Ann Duft
Xilinx, Inc.
(408) 879-4726
ann.duft@xilinx.com

Leslie Marshall
Synopsys, Inc.
(415) 694-1614
marshall@synopsys.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Anaheim, Calif., June 9, 1997—Xilinx, Inc., (NASDAQ:XLNX), the leader in programmable logic solutions, and Synopsys, Inc.(NASDAQ:SNPS) the leader in high-level EDA design solutions, today announced an exclusive agreement to fully integrate Synopsys’ FPGA Express technology into Xilinx Foundation Series solutions. The partnership expands the synthesis technology capabilities of Foundation Series to address high-density programmable logic design. The new Foundation Series solution, Foundation Express, provides customers complete, ready-to-use software that spans the broadest range of IC densities in the industry, including the Xilinx XC4085XL device. Terms of the agreement give Xilinx a period of exclusive rights as the only silicon supplier to distribute Synopsys’ FPGA Express technology.

"Ready-to-use software combines easy-to-use tools with advanced technology to enable the design of highly-complex applications," said Gary Smith, senior EDA analyst for Dataquest. "The tools out-of-the box must be easy for customers to install, learn and start using. Comprehensive support services combined with advanced technology are also required for complex design applications. Xilinx's Foundation Series combined with Synopsys’ FPGA Express technology exemplifies ready-to-use solutions in the programmable logic market."

"Synopsys has made a significant investment in innovating synthesis technology for Xilinx programmable logic devices, and has delivered industry-leading results," said Rich Sevcik, Xilinx senior vice president of software. "Partnering with Synopsys to provide this technology for our broad customer base affirms our commitment to jointly develop more comprehensive high-level design solutions supporting 100,000-gate devices and beyond."

Xilinx introduced Foundation Series solution last year to provide easy-to-use, shrink-wrapped software that enables customers to quickly begin designing programmable logic devices. Foundation Series software uses simple push-button interfaces; provides comprehensive on-line help and tutorials; and produces consistent, high-quality results, making new programmable logic designers productive in a short time. Further, an emphasis on VHDL learning capabilities, combined with easy-to-use VHDL entry and push-button synthesis, facilitates the adoption of high-level design methodology. This combination has made Foundation Series solution the software of choice for thousands of design engineers.

"With the increasing complexity of programmable logic devices and design applications, software solutions must go beyond shrink-wrapped capabilities, providing the technology and customer support necessary for customer success," added Sevcik. "These new ready-to-use solutions must maintain the ease of use and learning capabilities of shrink-wrapped solutions while enabling high-density programmable logic design."

"Synopsys welcomes the opportunity to be a part of the successful Foundation Series software from Xilinx," said Sanjiv Kaul, vice president marketing at Synopsys. "We are excited that FPGA Express, unveiled a year ago, has won the endorsement of Xilinx, the leader in high-density programmable logic. As Xilinx delivers their ready-to-use solutions and more designers move to HDL design methodologies, having a synthesis tool that excels in quality of results while maintaining a simple design environment is critical."

This partnership is the result of an extensive, three-year joint research and development effort between Xilinx and Synopsys. The integration of FPGA Express technology and Foundation Series software delivers the industry’s first ready-to-use, front-to-back solution for high-density programmable logic design and provides all the necessities for high-level design. An interactive HDL editing environment with language templates and wizards provides feedback on the quality of HDL descriptions for synthesis. Advanced, architecture-specific synthesis and optimization capabilities are employed in a powerful, yet simple push-button interface that blends into the overall Foundation Series environment. An intuitive user interface applies simple or detailed timing constraints to direct the overall synthesis and implementation process. The end results are designs that meet the user’s utilization and performance requirements, with faster design creation and fewer design iterations.

Availability

A limited pre-release of Foundation Express software will be available by mid-summer on PC platforms running Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT. Foundation Express software will initially support Xilinx XC3000, XC4000, XC9500, and XC5000 CPLD and FPGA families. The full production release of Foundation Express software begins in October. Foundation Express software starts at $7,995 and upgrade paths for existing Foundation Series users will be provided.

About Synopsys

Synopsys, Inc. is a leading supplier of electronic design automation (EDA) solutions to the global electronics market. The company provides comprehensive design technologies to creators of advanced integrated circuits, electronic systems, and systems on a chip. Synopsys also provides consulting services and support to its customers to streamline the overall design process and accelerate time to market. Additional information about Synopsys is available at http://www.synopsys.com

About Xilinx

Founded in 1984, Xilinx is the world’s largest supplier of programmable logic solutions producing industry–leading device architectures and world class design software. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company pioneered the market for field programmable gate array (FPGA) semiconductor devices that provide high integration and quick time-to-market for electronic equipment manufacturers in the computer, peripheral, telecommunications, networking, industrial control, instrumentation, consumer electronics, and high-reliability/military markets. For more information on Xilinx, Inc., access the World Wide Web site at http://www.xilinx.com.

 Xilinx is a registered trademark of Xilinx, Inc. All XC–prefix product designations, Xilinx Foundation Series, Foundation Series, and XACTstep are all trademarks of Xilinx, Inc. Synopsys is a registered trademark of Synopsys, Inc. FPGA Express is a trademark of Synopsys, Inc. Other brands or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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