SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 29, 1998--Santa Clara,
Calif., startup, Clear Logic, Inc. today introduced a new member of
its CL8000 family of laser-configured ASICs (LASIC(TM)s), the 6,000
gate CL8636.
Any Altera(R) (NASDAQ:ALTR) EPF8636 design can be converted to a
CL8636 LASIC in two weeks or less, including prototyping. Production
quantities of the converted Altera designs are available within four
weeks.
Unlike conventional ASICs, the CL8636 architecture supports the
same high level logic that is available on FLEX EPF8636 FPGAs,
including a four-input look-up-table with a register. The
architectural similarity between the two devices allows EPF8636
designs to be converted directly from the bitstream with absolutely no
customer-side engineering. There is no need to revert to, or create,
an original VHDL design, no re-synthesis or re-simulation, and no
place and route iteration. Clear Logic automatically converts each
customer bitstream to laser configuration instructions at the factory,
in about an hour. In addition, Clear Logic generates test vectors with
100% fault coverage.
Since the CL8636 LASIC conversion is generated directly from the
customer's EPF8636 bitstream it is guaranteed to have identical
functionality, pin-out and internal timing relationships as the source
Altera device.
Clear Logic's laser configuration process, called ClearShot(TM),
is the last step in the wafer manufacturing process. This process
allows prototypes to be delivered in under two weeks and production
orders in less than four weeks. There are no masks or associated NRE
charges. Laser configuration also allows Clear Logic to offer
cancellation terms as late as thirty days prior to scheduled delivery
-- terms comparable to those of standard products.
Clear Logic's CL8636 LASICs cost 20% to 50% less than their
Altera counterparts and consume 33% less power.
Al Huggins, Clear Logic's president and CEO, compared the CL8636
to conventional ASICs. "While conventional ASICs require as many as
four customization masks on the wafer," Huggins explained, "the
ClearFire(TM) laser configuration process is the last stage in the wafer
manufacturing process, so the only step required to personalize the
die is cutting the fuses. As soon as those fuses are removed, the
prototype is ready. This eliminates as many as five weeks from the
ASIC conversion process.
"The other time saving feature of our approach is that the chip
architecture eliminates any customer-side engineering effort at all.
The customers simply give us their bitstreams and in about an hour we
have the configuration instructions for the laser. That's it."
"In contrast, the traditional gate array requires the designer to
go back to the VHDL description or schematic. This design must be
re-synthesized, re-simulated, and then placed and routed. This process
can take weeks. Then, add another five weeks to get the prototype.
What's worse," Huggins noted, "is that the electrical and timing
characteristics of the FPGA cannot be represented in the schematic or
VHDL description. This is why so many ASICs have timing problems.
"We've solved all these problems. Since the CL8636 architecture
conforms to that of the EPF8636, it can accept an unmodified FLEX
EPF8636 bitstream and will maintain the electrical and timing
characteristics of the original Altera design."
Smaller Die Size, Lower Power -- The CL8636's innovative
laser-configured LASIC architecture offers substantial cost and power
advantages over FLEX EPF8636 FPGAs. FPGAs achieve their
field-programmability from the use of six transistors in each
configuration element. These transistors and associated routing
elements take up as much as 50% of the EPF8636 die. Since they draw
substantial power, they contribute to the high power consumption for
which FPGAs are notorious.
Clear Logic replaces all six transistors in the FPGA
configuration elements with a single laser fuse that draws no power.
The elimination of the transistors substantially reduces the die size
of the CL8636, compared to Altera's EPF 8636, allowing Clear Logic to
offer cost savings of 20% to 50%.
The use of laser fuses also reduces power consumption by 1/3.
Many FLEX 8000 designs that violate Altera's EPF8636 maximum power
constraint can be implemented in the CL8636 because of its lower power
consumption.
Emulates Altera Configuration -- Since Altera FPGAs are
SRAM-based, they require configuration data to be loaded from
non-volatile memory when they are powered-up. In order to offer
plug-in compatibility, the Clear Logic CL8636 LASIC device directly
supports all six Altera configuration modes. Thus, CL8636 can work in
the same socket, in the same board as EPF8636. All the LASIC devices
in a configuration chain are guaranteed to respond in the same
fashion, in the same order, as do the FPGAs of the original design.
Can Be Used To Eliminate Configuration Memory -- The CL8636 LASIC
device can also operate in "Instant-On" mode, without a configuration
memory, allowing designers to further reduce system costs. Since the
configuration is embedded in non-volatile fuses, "Instant-On"
operation will be identical to that of the original design. Using
non-volatile laser configuration instead of SRAM-based configuration
bits also protects LASIC devices from power glitches.
Packaging, Pricing and Availability -- The six-thousand gate
CL8636 is available now in 84-pin PLCC, 160-pin PQFP and 208-pin PQFP
packages. The 208-pin PQFP CL8636AQC208-3 is priced at $22.75 for 500
units. Clear Logic will add additional LASICs for the conversion of
FLEX 8000 devices during 1998, as well as new architectures that
support designs from other Altera device families.
Clear Logic, Inc. was founded in 1996 to offer a no-NRE, quick
turn-around cost reduction path for designs that have been implemented
using FPGAs. The company employs a proprietary process that converts
the FPGA design to an ASIC. Clear Logic has none of the NRE charges or
test vector development that are typically associated with ASICs.
Clear Logic devices are guaranteed to function identically to their
programmable counterparts with no timing problems. Clear Logic is
privately held. Integrated Device Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDTI) is a
major investor. |
