| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
XILINX MODULAR DESIGN TOOLS COMPLEMENT SYNPLICITY’S PHYSICAL SYNTHESIS Xilinx endorses Amplify Physical Optimizer in partnership with Synplicity PARIS, FRANCE, DATE 2000 CONFERENCE, March 28, 2000—Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ:XLNX) introduces the integration between Xilinx® modular design, a new tool that enables FPGA designers to effectively design at a modular level, and Synplicity’s AmplifyTM Physical OptimizerTM, the industry's first physical synthesis tool for FPGA design (see related press release). Using the tools together, designers can manage physical hierarchy and optimize across module boundaries at the register transfer level (RTL) with place-and-route information feedback. In addition, the designer can now manipulate within a module, as well as between modules, to optimize the performance of timing critical paths, resulting in up to 40 percent faster circuit performance. “With VirtexTM device densities approaching four million gates by the end of 2000, it is imperative to provide modular design solutions,” said Rich Sevcik, senior vice president of Xilinx software, cores, and support division. “Xilinx and Synplicity® have taken this one step further by combining physical synthesis and team design to yield significant performance improvements and the ability to identify and debug timing critical paths early in the design cycle.” With the Xilinx modular design tool, a design is divided into functional modules so that each module can be assigned to a team member. The combination of the Amplify Physical Optimizer and modular design tools allows full autonomy between team members to independently design, assign timing constraints, synthesize, and implement each module. Throughout the design cycle the modules can be placed in the design at any time, resulting in faster place and route run times and shorter time to timing closure for large designs. “Xilinx and Synplicity continue to enable digital designers to easily achieve the performance needed for emerging system designs,” said Andy Haines, vice president of marketing. “Achieving timing closure is a key step, and providing accurate timing information earlier in the design flow makes achieving that step easier and faster.” Using the modular design tool, the designer first creates a top-level floorplan that dedicates module areas, ports, and device pins to each functional module. Designers can then place-and-route modules, using area and port locations identified at the top level while maintaining module specific timing constraints. The ability to place-and-route each module independently guarantees performance for each module when integrated at the top level. The Xilinx Auto TimeSpecing feature, included in this offering, provides a means to more accurately predict timing and identify critical paths early in the design cycle. By annotating this timing information into Amplify, designers may identify and debug timing critical paths to achieve timing closure more quickly. Knowledge of physical information plays a critical role in the ability to accurately map and optimize to larger FPGAs. Amplify works in conjunction with the Xilinx Floorplanner tool at a high level to create RTL placement constraints within a module. To fine tune constraints provided by Amplify, designers can also use the Xilinx Floorplanner to perform detailed placement at the gate level. Pricing and Availability The Xilinx Modular design tool will be available in the next release of the Alliance SeriesTM and Foundation SeriesTM software, due second quarter 2000. Pricing for this next generation software starts at $1495 and is compatible with the popular PC and workstation platforms and operating systems such as Windows95/98 and Windows NT; Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Windows; Solaris and HP-UX. About Xilinx Xilinx is the leading innovator of complete programmable logic solutions, including advanced integrated circuits, software design tools, predefined system functions delivered as cores, and unparalleled field engineering support. Founded in 1984 and headquartered in San Jose, California, Xilinx invented the field programmable gate array (FPGA) and fulfills more than half of the world demand for these devices today. Xilinx solutions enable customers to reduce significantly the time required to develop products for the computer, peripheral, telecommunications, networking, industrial control, instrumentation, high-reliability/military, and consumer markets. For more information, visit the Xilinx web site at www.xilinx.com. —30— #0032 Synplicity is a registered trademark of Synplicity, Inc.
Amplify and Physical Optimizer are trademarks of Synplicity, Inc.
|