Mentor Graphics Announces Synthesis Support for HardCopy II Structured ASIC Devices
WILSONVILLE, Ore.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Jan. 25, 2005—
Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq:MENT) today
announced that its suite of advanced synthesis products supports
Altera Corporation's (Nasdaq:ALTR) newly introduced HardCopy II
structured ASIC family. Users of the Precision(R) RTL Synthesis and
Leonardo(R)Spectrum tools from Mentor Graphics can now enjoy quick and
direct access to the unique cost, power and performance benefits of
the HardCopy II structured ASIC device family.
"We have worked very closely with Mentor Graphics over the past
year to establish a seamless flow for our HardCopy devices, so it was
a clear-cut extension for us to develop a robust and automatic
HardCopy II flow," said Alain Bismuth, vice president, HardCopy
product group at Altera. "We feel that the combination of Altera's
structured ASIC devices and Mentor Graphics synthesis products will
enable our mutual customers to consistently and predictably maximize
their competitive advantage with minimal effort on their part."
"The introduction of HardCopy II structured ASICs further empowers
those customers designing high-volume Stratix II devices using our
Precision Synthesis and LeonardoSpectrum products to cost
competitively meet development goals, with none of the usual risks
associated with migrating to a structured ASIC," said Simon Bloch,
general manager, Design Creation and Synthesis Division, Mentor
Graphics. "This is a powerful combination, which truly delivers on the
promise of structured ASICs."
From a designer's standpoint, the HardCopy II structured ASIC flow
is similar to a Stratix II FPGA flow. The reduced power and die size
-- which translate into lowered costs and high performance -- are made
possible through an innovative logic structure whereby Altera can map
each and every unique Stratix II adaptive logic module (ALM)
configuration into a corresponding optimized macro (set of basic
building blocks called HCells). The process of migrating from a
Stratix II device to a corresponding HardCopy II device is completely
automatic and seamless to users, so engineering teams are not forced
to perform additional tasks before their structured ASIC
implementation, other than ensuring that their final FPGA design works
as functionally intended.
To increase performance and further extend the advantages of
migrating to a structured ASIC implementation, engineering teams may
use the Mentor Graphics integrated design environment, spanning design
creation and advanced synthesis (via either the Precision RTL
Synthesis or LeonardoSpectrum products), through RTL simulation and
verification. After the design is complete, Altera's Quartus II
version 4.2 can be called to perform physical implementation from
within the integrated Mentor Graphics design environment.
The Precision RTL Synthesis tool is optimized to quickly and
easily deliver superior quality of results. In addition, it provides a
breadth of advanced design creation and analysis capabilities, such as
intuitive design project management and a full-featured incremental
timing analysis tool that enables companies to take control of
next-generation FPGA implementation and timing challenges, resulting
in shorter design cycles and significantly higher performance. The
LeonardoSpectrum tool from Mentor Graphics is the mature,
industry-proven synthesis product for both FPGA and ASIC design.
About HardCopy II Structured ASICs
Altera's HardCopy II structured ASICs feature a unique FPGA
front-end design methodology and deliver the fastest time-to-market
and the lowest risk of any structured ASIC solution. HardCopy II
structured ASICs leverage Stratix II FPGAs for prototyping and system
verification, and deliver up to 2.2 million ASIC gates, 8.8 million
bits of RAM, and over 350-MHz system performance at a cost as low as
$15 for 1 million ASIC gates. HardCopy II structured ASICs are the
best solution for a broad range of high-performance, high-volume ASIC
and ASSP applications including wireless, computer and storage,
consumer, and industrial systems. For more information about HardCopy
II structured ASICs, visit www.altera.com/hardcopy2.
About Altera
Altera Corporation (NASDAQ:ALTR) is the world's pioneer in
system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solutions. Combining programmable
logic technology with software tools, intellectual property, and
technical services, Altera provides high-value programmable solutions
to approximately 14,000 customers worldwide. More information is
available at www.altera.com.
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
$700 million and employs approximately 3,800 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: http://www.mentor.com/.
Mentor Graphics, Precision and Leonardo are registered trademarks
of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are
the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.
Contact:
Mentor Graphics
Debra Layton, 720-494-1043
debra_layton@mentor.com
or
Suzanne Graham, 503-685-7789
suzanne_graham@mentor.com
