Actel Extends IP Program to Support Proasic Plus and Axcelerator

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001019/ACTLLOGO )

"Both our reprogrammable ProASIC Plus and high-speed Axcelerator families are enjoying tremendous market acceptance," said Yankin Tanurhan, senior director, IP solutions, Actel Corporation. "This is fueling the demand for high-quality cores that are designed and optimized for use with Actel's high-density, reprogrammable flash and high-speed antifuse FPGA devices. Our CompanionCore Alliance partners recognize this opportunity and are targeting the ProASIC Plus and Axcelerator families as critical platforms for developing new intellectual property."

New IP Cores for Actel FPGAs

Extended to support the company's ProASIC Plus and Axcelerator families, the Actel CompanionCore Alliance program leverages IP generated, verified and supported by Actel, called DirectCores, as well as strategic third-party CompanionCore products. The more than 50 new optimized DirectCore and CompanionCore solutions offered today include:

  -- Forward error correction (FEC) technology, such as Reed Solomon
     encoders and decoders, 10/100/1G Ethernet MAC controllers,
     Packet-Over-SONET Layer 2, HDLC controllers and PL3 and Utopia Level 3
     interfaces for use in communications applications, including wireless
     LANs, xDSL, SONET/SDH and DWDM.
  -- PCI, 8-bit microcontrollers, UARTs, DMA, and CAN and USB controllers
     for use in embedded systems applications.
  -- MPEG 2, digital video broadcast (DVB) modulators, memory controllers
     and encryption cores for use in consumer applications, including
     multimedia systems and personal security devices.

  Pricing and Availability

All cores are available today in netlist and RTL formats and can be purchased directly from Actel or its partners. Data sheets for each core can be downloaded from the Actel Web site at http://www.actel.com/products/ip/index.html . List prices for the cores start at $495.

Actel DirectCore and CompanionCore Solutions

Actel's CompanionCore Alliance Program involves partnerships with strategic third-party IP developers to deliver complete pre-implemented, synthesizable CompanionCore IP building blocks that have been tested and verified in Actel FPGAs. Actel also offers its own system-level IP solutions, called DirectCores, specifically designed and optimized for use with Actel devices. Covering applications ranging from embedded systems, data communications and telecom to consumer, functions include DSP, PCI, communication interfaces, encryption and multimedia as well as microprocessors and peripherals.

Actel DirectCores and CompanionCore products offer seamless implementation through Actel's suite of internal and third-party EDA development tools, documentation, and quality service and support, thereby streamlining the design process, enabling faster time to market and minimizing design costs and risks. For more information on the CompanionCore Alliance program, DirectCores or CompanionCores, visit the IP section on the Actel Web site at http://www.actel.com/products/ip/index.html .

About Actel

Actel Corporation is a supplier of innovative programmable logic solutions, including field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) based on antifuse and flash technologies, high-performance intellectual property (IP) cores, software development tools and design services, targeted for the high-speed communications, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) replacement and radiation-tolerant markets. Founded in 1985, Actel employs approximately 500 people worldwide. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol ACTL and is headquartered at 955 East Arques Avenue, Sunnyvale, Calif., 94086-4533. Telephone: 888-99-ACTEL (992-2835). Internet: http://www.actel.com/ .

Editor's Note: The Actel name and logo are registered trademarks of Actel Corporation. All other trademarks and servicemarks are the property of their respective owners.

                            Actel Corporation
                      CompanionCore Alliance Program
                         IP Partner Testimonials
                            December 11, 2002

  Dr. J.G. Doherty, president and CEO, Amphion Semiconductor, Inc.

"Teaming with Actel is a logical way to provide efficient and cost-effective solutions, especially for secure video and imaging communication applications. Actel's highly secure, nonvolatile FPGAs combine vital privacy, flexibility and performance advantages for our security-conscious customers."

Hal Barbour, president, CAST, Inc.

"Actel and CAST are an excellent match -- our proven general-purpose IP cores and Actel's fast, secure, programmable device families give designers a great low-risk way to finish competitive products on time and on budget."

Prakash Bare, vice president, IP business group, GDA Technologies, Inc.

"Increasingly, our customers are requesting IP cores optimized for high-density FPGA products, such as Actel's Axcelerator solution, for use in high-speed communications and networking applications. Having our IP available through the Actel CompanionCore program meets the needs of our customers and gives us excellent exposure within the FPGA design community. Our first offering under Actel's program, the HyperTransport Cave design, extends the reach of GDA's industry-leading HyperTransport solutions into the world of highly cost-effective, high-performance programmable devices."

Graeme Durant, CEO, Helion Technology Ltd.

"We are working closely with Actel to offer a range of high-performance encryption cores optimized for Actel's programmable logic solutions, enabling customers to choose an implementation that best fits their specific application. For Helion, participation in Actel's CompanionCore program not only represents an opportunity to expand our own client base, but the feedback we obtain will help to guide the development of our next-generation cores, allowing us to keep ahead of market demands."

Hans Kuffer, vice president, business development, Inicore, Inc.

"Inicore's new IPmodule family is a perfect fit for Actel devices. They are easy to use and expand our offering to Actel customers in need of quality processor and peripheral IP core solutions. We are pleased to have signed Actel's CompanionCore Program, marking a new step in our relationship with Actel in developing and offering IP solutions for the company's newest devices, ProASIC Plus and Axcelerator."

Mark Buckhalt, global director, intellectual property, Memec Design

"As programmable logic increases in complexity, the required knowledge to implement a system on a single device intensifies. With the Actel - Memec Design partnership, our customers can rely on us for design expertise and devote their time to creating winning solutions. When we created the MemecCore portfolio, we considered target silicon, such as Actel's unique Axcelerator and ProASIC Plus solutions, taking an approach that ensures optimal implementation and translates into significant cost savings for our customers."

Francois Balay, CEO, MorethanIP GmbH

"Actel's highly secure, nonvolatile and high-performance FPGAs are an ideal platform for distributing and utilizing our leading communication IP cores for multi-gigabit telecom and communication applications. Actel's CompanionCore program allows developers to leverage our pre-built IP cores for their system designs, which in turn streamlines the design process, delivers high performance and minimizes costs."

CONTACT: Clive Jones of Actel Corporation, +1-888-992-2835, or
clive.jones@actel.com; or Stephanie Mrus of Porter Novelli, +1-408-369-1500,
ext. 26, or stephanie.mrus@porternovelli.com, for Actel Corporation

Web site: http://www.actel.com/