HKUST Hi-Tech Building. Chen Yue’s office.
Wang Wen from the Alpha team under Chen Yue reported in a low voice, "The engineering samples have been leaked, and based on the processor architecture, we have contacted ARM, and they have agreed to authorize us to use the processor core. However, the result of the current negotiations is that it is only limited to university program authorization, which means it is limited to research and teaching in the university IC field. If it is to be applied in the commercial field, commercial authorization is required, which is difficult to negotiate, and the price will increase exponentially."
Chen Yue said, "This is not a problem for now. A university teaching authorization is enough. We can talk about it later. I guess they also came up with it this way..."
ARM is still out of reach for the time being. As for the affairs that have occurred in Nanzhou, an initial authorization for the chip is enough to shut up the mouths. Because once their chips are released, the architecture they are based on will definitely be revealed. If you use the ARM architecture, then you naturally need an authorization. They will first discuss the next authorization. As for the specific details of the operations based on this authorization, it is expected that ARM will have no time to take care of other things.
Wang Wen nodded, "Yes, it is precisely because of the previous experience of MIPS ecosystem fragmentation that ARM has set strict restrictions on licensing in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes. In general, partners can participate in the formulation of instruction sets, but are prohibited from making private modifications. They can only contribute new instructions of their own design, but whether they can be added to the instruction set is decided by ARM through negotiation. But I know that some companies claim that they can expand the ARM instruction set, that is, they add new instructions privately, but only for dedicated systems, which does not affect the ARM ecosystem. It is probably possible, and ARM will not cause trouble for this. It does not threaten their ecosystem, and they probably don't need to care..."
"Now is the only problem. We have the engineering samples, but during our testing, there are still many functions that cannot be realized... Many debugging IP interfaces are not open, so there are not many things we can do..."
Wang Wen stopped talking at this point. The source of the source code is an unspoken taboo among all participants in the entire chip R&D center, so this can certainly explain why many functions of the engineering samples that have been leaked now cannot be realized and there are so many defects.
"It's the same for us, and it's the same for them. And according to the current situation, their source code has not yet formed an engineering sample. We have to be one step faster." Chen Yue said. Based on the equipment of the chip research center of the Institute of Microelectronics and the Alpha team hired, Chen Yue naturally has more resources than Nie Yun's team, both foreign and domestic, and even engineering tape-outs, they get them first.
"We will adjust the problems with the engineering samples later. Now we have to catch up with the 863 plan, so we can release the results with the existing functions and samples."
Chen Yue raised his head and looked out the window. "There is only one position... Whoever occupies it first will have only one way down the mountain."
…
In February, a press conference on "National Core No. 1", China's first independently developed high-end embedded chip, was held in the magnificent auditorium of Jinjiang Hotel, known as the Nanzhou Government Hotel, hosted by the Nanzhou Municipal Government Information Office and attended by representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the government, and the science and education circles.
In fact, most of the people who arrived at the venue had already received the relevant information in advance, and some had even gone through some internal bargaining before coming to accept the honor.
The expert group that arrived at the site for inspection also encountered the same situation.
Guoxin-1 was released after passing the inspection of relevant expert groups.
In the words of numerous reporters present at the time, it was a "come out of nowhere!"
Various mainstream newspapers and media reported on this whirlwind that suddenly emerged in Nanzhou.
China Science and Technology News reported: "… the birth of this chip with independent intellectual property rights means that in related fields, the dominance of imported chips will be broken, and my country will enter the international competition arena in related embedded chips. This is an important milestone in the history of China's chip development!"
Capital Daily reported, “… ordinary citizens will be able to enjoy the benefits of embedded “Chinese chips” in the field of information appliances in the future. First, in the fields of mobile phones, MP3s, digital cameras, variable-frequency air conditioners and handheld computers, devices using domestic chips will be cheaper. Secondly, it may also save electricity bills! The power consumption of products will be reduced by half… It is reported that next year, the National Core No. 1 will achieve a higher degree of integration, driving the development of composite products such as video + CD players…”
“National Core No. 1 is born at the right time!”
“National Core No. 1, the trendsetter of the IC era.”
"… "
News and praise appeared in newspapers and magazines like snowflakes.
Like all major reports of technological breakthroughs, those related to Guoxin-1 were followed by a scene where one person’s success brought prosperity to the whole family. HKUST instantly came into people’s attention and once again took the spotlight.
Nanzhou has become a place of prosperity, which once again proves the necessity and importance of the establishment of the IC Industrial Park in Nanzhou. IC-related topics and industries have been rapidly reported in the news, and some have even reached the stage of intensive popular science.
The scientific and technological community was excited by this news, and the media amplified this excitement, boosting the enthusiasm of the entire nation. At the same time, it popularized knowledge points about the country's ongoing industrial policies and sparked public attention on industrial breakthroughs.
Many ordinary people may have never heard of what IC is before, but since the uncles and aunts around them are discussing this topic, everyone has a general impression of semiconductors and integrated circuits.
That is the heart of modern society.
It is the core cornerstone of various electronic products and systems that have penetrated into every aspect of people's modern life, including computers, cars, televisions, mobile phones, home appliances, power grids, medical equipment, robots, industrial control, etc.
This tiny thing the size of a fingernail is, in the era of "digital globalization", the core technology that restricts the development of a country's science and technology and high-end industries!
“China cannot make such a small thing! These are all in the hands of others. They embargo you, restrict you with technology, and block you... There is a long way to go!” The uncles who play chess at the entrance of the community always talk about this.
But more importantly, it has aroused people's overall concept and vigilance. It turns out that we are so far behind! Even if a professor at HKUST has developed such a chip, it is only a breakthrough in the relevant field. In more and larger areas, the gap is still very large and far away...
Of course, the long road is like iron, and this is the first step in a long journey. This step has finally been taken... It is cause for celebration.
…
Even the waves in the outside world also apply to HKUST. Chen Yue, the dean of the School of Microelectronics and a special employee of HKUST, has become well-known in HKUST now that his achievements have come out. The media have been visiting one after another. HKUST and Chen Yue have become almost the hottest commodity in the eyes of reporters. In interviews, speeches, and various meetings, Chen Yue has become the talk of the town.
And within the chip team of Tianxing Society, an atmosphere of pessimism and despair is spreading.
Because the so-called Guoxin No. 1 by Chen Yue, who is now well-known in HKUST, has many technologies and functions that are exactly what the embedded chip that Nie Yun's team is working on now has. Even many of the patented technologies are theirs, but the patents applied for by Chen Yue's Guoxin No. 1 are more like variants of their patents.
Morale is low, and many people probably still can't believe it. Could it be that "take-it-as-it-is" has been used against a dean-level figure at the same university
But the problem now is that through the press conference in Nanzhou City, Chen Yue stirred up the situation and now seems to be riding the wind and waves, surrounded by countless dazzling halos.
Compared with the current reports on National Chip, the numerous research results of HKUST seem to pale in comparison.
What could they do? If they tried to run into this light, they would probably be torn to pieces by the storm.
But there are various private rumors.
Cheng Ran did not take the initiative to look for the senior management of HKUST. Instead, Huang Pei came to them first and sat down to talk with them.
"I have heard about some things in the laboratory and received some feedback..." Naturally, there are currently more than 30 researchers in Nie Yun's chip laboratory who are engaged in research and development around embedded chips. Chen Yue's National Core No. 1 is undoubtedly a blow to them. Many people are angry and they are in a university, so of course they will send letters of complaint to the school's top management.
The school did receive these letters, and Huang Pei's arrival should be a signal. If it were someone else, the school would probably not respond at all. But Cheng Ran is different, and the entire system involved in Cheng Ran is very large, so the school must give a response.
"But you know the current situation. Dean Chen's case has passed the expert certification inspection, and leaders from all parties were present. If you want to overturn this conclusion... there are too many things involved... and the most important thing is to have evidence."
Huang Pei couldn't say too much and could only stop there.
This is also his greatest sincerity, because from the perspective of HKUST, they don't even want to hear such questioning voices.
"Should I talk to Dean Chen?" Cheng Ran asked.
Huang Pei looked at him and said after a moment, "Of course I hope that you can resolve this matter. Regardless of whether there is a misunderstanding, it is best to be frank... Then, it is best to meet in person. I will arrange it."
Just like that, after Chen Yue returned to HKUST after attending a meeting recently, Cheng Ran came to him.