Synopsys Now Shipping FPGA Express; Initial Release Optimized for Industry-Leading Xilinx FPGA Architectures.MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 30, 1996-- Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQin full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :SNPS SNPS Space Nuclear Power System ) today announced the company is shipping the first version of its Windows '95 and Windows NT-based synthesis tool, FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) A type of gate array that is programmed in the field rather than in a semiconductor fab. Containing up to hundreds of thousands of gates, there are a variety of FPGA architectures on the market. Express, with initial support for the Xilinx XC3xxx, XC4xxx, XC52xx families of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The new product leverages Synopsys' proven, industry-standard logic synthesis The conversion of a high-level electronic circuit description into a list of logic gates and their interconnections, called the "netlist." Every logic synthesis program understands some subset of Verilog and VHDL. technology to improve FPGA/CPLD circuit performance and silicon area utilization by up to 50 percent over existing PC-based synthesis tools. "The easy-to-use FPGA Express interface, combined with the integration of Xilinx architecture features an XACTstep 6.0 implementation software, enables users to get excellent synthesis results without being device or design tool experts," said Kenn Perry, Director of Software Marketing at Xilinx. "With FPGA Express, it is clear Synopsys is continuing to set the standards in high level design for FPGAs." Architecture-specific synthesis algorithms within FPGA Express make it possible for designers to take full advantage of the high-density, high performance FPGA/CPLD device architectures available today from Xilinx. A Windows '95 and Windows NT-compliant user interface allows them to describe every aspect of their design in minutes, including detailed timing requirements. Once described, the design is synthesized into a target device. Even designers with little or no experience with high-level design The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. Please help [ improve the introduction] to meet Wikipedia's layout standards. You can discuss the issue on the talk page. can successfully complete and iterate it·er·ate tr.v. it·er·at·ed, it·er·at·ing, it·er·ates To say or perform again; repeat. See Synonyms at repeat. [Latin iter designs up to 100K gates in a single day. "The key to providing the best results in the industry is direct and extensive interaction with our FPGA and CPLD (Complex PLD) A programmable logic device that is made up of several simple PLDs (SPLDs) with a programmable switching matrix in between the logic blocks. CPLDs typically use EEPROM, flash memory or SRAM to hold the logic design interconnections. See PLD and SPLD. partners," said Don Faria, Director of Marketing for FPGA Solutions at Synopsys. "Our strategic partnership with Xilinx was set up to deliver state-of-the-art technology to our mutual customers -- FPGA Express is another example of what is possible when leaders work closely together." Synopsys is currently working closely with other industry-leading manufacturers of FPGA and CPLD devices. In the coming months, support for devices from Actel, Altera, and Lucent Technologies will be added to FPGA Express. Synopsys is targeting its first PC-based design automation product at the "second wave" of VHDL (VHSIC Hardware Description Language) A hardware description language (HDL) used to design electronic systems at the component, board and system level. VHDL allows models to be developed at a very high level of abstraction. and Verilog adopters -- FPGA/CPLD designers moving from schematic capture at the gate level to language-based design with synthesis at the register-transfer level (RTL (Register Transfer Level) A high-level hardware description language (HDL) for defining digital circuits. The circuits are described as a collection of registers, Boolean equations, control logic such as "if-then-else" statements as well as complex event sequences; ). Typically, these designs are moving to the larger 10,000-gate-plus devices. According to Dataquest, the "second wave" of hardware description language (language) Hardware Description Language - (HDL) A kind of language used for the conceptual design of integrated circuits. Examples are VHDL and Verilog. (HDL (Hardware Description Language) A language used to describe the functions of an electronic circuit for documentation, simulation or logic synthesis (or all three). Although many proprietary HDLs have been developed, Verilog and VHDL are the major standards. ) designers will grow from 4,000 RTL seats in 1994 to nearly 67,000 seats worldwide by the end of the decade. Free Evaluation Software on the Web Synopsys is providing designers with free, easy access to a full-featured version of the FPGA Express software on the Web. For designs up to approximately 1,000 gates, designers can use FPGA Express to evaluate the entire synthesis process. Potential customers can request a copy from the World Wide Web at http://www.synopsys.com/products/fpga_pc/fpga_pc.html or by calling 800/669-1083. Customers outside the U.S. can request this software from their local Synopsys representative. FPGA Express pricing starts at $12,000 and is currently available running on Windows '95 and Windows NT-based personal computers. For further details regarding FPGA Express, please contact your local Synopsys representative. Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNPS) develops, markets and supports high-level design automation models and software for designers of integrated circuits (ICs) and electronic systems. The company pioneered the commercial development of logic synthesis and test synthesis technology, which serve as the foundation of the company's high-level design methodology. Synopsys offers a comprehensive set of synthesis, simulation, test, and design reuse solutions, which support both Verilog, HDL and VHDL. -0- Note to Editors: Synopsys is a registered trademark of Synopsys, Inc. FPGA Express is a trademark of Synopsys, Inc. CONTACT: Synopsys, Inc. Leslie Marshall, 415/694-1614 marshall@synopsys.com or The Hoffman Agency Linda Ashmore, 408/286-2611 lashmore@hoffman.com |
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