Partnerships for Complete Programmable Logic Solutions

Background Description AllianceCORE Criteria

Acquiring AllianceCORE Products AllianceCORE Partners Available Products

Background Xilinx was the first programmable logic company to embrace the concept of cores for FPGAs with the LogiCORETM PCI Interface. Today LogiCORE is the most successful core program in the programmable logic industry. Through it, Xilinx has gained considerable experience developing, selling and servicing cores. Now, the goal is to expand the availability of quality cores for Xilinx programmable logic by sharing what has been learned with leading third-party core developers through the Xilinx AllianceCORETM program. Description The AllianceCORE program is a cooperative effort between Xilinx and independent third-party core developers. It is designed to produce a broad selection of industry-standard solutions dedicated for use in Xilinx programmable logic. Xilinx takes an active role with its partners in the process of productizing AllianceCOREs. This is unique to the AllianceCORE program. Because the process is so involved, we work closely with our partners to select the right cores first which helps raise the quality and usability of the cores that are offered. AllianceCORE Criteria A core must meet a minimum set of criteria before it can receive the AllianceCORE label. Core Selection Xilinx looks at cores from a practical point of view. A programmable logic version of a core must have value over an ASIC or standard product version of the same function. It must be cost effective and make sense for use in a programmable device in a production system. If a candidate core does not pass these simple tests, then it does not make sense to invest the effort to convert it to an AllianceCORE product. Core Qualification Generic, synthesizable cores offer maximum flexibility for users with unique requirements. This is typically the format for cores provided to the ASIC market. With programmable logic, however, this flexibility can come at the expense of efficiency and performance. It can take considerable effort to get a core to synthesize in a way that meets density and timing requirements. Time spent trying to accomplish this quickly reduces the time-to-market advantage of using programmable logic and cores in the first place. As a result, Xilinx is does not promote generic, synthesizable cores as AllianceCORE products. Instead, they are generally provided as black-boxes that allow customization in critical areas. This guarantees that the implementation is optimized for density while still meeting performance, preserving the time-to-market value of programmable logic. Flexibility is provided by allowing you to quickly implement your unique logic on the same device. Source code versions of the cores are often available from the partners at additional cost for those who need ultimate flexibility. Announced AllianceCORE products have been implemented and verified in a Xilinx device. They are available immediately for purchase in a Xilinx netlist format such as .xnf or .ngd and are usable in either the Xilinx Alliance or Foundation series development software. When required, the cores also come with appropriate constraints files to guarantee functionality and critical timing. In all cases the partner is responsible for guaranteeing the operation of the function itself. AllianceCORE products originated from either schematic or HDL entry tools. Core Integration AllianceCORE products are not just cores. They are complete solutions for system designs. While cores by themselves have value, in many cases it is often not enough to just supply the core. You need tools such as system software and prototyping boards to help you rapidly integrate the core into your design, perform system debug in a real-world environment, and then quickly convert the prototype to a production unit. This is particularly true of complex functions. Many AllianceCORE functions are supported by Xilinx-based demonstration or prototyping boards. Some also have system simulation models or development software. This allows you to evaluate and work with the function before you have to layout your board. These tools are provided by the AllianceCORE partner, usually at additional cost. Descriptions of available support tools for each core are included in this data book. Complete solutions like these help preserve the value of using programmable logic while lowering the support burden for the core provider. Acquiring AllianceCORE Products AllianceCORE products are sold and serviced directly by the AllianceCORE partners since they are the experts for their particular products. They are responsible for pricing, licensing terms, delivery and technical support. Contact information for each partner is included in the AllianceCORE Partner Profiles section of this data book. If you want additional information about the AllianceCORE program or are interested in becoming a partner, contact Xilinx directly. below. For additional information about the AllianceCORE program, contact: Xilinx, Inc. 2100 Logic Drive San Jose, CA 95124 Attn: Mark Bowlby, AllianceCORE Product Manager Phone: 408-879-5381 Fax: 408-377-325 E-mail: alliancecore@xilinx.com AllianceCORE Partners Xilinx is proud to present our AllianceCORE partner companies. Each is an expert in its respective field and ready to assist you with products and services for your application. This section profiles each partner and their particular areas of expertise. This way, you can learn more about the partners since many of them may be new to you. Most partners supply products and services unrelated to the AllianceCORE program that may be of value to you. These are profiled in tables under the Areas of Technical Expertise section for each partner. It is from this pool of products and knowledge that future AllianceCORE products will emerge. Some partners have Xilinx versions of cores that have yet to go through the process to become AllianceCOREÍs. Other cores may never make this transition because a programmable logic implementation is not practical today. AllianceCORE products are clearly differentiated in separate AllianceCORE Product Tables. Each also has a complete datasheet that can be downloaded directly from the table. If you are interested in becoming an AllianceCORE Partner, then please send an email to AllianceCORE. CAST, Inc. CAST focuses on just one thing: maximizing your VHDL success through high-quality, high-value models for VHDL simulation and synthesis. Available cores include UARTs, DMA controllers, interrupt controllers, bus interfaces, microcontrollers, and processors. Comit Systems Comit Systems is a software and systems engineering company. They offer design services along with a set of efficiently implemented libraries for Xilinx devices. CoreEL MicroSystems Provides ATM and Sonet cores. DeDris Embedded Algorithms BV DeDris Embedded Algorithms is specialized in the mapping of complex application-specific signal processing algorithms onto dedicated custom hardware architectures. DeDris bridges the gap between algorithm design and development in high-level languages (such as C, Matlab or Pseudo-code) and custom high performance digital processing architectures. Our extensive intellectual property base, semi-automated architectural design flow and highly trained employees make complex DSP design cycles possible in weeks rather than years. Digital Objects Corporation Digital Objects' engineering expertise ranges from ASIC/FPGA design to Verilog simulation, synthesis, physical implementation, cell library development and VLSI characterization. Its software development capabilities include C, C++ for Windows 95 and embedded applications. Both hardware and software expertise allow Digital Objects to provide complete system solutions. Eureka Technology Inc. Eureka Technology provides synthesizable cores and simulation models of PowerPC bus controllers and PCI bus controllers designed specifically for FPGA and ASIC implementations. GV & Associates, Inc. GV & Associates, Inc. is a premiere independent design organization and electronic supplier focusing on both commercial and government markets. The company's design emphasis is on the use of Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) for integrating Digital Signal Processing (DSP), Error-Correction, and other Channel coding algorithms. Innovative Semiconductors, Inc. Innovative Semiconductors develops and manufactures synthesizable intellectual property cores, the building blocks for developing high-performance ICs and chip sets for the video and communications markets. Integrated Intellectual Property, Inc Integrated Intellectual Property, Inc. develops IP cores for industry standard I/O interfaces and interconnect specifications. The company's products are modular, synthesizable hardware description language code that can be customized to meet specific customer requirements. Verification technologies are provided to ensure that the integrated product containing the Integrated Intellectual Property, Inc. IP core works the first time. The cores are available in Xilinx supported formats. Integrated Silicon Systems, Ltd. ISS designs advanced DSP ASICs and DSP ASIC and FPGA cores, supplies HDL libraries of synthesisable DSP circuit functions, and provides comprehensive design services and support. Logic Innovations Logic Innovations' PCI Bus Products provide VHDL/Verilog source code for implementing fully PCI SIG 2.1 compliant PCI Master and Target 32 or 64-bit applications. A complete Test Bench and PCI Compliance Checklist is included. Memec Design Services Memec Design Services is dedicated to bringing you the best Xilinx design engineering services and FPGA library modules available in the market today. Mentor Graphics Inventra(tm), a Mentor Graphics business unit, offers an extensive list of synthesizable standard component, communications, multimedia, telecom, DSP, and computer connectivity cores. Current FPGA-specific cores include complete solutions for Universal Serial Bus. Mobile Media Research Inc. Mobile Media Research Inc., supplies FPGA-based macros, development tools and test systems that dramatically reduce time-to-market and increase productivity for card and host developers of PC-Card and CardBus systems. Additional FPGA cores are available through their SoftLogic(tm) product line. NMI Electronics NMI is an independent design services company dedicated to providing solutions to customer needs. NMIs expertise is now available in the form of Xilinx AllianceCORE products, which leverage NMIs proven system design skills. NMI offers product design services, ranging from modifying AllianceCORE offerings through to full core integration, system design and prototyping. Perigee, LLC Perigee offers IP cores, hardware, FPGA, software and embedded design services. Phoenix Technology/Virtual Chips Phoenix Technology/Virtual Chips supplies synthesizable cores and verification models for computer industry standards including PCI, USB, CardBus, PCMCIA, and ATM. Rice Electronics Rice Electronics develops advanced algorithms and design concepts for digital signal processing (DSP). The company's primary emphasis is on monolithic integration of high performance processors. SAND Microelectronics Sand provides productivity tools for FPGA and ASIC designers including Verilog/VHDL simulation models and synthesizable cores. SICAN Microelectronics SICAN GmbH, headquartered in Hannover, Germany, is a microelectronics design company specializing in communications, multimedia and networking applications. Its intellectual property is aggregated in cores called DesignObjects(TM), which are licensed to companies creating systems-on-silicon. SICANs technical staff and infrastructure allow it to quickly design customer-specific applications from these cores. T7L Technology, Inc. T7L Technology designs, develops, and licenses advanced, proprietary RISC CPU cores that have been specifically optimized for Xilinx FPGAs to semiconductor and electronic users. Technology Rendezvous Technology Rendezvous Inc. (TRI) is focused on the embedded system, bus interface and networking markets. TRI provides time and cost effective system solutions (hardware and software), design services and system level macros including synthesizable logic cores (softcores) and verification models to FPGA/ASIC designers. Our professional services division provides customized solutions in the design and development of software and hardware. VAutomation VAutomation provides synthesizable cores with a focus on microprocessor and embedded applications. Virtual IP Group, Inc. Virtual IP Group Inc. is a leading provider of Verilog HDL synthesizable industry-standard cores for FPGAs and ASICs. Available cores include microcontrollers, PC peripherals and interfaces, as well as datacom, networking and telecom modules.

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