Altium's TASKING Tools First to Fully Support TriCore 2

DSP-Specific Optimizations Boost Execution Speed Four Times

SYDNEY, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2002--Altium Limited (ASX: ALU), a leading developer of Windows-based electronic design and embedded development software, is pleased to announce the launch of version 1.5 of its TASKING TriCore Software Development Toolset - the first toolset to offer full support for the newly released TriCore 2 architecture. TriCore 2 is the second-generation architecture for the TriCore family of 32-bit microcontrollers that is predominantly targeted at the fast-growing automotive and industrial control sectors of the embedded industry. As the first to offer full TriCore 2 support, Altium cements its leading industry position as the de facto industry standard for TriCore architecture software development worldwide.

The TriCore"s wide range of on-chip peripherals, integrated DSP and high-processing speed ensures its suitability for automotive and industrial control applications such as gasoline- and diesel-engine management, automatic gear-shift control, and industrial control processing units. The new TASKING TriCore toolset is tailored for these markets, providing compiler optimizations such as loop unrolling, software pipelining and SIMD optimizations that enable developers to take full advantage of the powerful TriCore architecture. The software pipelining feature, for example, can result in loops executing four times faster.

Benefitting from Altium"s close partnership with Infineon Technologies, TASKING TriCore Software Development Toolset offers full support for the new, second-generation TriCore 2 architecture. The new compiler generates TriCore 2-specific instructions, enabling developers to take advantage of the architecture"s advanced features. To complete the TriCore 2 support, the assembly libraries have also been optimized. With click-and-go selection for the new TriCore TC1765 and TC1920 derivatives, the engineer can easily select the appropriate code development settings--just one of the ease-of-use benefits built into TASKING"s award-winning Embedded Development Environment (EDE).

Altium"s TASKING TriCore toolset v1.5 is a complete, powerful, embedded software development toolset and includes the intuitive TASKING Embedded Development Environment (EDE), fast and efficient C/C++/EC++ compiler with MISRA C support, powerful linker/locator and assembler, and the CrossView Pro debugger for simulation and debugging through On-Chip Debugging Support (OCDS). The toolset offers support for all derivatives within the TriCore target architectures.

The TASKING TriCore 2 toolset is another state-of-the-art design tool from Altium that breaks down the barriers to innovation and technological advancement by giving developers access to development tools for the latest-generation architectures.

Availability

The TASKING TriCore Software Development Toolset v1.5 is now available for PC/Windows, PC/Linux and SUN/Solaris, and starts at US$3,690 for the compiler, assembler and linker/locator package. A demo version of the toolset is available from http://www.tasking.com/tricore/ or on CD-ROM from any of the Altium Sales Offices or distributors. Release notes and manual files can be downloaded from the technical support area at http://www.tasking.com/support/tricore/.

For more product information, visit www.tasking.com or contact your local Altium Sales and Support Center.

About Altium Limited

Altium Limited (ASX: ALU), trading as Protel International Limited (ASX: PRI) prior to August 6, 2001, is a leading global developer and supplier of desktop Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and embedded software design tools for the Microsoft Windows environment.

Since the Company"s foundation in 1985 and its release of the world"s first Microsoft Windows-based EDA tool in 1991, Altium has continued to apply the most advanced software design methods to provide powerful, easy-to-use and affordable design software to engineers and electronics designers worldwide.

Altium"s current product brands include Protel, P-CAD, TASKING, Accolade, CircuitMaker and CAMtastic!. These products offer tailored solutions covering a range of hardware and software design processes.

Altium is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and operates a number of sales and support offices in Australia, the United States, Japan and Europe - as well as maintaining a large reseller network in all other major markets. More information about the Company and its products and services may be obtained from our website at http://www.altium.com.

Altium, Altium Total Support, Protel, Protel DXP, DXP, Design Explorer, nVisage, P-CAD, TASKING, Accolade, CircuitMaker, CAMtastic!, Situs and Topological Autorouting and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Altium Limited. All other registered or unregistered trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners, and no trademark rights to the same are claimed.

     Altium USA Media Contact
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