Acculent, Advanced Architectures, Paradigm, S3, and YogiTech Join Open Core Protocol International Partnership.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 2, 2002

5 New Members Show Strong Industry Support for OCP as Standard

Industry Socket and Further Illustrates Rapid OCP Adoption

Open Core Protocol International Partnership (OCP-IP) today announced 5 new members are joining the organization, including Acculent, a provider of IP cores in the wireless space; Advanced Architectures, a leading design house specializing in developing customized architectures for customer solutions; Paradigm Works, a foundry independent ASIC, FPGA, and Embedded Software Consulting Company; Silicon and Software Systems (S3), a leading electronics design company specializing in Network Processing, Digital Consumer and Wireless Systems; and YogiTech, the premier independent IC design services provider in central Italy. The five new members represent a wide variety of market areas and product offerings illustrating the industry wide acceptance and adoption of OCP.

OCP-IP is an industry association delivering a common industry standard for intellectual property core interfaces, or sockets, that facilitate "plug and play" SOC design. The organization provides the necessary tools and services to its members for convenient implementation, maintenance and support of the standard socket interface.

"We are very excited to embrace this open standard which we feel has the potential to greatly enhance the IP industry," said Robert Hoffman, President/CEO Acculent Corporation. "OCP-IP should be applauded for the effort that they have made in developing a clear and concise standard and for their excellent product support."

"OCP-IP offers us a unique opportunity to further penetrate the System-on-chip marketplace," said Roger Thorpe, president of Advanced Architectures. "Over the next few months we will be converting our cores so that they all offer OCP compliant interfaces. We see OCP as becoming the industry standard for on-chip interfaces."

"Paradigm Works is pleased to join forces with OCP-IP in propagating the Open Core Protocol. The OCP is eminently consistent with Paradigm Works' drive to make our customers successful with SoC designs that reach the market quickly and with absolute confidence in their correctness," said Michael Hoyt, President of Paradigm Works. "The OCP, CoreCreator and dedicated, experienced assistance with the engineering process are key to that success and the OCP-IP / Paradigm Works partnership is the vehicle to accomplish it."

"The use of plug and play On Chip Peripherals is central to our mission to provide Complete SoC Development solutions," says Dermot Barry, VP & GM of S3's Wireless Systems BU. "Increasingly our customers are reusing their own and third party IP in new product developments and we need to make sure we are involved in the relevant industry bodies. I believe that we will benefit greatly from our membership of OCP-IP."

"We firmly believe that the Open Core Protocol will be widely accepted as a standard in SOC design; our focus is to simplify the implementation of OCP based systems by means of innovative verification and reuse methodologies," said Silvano Motto, president and CEO of YogiTech. "Joining the OCP IP organization will make this happen in the easiest and fastest way."

"We are very proud to announce and welcome all of our new members," said Ian Mackintosh, president OCP-IP. "This new group of members represent diverse set of commercial product offerings, and further highlights the rapid OCP acceptance and adoption we are witnessing in the industry."

About Acculent

Acculent is a privately held corporation headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Company is focused on cost-effective Intellectual Property (IP) that is simple to integrate into most design environments. Products are focused on digital signal processing with an emphasis on IEEE 802.11 a/b/g standards, including Forward Error Correction Systems, QAM Modulation/Demodulation FFTs and FIR Filters. DSP-related simulation tools are offered to complement intellectual property offerings. Acculent also offers design services and consultation. For more information, please visit http://www.acculentdsp.com

About Advanced Architectures

Advanced Architectures (A2) is a leading design house specializing in developing customized architectures for customer solutions. The company also offers a growing range of silicon-proved Intellectual Property (IP) cores for the rapid development of system-on-chip solutions. These IP cores are designed to improve the design time-to-market delay, eliminate design risks, and reduce development costs. Founded in 1993, company has a strong customer base in the United States. Further information on A2 can be found at http://www.a-2.com/, phoning on [phone] or e-mail [e-mail].

About OCP-IP

The OCP International Partnership Association, Inc. (OCP-IP) was formed in December 2001 to promote and support the open core protocol (OCP) as the complete socket standard that ensures rapid creation and integration of interoperable virtual components. OCP-IP's founding members and initial Governing Steering Committee participants are: Nokia (NYSE:NOK); Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN); MIPS Technologies (Nasdaq:MIPS); United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE:UMC); and Sonics, Inc., the inventor of the OCP technology. OCP-IP is a non-profit corporation focused on delivering the first fully supported, openly licensed core-centric protocol that comprehensively fulfills system-level integration requirements. The OCP facilitates IP core reusability and reduces design time and risk, along with manufacturing costs for SOC designs. For additional background and membership information, visit www.OCPIP.org.

About Paradigm Works

Paradigm Works is a foundry independent ASIC/FPGA consulting company located just outside Boston. Founded in September 2000, Paradigm Works employs over 30 high-tech professionals, with an engineering staff that averages over 10 years of direct experience in ASIC and FPGA development. Paradigm Works can be found on the Web at www.paradigm-works.com

About S3

Silicon & Software Systems Ltd. (S3) is an established Electronics Design Company. Founded in 1986, our established worldwide client base consists of OEMs, Semiconductor Vendors and Start-Ups. Based on an extensive portfolio of domain specific knowledge and customizable IP, we provide innovative design solutions in three market areas: Network Processing, Digital Consumer and Wireless Systems. S3's state-of-the-art design expertise in IC, Software and Hardware Systems design is a fundamental element of our success.

For more information visit S3 at www.s3group.com.

About YogiTech

YogiTech S.p.A. is an independent IC design engineering company, founded in 2000 and based in Pisa, Italy. The Company offers complete digital and analogue design capability plus verification, synthesis, test and layout services. YogiTech undertakes projects ranging from small analogue parts to high-speed digital System on Chip products with embedded microprocessors and DSPs. Of particular interest is the Company's deep knowledge, innovation and expertise in fault tolerance and verification that is particularly appealing to aerospace, automotive and industrial equipment clients. YogiTech's disciplined yet flexible methodology delivers high-quality results to customers requiring competitive and quick turn-around IC designs supported by IP acquisition, production test and foundry management. Clients include major European semiconductor companies, systems OEMs and research institutions. The Company also has offices in Turin, Milan and Cambridge. YogiTech is an ARMTM Technology Access Partner and a member of the Verisity Verification Alliance.