Domain Technologies announces Synthesizable MRAM8051 Microcontroller Netlist Library for Actel FPGAs Including Royalty-Free License for use in Tekmos Merged ASICs

Plano, Texas , October 12, 2006 - Domain Technologies announces the availability of the industry's first, royalty-free, synthesizable MCS8051 code-compatible microcontroller netlist library and software development kit for use with Actel FPGAs that also includes a royalty-free license to implement resulting microcontroller designs in a Tekmos merged ASIC.  Implementing a customized 8051 microcontroller in an FPGA is still relatively expensive for volumes of 10,000 to 100,000 pieces.  So one of the unique features of the kit is a royalty-free license to implement MRAM8051 designs in a Tekmos merged ASIC, enabling customers to realize substantial cost savings in low to medium production runs compared to FPGAs. 

With Tekmos' merged ASIC program, multiple designs are merged onto a single die, thereby spreading the NRE and manufacturing costs between them.  In many cases, especially where the combined volumes exceed 10,000 pieces and where a device uses Tekmos standard packaging, the NRE charges may actually be waived, resulting in minimum quantity unit costs as low as $6.00, packaged and tested, and with delivery times as short as eight weeks.

Priced at under $5,000.00, the netlist library is directly compatible with Actel's Libero Platinum and Libero Gold FPGA integrated development environment software, and includes Domain Technologies BoxView Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and real-time debugging software, USB-powered MRAM8051 OLED development card with Freescale 512 kbyte Magneto-Resistive Random Access Memory (MRAM), color OLED graphic display driver C source code, and a bit mapped image transfer GUI that allows developers to easily transfer images directly into the MRAM8051 external data memory via the development card's USB-JTAG interface.

Directly compatible with device programming STAPL files generated by Actel Libero development environment, Domain Technologies BoxView debugger includes an integral STAPL player for programming the MRAM8051 OLED development card's  ProASIC3 A3P250 FPGA using the development card's USB-JTAG interface.  Using the same interface, BoxView enables downloading and real-time debugging of application programs created using either the Keil C51 C compiler or Small Device C Compiler (SDCC).  For debugging MRAM8051 designs implemented in Actel FPGAs or Tekmos ASICs situated in other target hardware, BoxView supports the Actel FlashPro3 programming pod as well as Domain Technologies' own family of JTAG emulators.

MRAM8051 Netlist Library

Developed by Silicon Laude, the MRAM8051 synthesizable Verilog netlist library includes the SL8051 CPU core, standard MCS51 style serial port, parallel ports, counter/timers 0/1, interrupt prioritizer/controller, extended memory management unit,  example Verilog test fixture, and Verilog RTL source code for the top level and user-modifiable SFR block incorporated in the MRAM8051 OLED reference design.  Based on Silicon Laude's proprietary, single-clock, hardware monitor and data exchange architecture, the core can be monitored and debugged in real-time via a JTAG interface, without the use of software monitor routines.  To support development of designs for use in Actel ProASIC3, Axcelerator, and RTAX radiation tolerant (space-grade) devices, three different versions of the netlist (one for each of the named Actel FPGA families) are provided with the kit.  The MRAM8051 gets its name from the unique ability to directly interface with Freescale's new 256 kword x 16-bit MRAM device.

Price and Availability

A single-user, MRAM8051 synthesizable microcontroller development kit for Actel FPGAs is priced at $4,995.00 and is shipped within two weeks from receipt of purchase order.  The kit includes a 30-day, money-back guarantee and a royalty-free, annually renewable, BoxView IDE license.  An evaluation SL8051 STAPL file and BoxView IDE for Actel's existing ProASIC3 evaluation board is available for free downloading from Domain Technologies' website at: www.domaintec.com.

About Domain Technologies

Based in Plano, Texas, Domain Technologies, Inc., specializes in real-time software development tools and custom application software development services for Freescale and Texas Instruments DSPs, VeriLogic ZSPs, and various other  microcontrollers.

About Silicon Laude

Based in Austin, Texas, Silicon Laude is primarily a service-oriented company specializing in low-to-medium volume and quick-turn production of customized microcontroller designs for select customers.  All of Silicon Laude's microcontroller designs are based on its patented Hardware Monitor and Data Exchange (HMDX) architecture that enables the core to be monitored and debugged in real-time using a JTAG interface.

About Tekmos

Also based in Austin, Texas, Tekmos, Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company that specializes in both FPGA and obsoleted parts replacement utilizing its proprietary .35 micron gate array family.  Since its inception in 1997, the company has converted and/or replaced well over 1,000 designs.  A proprietary .18 micron gate array family is currently in development.