AIL Ltd. Adopts Magma's SiliconSmart CR for Characterization of Its Low-Power Data Path Libraries.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 2004

SiliconSmart CR Delivers the Accurate Power Data Needed

for IP Provider's Complex Data Path Libraries

Magma Design Automation's Silicon Correlation Division today announced that AIL Co., Ltd. of Japan has adopted SiliconSmart CR(TM) for characterization and modeling of nanometer data path libraries. The implementation of SiliconSmart CR is part of an ongoing program to improve the accuracy of power models used during the development of AIL's low-power CPU, DSP and custom logic intellectual property (IP) products.

AIL is a technology-oriented company founded in 1995 through collaboration with Kobe University. It has developed its own LSI design methodology and holds several patents for low power arithmetic and datapath library technology, small layout area and high-speed LSI design. During recent months, AIL has delivered a matched filter core for the 3G cellular phone with a 25 percent reduction in power consumption and 33 percent smaller area than a conventional design, a read channel core for the DVD front end with a 40 percent faster operating speed, high-speed and low-power ARM CPU cores and numerous DSP cores.

The development of AIL's advanced power-conscious technologies requires the use of extremely complex arithmetic and data path cells specifically developed to meet the target established for each design or application. Used throughout the design to minimize power consumption, optimize performance or reduce die area, each cell requires models to drive the analysis tools. To be of value those models must return results that are closely correlated to production silicon.

Frustrated with the quality of analysis they were able to achieve using models generated with their existing characterization toolbox, AIL evaluated several commercially available solutions. To ensure the timely generation of high-quality models, AIL needed a characterization and modeling solution that was flexible to configure, scalable for optimum throughput, and that consistently delivered accurate power and timing models.

"Models drive the entire design and analysis process," said Mr. A. Sasaki, section manager of AIL Research and Development. "To make well-informed design trade-offs and consistently deliver successful products into the marketplace we must be able to perform accurate detailed analysis. For characterization and model generation of our low-power arithmetic and data path libraries we rely on SiliconSmart CR."

SiliconSmart CR provides AIL the flexibility to characterize its most complex arithmetic and data path cells with near-linear increases in throughput with each additional CPU and the model quality required. To ensure the accuracy of its timing and power models AIL makes full use of the state-dependent timing and power (switching, hidden and leakage) capabilities of SiliconSmart CR. Accurate models are ensured by SiliconSmart CR's complete analysis of cell switching behavior. This analysis is used to isolate every state-dependent hidden, switching and leakage power arc. This results in more accurate power characterization than simply performing power analysis during timing analysis. Since measuring power requires monitoring currents, more accurate simulator settings must be specified. To optimize overall performance SiliconSmart CR acquires power measurements independent of timing measurements in separate, high-accuracy simulations.

"AIL supplies innovative low-power CPU, DSP and custom logic core products to leading-edge customers such as Matsushita, Sanyo, Hitachi, Mitsubishi and Sharp," said Vess Johnson, general manager of the Silicon Correlation Division. "Consumer demand for smaller, faster and more powerful handheld wireless devices requires the timely development and delivery of innovative high-quality IP. Through the rapid delivery of high-quality models, SiliconSmart CR is a key factor in AIL's ability to develop products to meet that demand."

About SiliconSmart CR

SiliconSmart CR(TM) is the Silicon Correlation Division's standard cell solution for addressing the cell characterization needs of library development and design teams. SiliconSmart CR provides the ease of use, performance, accuracy, quality and extensibility to dramatically simplify the process of characterizing nanometer libraries for timing, power and signal integrity. With features such as interdependent constraints, delay degradation and sophisticated state-dependent timing and power measurement acquisition, SiliconSmart CR produces models that allow a gate-level design flow to produce SPICE-accurate results. The use of these accurate, high-quality models during synthesis, static timing analysis, and place and route results in fewer design iterations.

About the Silicon Correlation Division

The Silicon Correlation Division is an independent business unit and division of Magma Design Automation. Formed to enable a position of neutrality in the market place, the division's mission and business model are based on providing characterization and modeling solutions that support a variety of industry standard design flows. Toward that objective, the Silicon Correlation Division has developed partnerships and close working relationships with many EDA vendors and customers in the development and support of popular design flows. To tailor support for all partners, the Silicon Correlation Division maintains an independent sales, support, engineering, and marketing force operating from headquarters in Austin, Texas. Visit the Silicon Correlation Division on the web at www.scd.magma-da.com.

SiliconSmart is a trademark of the Silicon Correlation division of Magma Design Automation. All other product and company names are trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements that Magma's Silicon Correlation Division's SiliconSmart products will improve the accuracy and reduce the development time of power models and statements about the features and benefits of Silicon Correlation Division's products, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, both companies' decisions to continue to work together, both companies' abilities to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and their products' abilities to produce desired results. Further discussion of these and other potential risk factors may be found in the parties' latest filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on form 10-K, and any subsequent updates thereto on form 10-Q. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The parties disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.