Synopsys Introduces Galaxy Design Platform for Advanced Integrated Circuit Design; Built Around Synopsys Best in-Class Products and Industry-Proven Design Database

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 2003--Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS), the world leader in integrated circuit (IC) design software, today introduced Galaxy(TM) Design Platform, an open, integrated design implementation platform with best-in-class tools, to enable advanced IC design. Anchored by Synopsys' Design Compiler(R), Astro(TM) and PrimeTime(R), Galaxy Design Platform will help significantly reduce design times, decrease integration costs and minimize the risks inherent in advanced, complex IC design. In a separate announcement, Synopsys announced today it has opened third-party access to the production-proven Milkyway(TM) design database, a fundamental part of Galaxy Design Platform.

Galaxy Design Platform will integrate Synopsys' industry-leading IC implementation tools and intellectual property (IP), including Design Compiler, DFT Compiler(TM), Power Compiler(TM), DesignWare(R), Floorplan Compiler, Physical Compiler(R), Astro, PrimeTime, TetraMAX(R), Star-RCXT(TM), Hercules(TM) and Proteus(TM). Galaxy Design Platform will incorporate consistent timing, common libraries, delay calculation, and constraints from RTL all the way to silicon using the common Milkyway database. In addition, Galaxy offers designers the flexibility to integrate internally developed and third-party tools through Milkyway.

"Synopsys' Galaxy Design Platform represents a major step forward in the evolution of electronic design automation," said Aart de Geus, chairman and chief executive officer of Synopsys, Inc. "As the design process has become more complex, customers have demanded a single, integrated platform based on best-in-class products. They have also asked for that platform to be open for the integration of other products. Synopsys' Galaxy Design Platform provides the openness and functionality customers desire in a production-proven environment with the powerful tools needed for advanced IC design."

Complex Design Challenges

As designers move to 90 nanometers (nm) and below, single point tools can no longer individually solve advanced IC design issues such as timing, signal integrity, multi-voltage, leakage power, design for manufacturing, and design for test. These complex design challenges must be addressed in a comprehensive manner throughout every tool in the flow using a common database. In addition, flow integration based on ASCII files is reaching the limits of its scalability. For customers to achieve their required turnaround times, high-bandwidth data exchange via common and open database APIs has become necessary. Galaxy Design Platform will provide customers with a more complete, integrated design flow that is flexible and efficient.

"At Agere Systems, we rely on industry-proven EDA solutions when developing our complex systems-on-chip and ASICs for first-pass success," said Jon Fields, vice president of design platforms at Agere Systems. "We welcome the introduction of Synopsys' design platform and the opening of the Milkyway database through its Milkyway Access Program. This will allow us to further enhance our proven world-class design flow for our customers by giving us access to a broader set of tools on a common design platform."

"As the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions, ARM(R) technology is at the heart of a wide range of digital products. Our Partners choose ARM technology to get to market quickly with differentiated products," said Simon Segars, executive vice president of Engineering at ARM. "By opening Milkyway, Synopsys enables us to support the silicon design implementation tool choices of our Partners and simplify integration into our reference methodology or their chosen flow. Bringing together Synopsys' industry-leading design implementation tools and the industry-proven Milkyway design database into the Synopsys design platform will be important for the industry. It will enable our Partners to accelerate their design process, focus more on getting their products to market and less on tool and IP integration issues."

"Artisan Components is the premier provider of physical intellectual property (IP) libraries to many of the world's leading semiconductor foundries, integrated device manufacturers, and IC design teams," said Jim Hogan, senior vice president of business development at Artisan Components, Inc. "Customers moving to 90 nanometers and below will require open design platforms to solve their advanced IC design challenges. Synopsys' open Galaxy Design Platform brings together Synopsys' industry-proven tools and Milkyway database with Artisan's silicon-proven libraries to address these design challenges. Our ongoing work with Synopsys to address deep submicron design issues in an integrated design flow will result in a complete set of Synopsys tool views and models for our libraries in support of over 1000 Artisan customers. We congratulate Synopsys on its initiative to open Milkyway to the industry. This is a major step forward in industry-wide EDA tool interoperability to ensure successful delivery of our customers' designs to market."

"A key focus of IBM Microelectronics foundry services is to make IBM's most advanced technologies available to designers worldwide," said Michael Concannon, vice president, foundry services at IBM Microelectronics Division. "Complete design methodologies, design platforms and interoperability are critical to the success of large SoC designs, especially in a customer-owned-tooling environment. Synopsys' decision to enhance their design platform by opening Milkyway to the industry provides a flexibility in design tools that will allow designers to take full advantage of IBM's broad IP library and leading-edge semiconductor process and manufacturing capabilities."

Availability

Synopsys Galaxy Design Platform integration is currently in beta test at customer sites. Limited customer availability of Galaxy Design Platform will begin in March 2003. General availability will begin in June 2003.

Forward Looking Statements