Actel Expands IP Offering with New High-Performance DDR Memory Controller Core
CoreDDR Controller, Optimized for Actel FPGAs, Provides Synchronous
Interface to Standard SDRAM Devices
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., November 15, 2004 —
Actel Corporation
(Nasdaq: ACTL) today announced a new intellectual property (IP) core
optimized for Actel field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) that provides
a high-performance, synchronous interface to double data rate (DDR) SDRAM
memories. The new Actel CoreDDR supports up to 1024 Mbytes of memory
with a fully pipelined architecture that enables extremely fast data
rates for consumer, communication, industrial and military applications.
In addition, the memory controller can be customized based on system
and memory-specific requirements, allowing the designer to maximize memory
bandwidth and overall system performance.
"CoreDDR can be configured at run-time, enabling designers to customize
the core for their application requirements, allowing them to use standard
DDR SDRAM memory devices to keep system costs down," said Yankin
Tanurhan, senior director of applications and IP solutions at Actel. "As
the latest member of Actel's DirectCore family of verified and fully
supported IP solutions, CoreDDR simplifies overall system design by allowing
the designer to focus on the system as a whole, rather than individual
IP components, resulting in faster time to market."
CoreDDR is part of the growing family of memory control solutions available
from Actel that also includes the CoreSDR controller for single data
rate SDRAM memories. The new CoreDDR controller, which is optimized for
Actel's antifuse-based Axcelerator and RTAX-S FPGAs, supports standard
SDRAM chips and dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) with up to 1024 Mbytes
of memory and up to eight chip selects. To simplify system design, the
controller performs all initialization and refresh functions for the
SDRAM memories.
The core accepts read and write commands using the simple local bus
interface and translates these requests to the command sequences required
by the SDRAM devices. The local bus interface also allows CoreDDR to
be easily connected and used with Actel's CorePCIX solution in PCI applications.
The core supports cascading of read and write requests, enabling up to
100 percent throughput, maximizing SDRAM bandwidth and overall system
performance. To further increase performance, the CoreDDR controller's
bank management logic monitors the status of up to four SDRAM banks to
minimize access delays.
Pricing and Availability
Netlist and RTL source versions of Actel's CoreDDR, with a comprehensive
test bench, are available now. The netlist version simplifies system
integration while the RTL version allows full user customization. Pricing
starts at $4,000. In addition, a free evaluation version is available
for download at Actel's Web site, www.actel.com/products/ip.
Actel DirectCore and CompanionCore Solutions
Actel offers its own system-level IP solutions, called DirectCores,
specifically designed and optimized for use with Actel devices. The company
also offers third-party IP blocks, called CompanionCores that have been
tested and verified in Actel FPGAs. Covering applications ranging from
embedded systems to consumer and communications, the offered cores include
bus interfaces, communication controllers and interfaces, processors
and peripherals, encryption and memory controllers, as well as multimedia
and error correction.
Actel DirectCore and CompanionCore products offer seamless implementation
through Actel's suite of internal and third-party EDA development tools
and quality documentation service and support, thereby streamlining the
design process and minimizing time to market, design costs and risks.
Customers may access and download free evaluation versions of cores from
Actel's broad IP portfolio through its Web-based IP evaluation program
at www.actel.com/products/ip.
About Actel
Actel Corporation is a supplier
of innovative programmable logic solutions, including field-programmable
gate arrays (FPGAs) based on antifuse and flash technologies, high-performance
intellectual property (IP) cores, software development tools and design
services, targeted for the high-speed communications, application-specific
integrated circuit (ASIC) replacement and radiation-tolerant markets.
Founded in 1985, Actel employs more than 500 people worldwide. The
Company is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol ACTL
and is headquartered at 2061 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA, 94043-4655.
Telephone: 888-99-ACTEL (992-2835). Internet:: http://www.actel.com.
Contact: Stephanie Mrus, Actel Corporation, 650.318.4614
