CISC Semiconductor

CISC Semiconductor GmbH defines itself as “"design and consulting service company for industries developing embedded microelectronic systems with extremely short Time-To-Market cycles."” The company started in 1999, working on solutions for the semiconductor industry, but soon expanded its field towards the automotive branch and further extended business towards the radio frequency technology (RFID) sector in 2003. Since then, CISC gained significant experience and expertise in RFID, developing an own business segment and highly sensitive measurement equipment to test and verify RFID systems for different industries. Representatives of CISC Semiconductor are actively working on and contributing to worldwide standardization of future technologies like RFID, in different standardization organizations. This effort brings CISC into the position of being a leader in research and development, and thus being able to be “"one step ahead of innovation"”. As of 2011 CISC Semiconductor is in a globally leading standardization position for RFID testing by providing the convener of ISO/IEC JTC1 WG4/SG6 on “RFID performance and conformance test methods“, as well as GS1 EPCglobal co-chairs for performance and conformance tests.
Their main office is at the Lakeside Science & Technology Park in Klagenfurt, Austria near the University of Klagenfurt. A branch office is located in Graz, Austria, enabling a close cooperation with the Graz University of Technology.
Main Markets.
CISC Semiconductor's main markets are situated in the Semiconductor, Automotive and RFID industry. Tools and techniques are designed for simulation based system development of embedded microelectronic systems, including RFID systems. The most important markets include:
Competences.
The company's core competences are ranging from system design, modeling and simulation to verification and optimization of heterogeneous, embedded, microelectronic systems, with a particular focus on Automotive and RFID systems. CISC's versatile competences are reflected in their business units:
Automotive.
In terms of Automotive, CISC offers various tools and services related to microelectronic engineering work, assisting in development work by providing know-how and tools to support design engineers.
RFID+RFComm.
In RFID and RF communication CISC's competences are covering experience in RFID product development, simulation tool development and RFID measurement systems as well as experience in evaluation, modelling, simulation and testing of RFID products and systems. Furthermore, CISC is experienced with RFID trainings and consulting and plays a leading role in RFID standardization (ISO/IEC, EPCglobal and ETSI).
Tools+Methodology.
Within the business unit Tools+Methodology, CISC works on system design, modeling, simulation, verification and optimization of heterogeneous embedded microelectronic systems, as well as software engineering e.g. for the EDA industry.
Standardization.
CISC's history in standardization started in 2003 with the expansion of its business towards the wireless communication technology RFID (radiofrequency identification). With the development of a new business segment and several RFID measurement products, CISC representatives – especially Josef Preishuber-Pflügl – started to play an active role in international standardization. Since then, CISC has been actively participating in international RFID standardization processes (ISO, IEC, ETSI, ASI/ÖNORM) and is currently active member of EPCglobal and the LPRA (Low Power Radio Association). CISC's input on standards and technology development ensures to keep technology in line by continuous development and change of regulatory constraints.
CISC is active member of several different standardization working groups, currently CISC provides the convener of ISO/IEC JTC1 SC31 WG4/SG6 responsible for performance and conformance measurements for RFID for item management, the project editor for ISO/IEC 18000-6 “UHF RFID air interface”, ISO/IEC 29167 “RFID security”, the convener of the Austrian AG 001.31, the national mirror committee of ISO/IEC JTC1 SC31, as well as the vice-chairmen to ETSI ERM TG34 responsible for RFID regulatory.