These cores will integrate seamlessly into DesignWare’s AMBA-based on-chip bus IP solution to provide complete plug-and-play microprocessor sub-systems. More than 25,000 design engineers who use the DesignWare IP library will now be able to evaluate and design easily at their desktop using these high-performance, high-value IP cores, thus fostering innovation and accelerating time to market in next-generation designs.

Synopsys is pleased to partner with these leading Star IP providers to bring world-class microprocessor IP to the designers’ desktop, said John Chilton, senior vice president and general manager of the Synopsys IP & Systems Group. This Star IP program coupled with our worldwide distribution, global presence and dedicated support will contribute to the realization of Gartner’s prediction that by 2005, 80% of an SoC will consist of pre-designed IP blocks.

The top three design challenges hardware engineers face with microprocessors is finding IP that is easy to access, easy to evaluate and easy to implement, said Kevin Meyer, vice president of marketing at MIPS Technologies. We are pleased to collaborate with Synopsys to help solve these critical systems issues through offering the MIPS32 4KE processor core family in the DesignWare library. Now with its extensive range of pre-verified and reusable IP building blocks and microprocessor cores, DesignWare provides hardware engineers with a complete design environment targeted toward ‘right-first-time’ design.

Embedded applications continue to be driven by the need for cost-effective solutions with real-time performance. The C166S 16-bit microcontroller has already established itself as a leading architecture, based on its balance of performance and system implementation cost, according to Dr. Reinhard Ploss, senior vice president and general manager of Infineon Technologies Automotive & Industrial Business Unit. Availability of a technology-independent implementation of the C166S through DesignWare allows our customers the benefits of making price performance tradeoffs to maintain a competitive edge in providing embedded solutions.

We are pleased that our high-value V850 CPU core will be included in DesignWare, said Shinichi Iwamoto, senior manager of the Microcomputer Division at NEC Corporation. We believe this strategic project with Synopsys will enable us to widely expand our microcomputer business and strengthen our foothold in the IP business to remain an SoC market leader.

SOURCE: COMPANY PRESS RELEASE