MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA and CAMBRIDGE, UK Sept. 25, 2000 -- Verisity Ltd. and ARM [(LSE:ARM); (Nasdaq:ARMHY)], the industry’s leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions, announced today that they have developed a comprehensive validation solution for ARM®core-based systems. The solution consists of two pieces: an AMBA Compliance Testbench (ACT) and an AMBA e Verification Component (eVC™).

The ACT was developed and delivered by ARM to check for compliance to AMBA protocols; the AMBA eVC was developed and delivered by Verisity for functional verification of AMBA bus-based systems. Both the ACT and eVC are implemented using Verisity’s e verification language and utilize a common library of e files. Together, the solution enables customers to easily verify that their systems incorporating the AMBA on-chip bus specification are fully compliant with AMBA protocols and are functionally correct.

The AMBA on-chip bus is an established, open specification that serves as a framework for system-on-chip (SoC) designs. As increasing numbers of companies adopt the AMBA bus, it is rapidly emerging as a de facto standard for SoC construction and IP library development. The AMBA bus provides the “digital glue” that binds intellectual property (IP) cores together and is a key component of ARM’s reuse strategy.

As a member of Verisity’s Pure IP™ program, ARM will deliver the ACT as an Invisible Specman™ toolkit that can be used in a wide range of simulation environments. Using the toolkit, developers and users of AMBA bus-interfaced IP cores will be able to automatically check for compliance to the AMBA bus protocols. This will accelerate SoC integration and expand the range of AMBA bus-compliant IP available to designers.

“As device complexity and IP content increases, system-on-chip designers need access to state-of-the art bus compliance and system verification tools. ARM’s ACT will set the standard for AMBA bus-based IP, giving designers confidence in the blocks with which they are working,” said John Cornish, director of Product Marketing for ARM. “This combination of Verisity’s exceptional verification technology and ARM’s IP expertise will provide developers with a complete, complimentary validation system for AMBA bus-based systems.”

The Verisity AMBA eVC is a pre-verified, reusable piece of verification code that customers can drop into their designs to drastically cut the time it takes to create their verification environment. It contains the entire functional verification environment for AMBA bus-based systems and includes three integrated components: a stimuli generator for generating and injecting traffic; monitors and checkers for viewing outputs and checking protocol rules; and coverage reports showing the functional coverage of scenarios on the bus. The AMBA eVC joins the other plug-and-play modules that Verisity offers including Ethernet, PCI and USB.

“This joint solution is a major breakthrough for engineers designing complex devices using externally developed IP,” said David Tokic, director of strategic marketing for Verisity. “Our partnership with ARM brings their expertise in CPU and SoC Infrastructure IP and our expertise in verification--two of the most critical facets to SoC design--to deliver a complementary validation solution. Together, we can make our joint customers more productive while enabling them to create higher quality, more complex devices. This is truly an exciting announcement.”

Pricing and Availability
The ACT will be available from ARM in Q4 2000. Pricing is determined by customer-specific requirements. The AMBA eVC will be available from Verisity in Q4 2000. Pricing starts at $10k for a one-year floating LAN license.

About ARM
ARM is the industry’s leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions. The company licenses its high-performance, low-cost, power-efficient RISC processors, peripherals, and system-on-chip designs to leading international electronics companies. ARM also provides comprehensive support required in developing a complete system. ARM's microprocessor cores are rapidly becoming the volume RISC standard in such markets as portable communications, handheld computing, multimedia, digital consumer and embedded solutions. More information on ARM is available at http://www.arm.com.

About Verisity
Verisity is a leading provider of proprietary technologies and software products used to efficiently verify designs of electronic systems and complex integrated circuits that are essential to the communications and other high growth segments of the electronics industry. The Company’s products automate the process of detecting flaws in these designs, enabling customers to deliver higher quality products, accelerate time-to-market and reduce overall product development costs.

Verisity Design, Inc.’s principal executive offices are located in Mountain View, CA. The Company’s principal research and development offices and the corporate headquarters of Verisity Ltd. are located in Rosh Ha’ain, Israel. For more information, see Verisity's web site at www.verisity.com.

ARM is a registered trademark and AMBA is a trademark of ARM Limited. Verisity is a registered trademark of Verisity Design, Inc. eVC, Invisible Specman and Pure IP are trademarks of Verisity Design, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

For more information contact:

Jennifer Bilsey
Verisity Design, Inc.
(650) 934-6823
jen@verisity.com

Michelle Spencer
ARM Limited
+44 1628 427780
michelle.spencer@arm.com