
Can we re-sell a TCI IP as part of our own intellectual property?
A: No. TCI's standard license agreement does not permit the re-sale of TCI IP.
However, such terms are usually available under a special license agreement.
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Q:
Does TCI offer consulting services?
A: Yes. TCI offers consulting services for additional fees in support of TCI licensed products.
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Q:
Will TCI perform consulting work to improve my existing IP?
A: No. Given that TCI maintains state-of-the-art PLL and DLL intellectual property,
it cannot perform such consulting without risking contamination that
will compromise its business model.
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