Precision RTL Synthesis Tool from Mentor Graphics Delivers Excellent QoR for Designs Using Actel's ProASICPLUS Devices
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and WILSONVILLE, Ore., August 24, 2004 —
Actel Corporation (NASDAQ: ACTL) and Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ:
MENT) today announced that the latest version of Mentor Graphics® Precision® RTL
Synthesis tool delivers significantly higher performance on designs utilizing
Actel's flash-based, live at power-up ProASICPLUS family of
field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Customers using the Precision
RTL Synthesis tool can expect to achieve, on average, an 18 percent improvement
in clock frequency over previous versions of the software. With the Precision
RTL Synthesis tool, which is fully integrated into Actel's Libero 6.0
integrated design environment (IDE), designers can now specify higher
frequencies and realize even greater performance gains from their ProASICPLUS devices
within their existing design flows.
Detailed testing by Actel, encompassing several types of designs of
up to 30,000 logic tiles, demonstrated this significant improvement in
clock frequency. The results were achieved by deploying architecture-specific
algorithms that augment the accurate timing-driven synthesis and multiple
optimization techniques offered by Precision RTL Synthesis.
"Mentor Graphics is delighted to serve our mutual customers by
working closely with Actel to enhance our customers' experience when
utilizing Actel's high-performance FPGAs," said Simon Bloch, general
manager of the Design Creation and Synthesis Division at Mentor Graphics. "Many
of our customers value Actel's single-chip solutions. The high quality
of results and ease-of-use of our Precision RTL Synthesis tool perfectly
complement the unique features of the ProASICPLUS family,
resulting in highly optimized synthesis flows for these customers."
Dennis Kish, vice president of marketing at Actel, said, "Actel's
flash-based ProASICPLUS FPGAs offer the unique combination
of reprogrammability and nonvolatility in an ASIC-like architecture.
For customers who value the security and low power of our ProASICPLUS devices,
the 2004a Precision RTL Synthesis release from Mentor Graphics delivers
excellent synthesis results."
The Precision RTL Synthesis tool defines a new approach to complex FPGA
design. Built on a unified data model, it allows designers to cross-probe
between multiple views, giving users added control when analyzing a design.
The intuitive debug environment includes an incremental timing analysis
tool that allows companies to take control of next-generation FPGA implementation
and timing challenges, resulting in shorter design cycles and significantly
higher performance. Precision RTL Synthesis is fully integrated into
Actel's Libero 6.0 IDE.
About ProASICPLUS
The ProASICPLUS FPGA family consists of devices ranging from
75,000 to 1 million system gates. The combination of a fine-grained,
single-chip ASIC-like architecture and nonvolatile flash configuration
memory makes Actel's ProASICPLUS offering a strong ASIC alternative.
The devices are live at power-up, low power, highly secure, immune to
neutron-induced firm errors, and require no separate configuration memory,
all characteristics shared by ASICs. The ProASICPLUS architecture
and design methodology support popular FPGA and ASIC tool flows, reducing
time-to-market and permitting designers to migrate easily between FPGA
and ASIC 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 about $600 million and employs approximately 3,700 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.
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
