Mentor Graphics announces a tool for designing embedded memory into chips. This tool is specifically designed to support chips being made at TSMC's fab, which is the Taiwanese fab used by CUBE!
Mentor Graphics Launches Industry's First Megabit Memory Products
for System-Level Chip Design
Announces Megabit Memory Generators, TSMC 0.25-Micron Memories, Memory Model
Builder Tool
WILSONVILLE, Ore., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Mentor Graphics Corporation's
(Nasdaq: MENT) Inventra(TM) division today introduced the industry's first
products enabling rapid development of large embedded memories for
next-generation system-level silicon designs. The new solution automates the
design of the high-capacity, high-performance embedded memories so critical to
meeting the growing demand for multiple application-specific memories. Such
memories can comprise up to 80 percent of an ASIC or IC.
The three new products include the first megabit memory generators for
those foundry engineers designing large embedded memories; and the first TSMC
0.25-micron memory generators. The company also launched Memory Model
Builder(TM), the first software tool for automated development and
verification of memory models.
"Since designs today are typically 50 percent memory, engineers need rapid
access to highly optimized memories -- optimized not just for process
technology but for size and configuration," said Tom Griffin, director of
Physical Libraries and the CoreAlliance Strategic Business Unit for Mentor
Graphics' Inventra division. "With the introduction of these new products,
Mentor Graphics is the clear leader in embedded memory design and access."
The unique combination of megabit generators and Inventra's existing
Memory Builder tool, along with its new Memory Model Builder, will allow
customers to automatically and rapidly generate the application-specific views
required for a chip design offering user control over memory depth and layout
geometry. Inventra's memory development tool flow provides views from the
system model through completely characterized layout.
Inventra Megabit Memory Generators
Large embedded memories are essential for most computer, multimedia and
networking products. Typically, these larger memories are assembled from
smaller blocks, which can result in both poor performance and unwanted area.
Inventra's megabit memory generator eliminates the need to stitch together
smaller blocks, while producing designs that are comparable to manually
crafted designs in performance and area.
Inventra megabit memory generators enable both pure-play foundries and
custom fabrication facilities to develop single-port and dual-port random
access memories (RAM) in synchronous and asynchronous versions, as well as
diffusion and metal read-only memories (ROM). These compilers can create up
to 4MB memories while the available ROM compilers can create up to 16MB
configurations. The generators are based on Mentor Graphics' advanced Memory
Builder product. They are available immediately, with licenses starting at
$150,000.
Inventra TSMC 0.25-Micron Memory Compilers
Continuing its move into the pure-play library business, Inventra has
licensed single-port, dual-port and ROM compilers for TSMC's 0.25um process.
These generators will be available for delivery by the end of the fourth
quarter. Inventra will also supply a complete library of standard cells,
additional memories and I/Os starting in the first quarter of '98. Licenses
start at $85,000.
Inventra Memory Model Builder
Memory Model Builder, the newest of Inventra's Builder series products,
provides a productized flow for the creation and verification of
industry-standard models and views. These include Verilog, VHDL and Synopsys
non-linear timing models plus test benches, test vectors and SDF templates.
Memory Model Builder also provides full non-linear timing, area and power
estimation, a critical capability in allowing designers to perform very fast
"what-if" analyses. Additionally, Memory Model Builder creates HTML-based
data sheets for documentation purposes. It can also be easily placed on the
Web for intranet use. It is available immediately and comes packaged with
Mentor Graphics' Memory Builder. Ordered separately, it is priced at
$45,000 for a node-locked license.
About Inventra
The Inventra division of Mentor Graphics is the world's leading
independent provider of reusable intellectual property for the system-on-chip
industry. The extensive Inventra product line provides EDA tool-independent
physical libraries (memories, standard cell and datapaths) and CoreAlliance
products, including ATM, 10/100Mb/1Gb Ethernet, R3000, MPEG-2 and Analog
Devices ADSP21xx cores. Inventra's IP products lower the cost of implementing
design reuse, allowing designers more time to focus on unique, value-added
circuitry.
About Mentor Graphics
Mentor Graphics Corporation is a world leader in electronic hardware and
software design solutions, providing products and consulting services for the
world's largest electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981,
the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of $453 million and
employs approximately 2,550 people worldwide. Company headquarters are
located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World
Wide Web site: mentorg.com.
SOURCE Mentor Graphics Corporation
/CONTACT: LeAnne Frank, Public Relations, of KVO Inc., 503-221-7403, or
leanne_frank@kvo.com, for Mentor Graphics; or Anna Leef, Marketing
Communications, of Mentor Graphics Corporation, 503-685-1942, or
anna_leef@mentorg.com/
/Web site: mentorg.com
(MENT) |
