Core vendor Virage Logic Inc. (Fremont, Calif.) and IP99 conference organizers have jointly announced the first annual IP99 SOC Design Contest. According to the organizers, entries will be judged on the level of innovation and creative use of intellectual property and memory cores in the development of systems-on-chip.

Event organizers have assembled a judging panel of industry experts, including Yervant Zorian, chief technology adviser at Logic Vision Inc.; King Pang, vice president of engineering, consumer products division, LSI Logic Corp.; and Sang Wang, co-founder of Epic Design Technology Inc. and now an independent investor and adviser to electronic design companies.

Winners will be announced at IP99 on Tuesday, March 23, at a 6:30 p.m. dinner event and industry panel discussion at the Santa Clara Convention Center.

Grand prize will be a free memory IP core from Virage Logic (valued up to $50,000), or a credit for $50,000 that can be used toward the purchase of any standard product in the Virage Logic catalog.

In addition, each grand-prize design team member, up to a total of six members, will receive a digital camera to recognize individual accomplishment. First-place winning teams in each category will be recognized with a $500 gift certificate toward a celebration party in their home town at the establishment of their choice.

Participants may choose among three application categories: consumer, communications or computers; or three technology categories: non-volatile, DRAM or other memory structures. A design does not need to be in production to be considered; however, it must be taped out.

To get an application, including all design criteria, contact Nilu Aghel at Virage Logic, (510) 360-8011, e-mail nilu@virlog.com or visit the Virage Logic Web site. All entries must be postmarked no later than Feb. 15.