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LAS VEGAS, June 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Demonstrating its commitment to support open standards for the electronic design automation (EDA) industry, Simplex Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLX), today is announcing integration of its products to the Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CDN) contributed OpenAccess database via the OpenAccess API (application programming interface) introduced today by the OpenAccess Community. The integration of Simplex's SoC verification products will enable system-on-chip (SoC) designers to use Simplex's Fire & Ice® QX 3D RC extraction and VoltageStorm(TM) SoC power grid verification products seamlessly with other products that utilize the OpenAccess database such as Integration Ensemble (IE) from Cadence.

In concert with other industry leaders, Simplex has worked for more than a year to help achieve an OpenAccess API. The goal of the OpenAccess Community, of which Simplex is a founding member, is to enable a standard interface to common design databases, greatly increasing designers' ability to create design flows that best meets their needs. Other founding members of this community include Agere, Cadence, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, LSI Logic, Mentor Graphics, Motorola, Si2 and STMicroelectronics.

According to Simplex President and COO Aki Fujimura, ``Simplex is a customer-driven company. We support open standards because they offer the best path to tool accessibility for our leading-edge customers, such as STMicroelectronics, who need solutions to the most complex problems in the deep-submicron space.''

Jean-Pierre Geronimi, director of CAD at Central R&D of ST Microelectronics (Geneva, Switzerland), confirms the importance of standards such as the OpenAccess API. ``Standard database formats and interfaces enable an optimized design flow using the best-in-class tools for advanced deep-submicron designs. Simplex has been very responsive to our need for this kind of integration, and we applaud their participation in the OpenAccess Community,'' stated Geronimi.

Lavi Lev, senior vice president and general manager of IC solutions at Cadence Design Systems, which provided its Genesis database as the basis of the OpenAccess Community efforts, noted, ``By working together to address the significant productivity issue of interoperability, our overall value to our customers increases. This effort will help accelerate the rate of design, and increase silicon content through reduced design cost and improved design predictability. Simplex was quick to recognize the value integration offers to customers. We have enthusiastically supported this integration with the OpenAccess API. Our mutual customers have already seen the benefits of this effort.''

According to Si2, which administers the OpenAccess Community, all EDA companies need to recognize the importance of this standard and appreciate its value. ``Industries that adopt open standards-thereby removing barriers to ease of use and integration-clearly benefit. This is about a long-term value proposition that makes good business sense for the entire industry. We're pleased to see suppliers like Simplex lead the way with early adoption of the OpenAccess API,'' noted Andrew Graham, president and CEO of Si2.

About Si2

Silicon Integration Initiative, Inc. (Si2) provides engineering consultation and services to industry-leading silicon, electronic systems and EDA companies for synergistic, multi-company efforts focused on improving productivity and costs in the design and production of integrated silicon systems. The organization represents members throughout North America, Europe and Asia. For more information about Si2, visit www.si2.org.

About Cadence

Cadence is the largest supplier of electronic design automation products, methodology services and design services. Cadence solutions are used to accelerate and manage the design of semiconductors, computer systems, networking and telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics and a variety of other electronics-based products. With approximately 5,700 employees and 2000 revenues of approximately $1.3 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 is available at www.cadence.com.

About Simplex

Simplex Solutions, Inc. provides software and services for the design and verification of integrated circuits to enable its communications, computer and consumer-products customers to achieve first-time production success and rapid delivery of complex systems-on-chip. Simplex's customers use its products and services prior to manufacture to design and verify the integrated circuits to help ensure that the integrated circuits will perform as intended, taking into account the complex effects of deep-submicron semiconductor physics. Simplex can be reached at 408-617-6100 or on the web at www.simplex.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements (including, without limitation, information regarding the ability of Simplex to successfully integrate its verification products into the OpenAccess database, the benefits to be realized from open standards, the ability to achieve optimized design flows using standard database formats, the viability of open standards and the ability of Simplex to benefit from the adoption of open standards) that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the results of Simplex to differ materially from management's current expectations.

Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors including, among others: future strategic decisions made by Simplex and other members of the OpenAccess Community; competitive developments; industry support for open standards; demand for advanced semiconductor chips and the verification software that supports their production; and the rapid pace of technological change in the semiconductor industry. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties described in Simplex's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Simplex assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this release.

NOTE: Fire & Ice is a registered trademark and Simplex Solutions, the Simplex logo, and VoltageStorm are trademarks of Simplex Solutions, Inc. All other marks used here are the property of their respective holders.