Cadence and Fujitsu Team Up to Create New Timing Driven Design Methodology for SOC; Revolutionary System Level Constraint, Timing Driven Design Flow a Key Ingredient.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 1999--Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CDN) today announced that Fujitsu Limited has adopted and integrated Cadence's System Level Constraint (SLC) flow into their ASIC Design Environment.

A collaborative effort between Fujitsu and Cadence created a Timing Driven Design Methodology based on SLC and Fujitsu proprietary tools. This achievement is the result of a growing, strategic relationship being forged between the two companies.

"The integration and validation of the Cadence SLC flow into the Fujitsu Design Methodology is the result of many months of hard work on the part of the two companies. Cadence services and development teams worked together with Fujitsu development teams to help dramatically reduce the amount of time required to implement and validate the flow," said David Dick, director, Fujitsu Worldwide System LSI Technologies, Advanced Technology Development. "The SLC flow has proven itself in reaching first-pass timing closure as well as reducing overall design time."

The patented SLC flow is based on Cadence deep submicron (DSM) tools, utilizing design planning coupled with a new method of constraint passing with advanced timing-driven placement, routing, and physical optimization techniques.

"Cadence DSM solutions have enabled Fujitsu to deliver superior ASIC design solutions to our customers," said Takeshi Yamamura, director of System LSI & ASIC Division for Fujitsu Limited. "As our customers migrate from flat, non-timing-driven ASIC methodologies to more complex System LSI methodologies, best-in-class performance and accuracy from all the tools in the flow are required. The Cadence SLC flow provides a complete solution. In our evaluations, Cadence is the EDA company best equipped to deliver design planning, placement, routing, optimization, and interconnect extraction tools which work together automatically to rapidly converge on timing and resolution of design violations. As a result, Fujitsu has shortened design cycles and met or exceeded the time-to-market demands of customers for their most complex 0.25-micron designs."

"The adoption of Cadence's DSM solution by leading semiconductor partners like Fujitsu is gratifying," said Jim Hogan, vice president of IC Implementation Product Marketing at Cadence. "Throughout the industry we have seen the need to re-engineer and retool methodologies to meet new ASIC design requirements. Fujitsu's actions in building a truly advanced design methodology will directly benefit its customers. We are confident that our close, working relationship with Fujitsu will accelerate the adoption of new methodologies within the industry as a whole."

Immediate Deployment of Advanced Capability

Fujitsu has been deploying the new methodology throughout their worldwide design centers. The design environment takes advantage of Cadence's market-leading technology, including: Envisia(TM) logic design planner (LDP), placement-based optimization tool, clock tree generator, Silicon Ensemble(TM) place and route, and Assura(TM) hyperextract parasitic extractor. Fujitsu selected the Cadence DSM tools after an extensive evaluation of competitive offerings. Cadence Consulting Services helped strengthen the partnership by working together with Fujitsu's Development teams and proprietary tools to dramatically reduce the time-to-production flow integration. The new methodology provides Fujitsu's ASIC customers with solutions for the key problems facing designers today: hierarchical design support, a convergent design methodology, and rapid turnaround of high-complexity designs. Fujitsu provides worldwide customer support through design centers in North America, Europe, Japan, and Asia.

Information, literature, and demonstrations of the Cadence DSM tools and services are available through Cadence or at major trade shows worldwide such as the Design Automation Conference.

About Fujitsu Limited

Fujitsu Limited is a leading provider of information technology products and solutions for the global marketplace. Founded in Japan in 1935 as a telephone equipment maker, the Fujitsu Group had consolidated revenues of $37.7 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998. With over 500 group companies, including Amdahl and ICL, Fujitsu is one of the world's largest suppliers of computers and information systems solutions, telecommunications and semiconductor products, software and services. The Fujitsu Group has over 180,000 employees worldwide and operations in more than 100 countries. Homepage: http://www.fujitsu.co.jp/index-e.html

About Cadence

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. provides comprehensive services and software for the product development requirements of the world's leading electronics companies. Cadence is the largest supplier of software products, consulting services, and design services used to accelerate and manage the design of semiconductors, computer systems, networking and telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, and a variety of other electronic-based products. With more than 4,000 employees and 1998 annual sales of $1.2 billion, Cadence has sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world.

The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CDN. More information about the company, its products and services may be obtained from the World Wide Web at http://www.cadence.com.

Note to Editors: Cadence and the Cadence logo are registered trademarks, and Envisia, Assura, and Silicon Ensemble are trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All others are properties of their holders.