Mentor Graphics Announces New iSOLVE IP-Xpress Target Platform for High Performance Verification

Embedded Systems Conference San Francisco 2003

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 22, 2003--Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq:MENT) has announced the availability of the IP-Xpress Target Platform enabling designs, including fixed IP such as microprocessor and DSP sub-systems, to be verified with the Mentor Graphics(R) emulators. This product builds upon the industry-proven range of microprocessor and DSP boards and is the latest addition to the Mentor Graphics iSOLVE(TM) value-added solutions for embedded processor verification.

Combined with the VStation(TM) or Celaro/CelaroPRO(TM) emulators, the IP-Xpress Target Platform enables virtual system prototyping and extensive software testing of systems before system-on-chip (SoC) fabrication. Each IP-Xpress Target Platform can hold multiple SoC core or standard part devices and multiple platforms can be connected to the emulator, enabling verification of complex multi-processor systems. The Platform has JTAG connectors to simplify hooking up software debuggers. Mentor supports a broad range of microprocessors and DSPs from leading providers including ARM, IBM Microelectronics and Texas Instruments. In a complementary solution to the IP-Xpress Target Platform, memory models such as DDR SDRAM are also supported.

Commenting on the addition of the IP-Xpress Target Platform to the Mentor Emulation product line, Jean-Francois Kah, product marketing director at Mentor Graphics said, "The direct connection of fixed IP, such as the TI C6416 DSP, means that our customers can execute application software, controlled through standard software debug tools, while full visibility of the ASIC or SoC is available from the emulator. This is a significant boost to verification productivity."

iSOLVE Solutions Available for ARM9 Family Cores

The introduction of the IP-Xpress Target Platform for VStation coincides with newly-developed ARM926EJ-S(TM) core, ARM946E-S(TM) core and ARM966E-S(TM) core models. These latest additions ensure Mentor Graphics iSOLVE solutions continuing to offer industry-leading processor models to customers for both the VStation and the CelaroPRO systems.

Regarding the latest ARM additions to Mentor Graphics IP-Xpress range, Mark Snook, development manager at ARM said, "The addition of ARM9(TM) family processors into the IP-Xpress Target Platform utilizes our recently announced Integrator(TM) Logic Tile component. This provides a flexible and secure means of supplying pre-verified hardware IP core models and we have been pleased to work closely with Mentor Graphics to ensure the availability of ARM(R) models to our mutual customers."

The iSOLVE IP-Xpress Target Platform backed by Mentor's experienced Verification Solutions team, supports a comprehensive line of IP cores in 'off-the-shelf' solutions, including the ARM7DTMI(R) core, ARM720T(TM) core, ARM920T(TM) core, ARM940T(TM) core, TI DSP C62x, TI DSP C64x, and IBM PowerPC 405 GP.

Mentor Graphics iSOLVE products provide a range of hardware and software application solutions for VStation and Celaro/CelaroPRO emulators. Other iSOLVE products include speed-bridges for PCI and PCI Express buses; frame-buffers for transmitting/receiving video streams; DDR and SDRAM models; and dedicated transaction-based co-modeling solutions.

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq:MENT) 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 more than $600 million and employs approximately 3,500 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 is a registered trademark and VStation, Celaro, CelaroPRO and iSOLVE are trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Mentor Graphics
             Marie-Dominique Picasso, +33.1.64.86.61.12
             marie-dominique_picasso@mentor.com
             or
             Mentor Graphics
             Suzanne Graham, 503/685-7789
             suzanne_graham@mentor.com