Lucent Computer-Aided Design Software Supports Field-Programmable System-On-a-Chip
Allentown, Pa.--May 4, 1999--Lucent Technologies' Microelectronics Group (Allentown) announced a new version of its computer-aided design software that enables communications systems manufacturers to create high-performance custom circuits on a hybrid standard-cell/field-programmable integrated circuit.
The design software, called Orca Foundry 9.35, supports Lucent's new field-programmable system chip (FPSC) technology as well as the company's current line of FPGA devices. FPSC technology is an approach to system-on-a-chip design that combines on a single IC both standard-cell and FPGA logic. Using this approach, circuit designers get standard-cell component density and higher performance for established portions of their design, and user-programmability to create features that distinguish their products from the competition's and help bring new systems to market faster.
The first device in Lucent's FPSC product family, the Orca 3TP12, has an embedded 32-/64-bit, 66-MHz PCI bus interface core from Lucent's standard-cell library (complete with FIFOs and DMA logic) and 30,000 to 60,000 gates of FPGA logic. It is suitable for use in network switches and routers, wireless base stations, and telecommunications systems that move data over an embedded high-speed industry-standard bus. The device is now available in production quantities at $39 per unit.
Upcoming FPSC offerings from Lucent will serve various high-bandwidth networking applications with ATM, Sonet/SDH, and T1/E1 interfaces. Standard-cell cores will initially be drawn from Lucent's library.
In addition to adding support for FPSCs, Orca Foundry 9.35 supports Lucent's new Orca Series 2 and 3 FPGAs in quarter-micron, 3.3-volt and 2.5-volt technology. The new software updates all tools for improved design performance and density, and provides an enhanced graphical user interface on both PCs and workstations.
Orca Foundry 9.35 is part of Lucent's Orca Foundry Development System, which comes in two base configurations: Vista, which supports up to 55,000 FPGA gates including the OR2T40B and OR3T55 devices, and Apex, which supports all Lucent FPGAs. Vista comes in a PC-only version and is available free from Lucent at: http://www.lucent.com/micro/fpga/download.html. Apex is available for PCs and Workstations at $995.
Lucent also offers the Orca Foundry Designer Series for complete front-to-back design solutions, bundling Orca Foundry software with synthesis and simulation software from other EDA suppliers. The OR3TP12 design kit, which also supports all Lucent FPGAs, is available for PCs and workstations at $1,995. It includes everything needed to create FPSC designs, including simulation and timing information for the embedded PCI core.
Lucent Technologies Microelectronics Group
Allentown, PA
www.lucent.com/micro
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