Core is first to meet PCI Express specs

The DesignWare Endpoint Controller intellectual property (IP) core for PCI Express has become the first such IP to successfully pass compliance tests from the PCI-SIG.

The DesignWare Endpoint Controller intellectual property (IP) core for PCI Express has become the first such IP to successfully pass compliance tests from the PCI-SIG.

Designers using Synopsys' DesignWare core for PCI Express will have increased confidence that the IP will work seamlessly with any design based on the PCI Express standard.

The DesignWare Endpoint Controller core for PCI Express incorporates the transaction layer, data link layer and physical layer of the PCI Express protocol into a synthesisable core and is designed to work with physical layers (PHYs) that comply with the PIPE interface standard, including the recently announced PCI Express PHY from Synopsys.

By passing the compliance tests, the DesignWare core for PCI Express reduces development and integration risk, thereby improving time to market.

Synopsys' extensive use of state-of-the-art verification technology and methodology while designing the DesignWare core for PCI Express was a critical factor in passing all of the compliance tests quickly.

This approach included using the DesignWare verification IP (VIP) for PCI Express architecture to verify the endpoint controller core, and an FPGA hardware add-in card for compliance and interoperability testing.

The hardware add-in card is configured as a 10/100 Ethernet application for testing in PCI Express architecture-based systems and uses a daughter card to enable interoperability testing of the DesignWare core for PCI Express with PIPE compliant PHYs.

"As PCI Express technology is experiencing rapid adoption in the industry, compliance testing is critical to ensure interoperability of products based on the PCI Express architecture".

"The PCI-SIG has established a set of compliance tests, which products must pass to be included in the PCI-SIG integrators list", said Tony Pierce, PCI-SIG Chairman.

"PCI-SIG appreciates Synopsys' development of IP enabling designers to accelerate the development of innovative products based on the PCI Express standard which greatly helps member companies to shorten their development cycle".

"We are pleased to see that Synopsys is included in the first group of member companies whose PCI Express-based product has passed the compliance tests and is on the integrators list".

"Synopsys, as the leading provider of PCI IP, takes an active role in promoting and supporting standards like PCI Express and the PIPE interface to achieve interoperability and ease of integration", said Guri Stark, Vice President of Marketing in the Solutions Group at Synopsys.

"Testing our DesignWare Core for PCI Express with the PCI Express protocol stack and other PCI Express systems increases confidence for SoC designers that they are using proven IP cores which will work seamlessly in their design".

"Our customers depend on our commitment to third-party interoperability and compliance testing to reduce their risk and enable them to deliver successful products".

Synopsys' complete, integrated core reduces design risk for PCI Express users, because the different protocol layers have been tested and proven to work together.

By using tested, integrated IP, designers can concentrate on the value-added portions of their SoC designs and reduce their end products' time to market.

Designers can further increase productivity and reduce integration risk by using both the digital endpoint controller and mixed-signal PCI Express PHY from Synopsys.

The DesignWare core's high-performance, pipelined architecture provides maximum sustainable throughput while achieving low latency and a low gate count.

The DesignWare core for PCI Express was designed by the same Synopsys engineers who designed the industry leading PCI and PCI-X cores, which are used in more than 400 production designs by more than 250 different companies.

The DesignWare Endpoint Controller core for PCI Express is available today.

The verification suite is available today in the DesignWare Library and the DesignWare Verification Library, as well as separately.

The DesignWare PCI Express PHY is available for early adopters today.

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