Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: Mentor Graphics UK | Subject: Precision RTL Synthesis and Leonardo Spectrum
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 26 January 2005
Design environment supports new
structured ASICs
Mentor Graphics' suite of advanced synthesis products supports Altera's newly introduced HardCopy II structured ASIC family.
Mentor Graphics' suite of advanced synthesis products supports Altera's newly introduced HardCopy II structured ASIC family Users of the Precision RTL Synthesis and LeonardoSpectrum tools from Mentor Graphics can now enjoy quick and direct access to the unique cost, power and performance benefits of the HardCopy II structured ASIC device family
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 21 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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"We have worked very closely with Mentor Graphics over the past year to establish a seamless flow for our HardCopy devices, so it was a clear-cut extension for us to develop a robust and automatic HardCopy II flow", said Alain Bismuth, Vice President, HardCopy Product Group at Altera.
"We feel that the combination of Altera's structured ASIC devices and Mentor Graphics synthesis products will enable our mutual customers to consistently and predictably maximise their competitive advantage with minimal effort on their part".
"The introduction of HardCopy II structured ASICs further empowers those customers designing high-volume Stratix II devices using our Precision Synthesis and LeonardoSpectrum products to cost competitively meet development goals, with none of the usual risks associated with migrating to a structured ASIC", said Simon Bloch, General Manager, Design Creation and Synthesis Division, Mentor Graphics.
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"This is a powerful combination, which truly delivers on the promise of structured ASICs".
From a designer's standpoint, the HardCopy II structured ASIC flow is similar to a Stratix II FPGA flow.
The reduced power and die size - which translate into lowered costs and high performance - are made possible through an innovative logic structure whereby Altera can map each and every unique Stratix II adaptive logic module (ALM) configuration into a corresponding optimised macro (set of basic building blocks called HCells).
The process of migrating from a Stratix II device to a corresponding HardCopy II device is completely automatic and seamless to users, so engineering teams are not forced to perform additional tasks before their structured ASIC implementation, other than ensuring that their final FPGA design works as functionally intended.
To increase performance and further extend the advantages of migrating to a structured ASIC implementation, engineering teams may use the Mentor Graphics integrated design environment, spanning design creation and advanced synthesis (via either the Precision RTL Synthesis or LeonardoSpectrum products), through RTL simulation and verification.
After the design is complete, Altera's Quartus II version 4.2 can be called to perform physical implementation from within the integrated Mentor Graphics design environment.
The Precision RTL Synthesis tool is optimised to quickly and easily deliver superior quality of results.
In addition, it provides a breadth of advanced design creation and analysis capabilities, such as intuitive design project management and a full-featured incremental timing analysis tool that enables companies to take control of next-generation FPGA implementation and timing challenges, resulting in shorter design cycles and significantly higher performance.
The LeonardoSpectrum tool from Mentor Graphics is the mature, industry-proven synthesis product for both FPGA and ASIC design.
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