Xilinx and Cadence Solution Speeds Multi-Gigabit Designs for System Companies

Xilinx(R) RocketIO(TM) Design Kit for Cadence SPECCTRAQuest(TM) Reduces Time to Simulate from Weeks to Days

The Xilinx Virtex-II Pro family, shipping since March 2002, leads the industry in density, performance, memory, DSP processing, embedded processing and value and is the world's first and only FPGA to offer integrated PowerPC microprocessor technology and 3.125 Gbps serial transceivers. Virtex-II Pro devices include these multiple PowerPC CPUs and multi-gigabit serial transceivers at no additional charge, providing unequaled capability and value for today's system design requirements.

The Xilinx RocketIO Design Kit for SPECCTRAQuest, introduced March 13, 2002, enables engineers to be quickly productive in creating, implementing, and verifying gigahertz-speed serial links using the multi-gigabit IO technology. Operating within the Cadence(R) SPECCTRAQuest(TM) Signal Integrity Expert environment, it provides a proven approach to characterizing the interactions between the Xilinx Platform FPGA and the rest of the system. Designed to address the time-consuming PCB level simulation and implementation challenges created by gigahertz speed systems, the design kit helps shorten design cycles. "The new RocketIO Design Kit saved me a lot of time, particularly for multi-board simulations that involve different styles of routed differential pairs," said Mohammad W. Ali, Ph.D., technologist, Tellabs. "With the new interfaces in SPECCTRAQuest, I can accomplish the simulation task 10 to 20 times faster than before."

"In only 10 minutes after installing the RocketIO Design Kit, I was able to begin simulating my multi-gigabit solution," said Wenwei Qiao, engineer, Applied Materials.

According to Stephane Tessier, hardware engineer at Radical Horizon, a Montreal-based Software Defined Radio (SDR) solution provider, "The Kit is a 'must have' for developing multi-gigabit links. The tutorial information reduces an engineer's learning curve, and use of the kit will reduce the number of board iterations."

"The SPECCTRAQuest design kit helps reduce the time to implement new silicon into a system because it takes advantage of concurrent design efficiencies, using technologies that address silicon, package and board design," said Charlie Giorgetti, Cadence vice president and general manager of the PCB Systems Division.

Time Saving Result of Unique Features in Design Kit

The RocketIO Design Kit for SPECCTRAQuest design kit allows engineers to develop optimal constraints for their PCB systems. These constraints then drive PCB floorplanning, routing, and verification process. The RocketIO Design Kit for SPECCTRAQuest includes the following:

--	Ready-to-simulate system level topologies for typical use of the device on the board/system;
--	Verified IO buffer models;
--	Large Package Model;
--	Test bench data, Correlation data;
--	Connector models for backplane applications;
--	Device specific scripts/tools to evaluate simulation results;
--	A video that describes how to get started with the design kit in the end users environment.

"Our customers' ability to quickly design-in the Virtex II Pro Rocket IO technology is critical," said Rich Sevcik, senior vice president and general manager of FPGA products at Xilinx. "Working with Cadence, we are minimizing the design-in time for our mutual customers, enabling customers to take advantage of dramatic system cost savings through the implementation of the serial technology in their next design."

Cadence Chip Enablement Initiative

This announcement aligns with the Cadence Chip Set Enablement Initiative that supports IC manufacturers in speeding the design-in of their advanced chips into systems, speeding design-to-volume for both themselves and their systems customers.

Price and Availability

The RocketIO Design Kit for SPECCTRAQuest is provided free to Xilinx customers who have the appropriate non-disclosure agreement in place. More information is available at http://support.xilinx.com. The Cadence SPECCTRAQuest Signal Integrity Expert product starts at a U.S. list price of $24,200 for a one-year license. For pricing outside of North America, contact your local Cadence office or distributor. More information regarding other Serial Tsunami design resources is available at http://www.xilinx.com/serialsolution.

About Xilinx

Xilinx is the worldwide leader in complete programmable logic solutions. For more information, visit www.xilinx.com.

About Cadence

Cadence is the largest supplier of electronic design technologies, 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 5,300 employees and 2002 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 are available at www.cadence.com.

Cadence and the Cadence logo are registered trademarks and SPECCTRAQuest is a trademark of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective holders.

CONTACT: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
             PCB Systems Division
             Meg Kenagy, 503/968-4842
             mkenagy@cadence.com
             or
             Xilinx, Inc.
             Public Relations
             Tamara Snowden, 408/879-6146
             tamara.snowden@xilinx.com