Mentor Graphics Announces Co-Verification Models for PMC-Sierra MIPS-based Microprocessors to Speed Verification of Embedded Applications
WILSONVILLE, Ore.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dec. 16, 2003—
Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT) today
announced the availability of the Seamless(R) Hardware/Software
Co-Verification Processor Support Packages (PSPs) for PMC-Sierra's
RM7000(TM) and RM7900(TM) 64-bit families of MIPS-based(TM)
microprocessors. The Seamless Processor Support Packages provide the
ability to create virtual prototypes to validate that hardware and
software work together in RM7000 and RM7900 series-based designs,
including networking and storage applications, advanced consumer
electronics and office equipment such as printers and digital copiers.
By validating interfaces and analyzing performance prior to
fabrication, systems designers can shave months off their development
processes by speeding up the integration process, minimizing redesign
cycles, and ensuring optimum system performance.
Mentor Graphics and PMC-Sierra collaborated closely on the
development of the Seamless Co-Verification Processor Support
Packages, which have been validated against extensive test suites for
the PMC-Sierra MIPS-based microprocessors. The Processor Support
Packages implement the Seamless Version 5 Performance Profile viewer,
which enables designers to profile software, chart memory
transactions, monitor cache efficiency and plot bus utilization and
arbitration delay. As a result, this data can be used to identify
areas of concern and guide design improvements that yield greater
performance. In addition, this collaboration enables C and RTL-based
co-verification for PMC-Sierra microprocessors, streamlining the
co-verification process.
"Mentor Graphics is a leader in hardware/software co-verification
and we worked closely with its engineers to create and validate
accurate microprocessor models that will help our customers bring
their products to market faster," said Tom Riordan, vice president and
general manager of the Microprocessor Products Division at PMC-Sierra.
"Co-verification enables our customers to start the hardware/software
integration process earlier in the design cycle, thereby shortening
integration times and reducing the risk of requiring redesigns."
Ricoh Company, Ltd., a global leader in office equipment, recently
evaluated and purchased the co-verification models. "Ricoh competes in
the office product market, therefore, time-to-market and performance
are keys to our market success," said Tadayoshi Miyahara, associate
engineer of the Platform Development Center, Imaging System Business
Group of Ricoh. "After careful evaluation, we have selected the
Seamless Co-Verification microprocessor models for PMC-Sierra's
MIPS-based microprocessors since this solution provides an early
glimpse of hardware working with software. This allows us to validate
that our hardware and software works correctly and efficiently with
the PMC-Sierra MIPS-based microprocessor before we commit the design
into hardware."
"Co-verification has become a primary consideration for designers
frustrated by lengthy, costly and resource-intensive verification
cycles," said Serge Leef, general manager of the system-on-chip
verification division of Mentor Graphics. "PMC-Sierra's commitment to
support our development of Seamless PSPs for its microprocessors has
provided customers designing with its RM7000 and RM7900 families with
a solution to verify critical interfaces and analyze system
performance prior to committing the design to hardware."
About Seamless
Linking popular software development and debug tools with logic
simulation, the Seamless 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 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.
To this environment, Seamless Version 5 adds the ability to
analyze code, bus and memory performance. These capabilities allow not
only the validation of hardware/software interactions, but also give
measurement on the quality of the system and guidance on where
improvements can be made.
Availability
The Processor Support Packages developed for PMC-Sierra's RM7000
and RM7900 families are supported by Mentor Graphics and are available
now for Solaris, and Red Hat Linux platforms. For more information on
how to purchase these packages or to register for free co-verification
and functional verification seminars, visit www.mentor.com/seamless.
About PMC-Sierra's RM7000 and RM7900 64-bit MIPS-based
Microprocessors
PMC-Sierra's RM7000 and RM7900 families of MIPS-based
microprocessors power a broad range of communications applications
from network router control planes and enterprise switches to
enterprise printers and advanced consumer electronics devices. They
are also used for emerging applications such as storage, wireless base
stations, multi-service access platforms, DSLAMs, and automotive
telematics. For more information, visit www.pmc-sierra.com/processors.
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 about
$650 million and employs approximately 3,600 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 Corp. All other company and/or product names are the
trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Contact:
Mentor Graphics
Larry Toda, 503-685-1664
larry_toda@mentor.com
or
Weber Shandwick
Jeremiah Glodoveza, 310-407-6525 (Media)
jglodoveza@webershandwick.com
