Mentor Graphics Adds Co-Verification Model Support for ARM1020E and ARM1022E Cores

WILSONVILLE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 14, 2002--Extending its support for the leading embedded core architectures, Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT - News) today announced co-verification model support for the high-performance ARM1020E(TM) core and the ARM1022E(TM) core from ARM ((LSE:ARM); (Nasdaq:ARMHY - News)).

Co-verification with the Mentor Graphics® Seamless® tool allows designers to model the interactions between hardware and software in a virtual prototype, ensuring the functional validity of the application. The process shaves months of development time and ensures that functionally-correct products are released to market with minimal delay.

Advances in embedded core architectures, such as multiple busses, split transactions, write-back buffers, and streaming cache fills have increased the effort required to develop a Seamless Processor Support Package (PSP). To streamline this development process and to ensure that co-verification support packages are available in lockstep with new architecture introductions, Mentor Graphics has implemented a new model interface, Modelware, to link the processor support models with Seamless. Utilizing Modelware, the ARM10(TM) family PSPs integrate ARM's Cycle-Callable Model (CCM) providing faster, cycle-accurate co-verification in a shorter time scale.

"Our five-year relationship with ARM demonstrates a shared vision of the importance of co-verification in providing designers what they need to deliver high-quality, high-performance devices in today's competitive market," said Serge Leef, general manager of the Mentor Graphics System-on-Chip Verification division. "Our enhanced processor support package development system is a win for ARM customers, providing rapid access to co-verification models close to new processor architecture introductions."

"As more developers of ARM Powered® systems apply co-verification as a key element of their embedded design flows, they will continue to rely on technology like the innovative Seamless tool from Mentor Graphics to accelerate their time-to-market," said Alistair Greenhill, director of EDA Relationship Programs, from ARM. "We have worked closely with Mentor Graphics over the past five years and continue to build on this relationship through engineering co-operation and new, performance enhanced modeling technology that leverages our Cycle-Callable Model (CCM) technology."

The ARM1020E and ARM1022E processor cores are optimized for next-generation hand-held products, digital consumer products, automotive control systems and industrial control systems. Samsung produces ARM core-based products aimed at the competitive consumer market and has applied co-verification into its embedded design flow.

"Samsung strongly endorses the close partnership between Mentor Graphics and ARM," said Dr. Kyung-Ho Kim, Principal Engineer, Telecom R&D, Telecom Network Business, Samsung Electronics. "Co-verification is an important piece of our embedded design flow and the close relationship provides us with faster access to important models that are essential to enabling our latest products to reach market quickly."

About Seamless

Combining the best in embedded software development tools with logic simulation, Mentor's Seamless co-verification environment delivers high performance co-verification months before a hardware prototype can be built. The Seamless environment enables software and hardware development to be parallel activities, removing the software from the critical path, and reducing the risk of hardware prototype iterations resulting from integration errors. User-controlled optimizations boost performance by isolating the logic simulator from software-intensive operations such as block memory transfers and algorithmic routines.

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT - News) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of about $600 million and employs approximately 3,700 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777; Silicon Valley headquarters are located at 1001 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, California 95131-2314. World Wide Web site: www.mentor.com.

Mentor Graphics and Seamless are registered trademarks of Mentor Graphics. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.

ARM and ARM Powered are registered trademarks of ARM Limited. ARM10, ARM1020E and ARM1022E are trademarks of ARM Limited. All other brands or product names are the property of their respective holders. "ARM" is used to represent ARM Holdings plc (LSE: ARM and Nasdaq: ARMHY); its operating company ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries ARM INC.; ARM KK; ARM Korea Ltd.; ARM Taiwan; ARM France SAS; and ARM China.

     Mentor Graphics
     Wendy Slocum, 503/685-1145
     wendy_slocum@mentor.com
     or
     Weber Shandwick
     Jeremiah Glodoveza, 415/354-8375
     jglodoveza@webershandwick.com