CoWare Delivers Powerful Solution Linking DSP Algorithm and SoC Architecture Design For Wireless and Multimedia Applications

New SPW Capabilities Bring Widespread Availability of Algorithmic Models to SystemC Design Flow

SAN JOSE, Calif.--January 20, 2004 -- CoWare, Inc., the leading supplier of system-level electronic design automation (EDA) software and services, announced the latest version of its Signal Processing Worksystem (SPW) with new integration to its SystemC-based ConvergenSC system-on-chip (SoC) design tools. The new capabilities provide the ability to easily integrate algorithmic design components into the SoC architecture, and develop and test algorithmic data-path and control functions together. With this integration, SPW's large and continuously growing set of libraries—including the recently announced UWB library—are now available to SystemC designers using ConvergenSC. By using the new CoWare solution, customers can speed the design process for applications such as mobile phones, home networking, and digital video devices.

"With the ever-increasing design complexity being introduced with emerging cellular and wireless LAN standards, we have a growing need to combine our advanced Layer 1 algorithms with the protocol standards in a cohesive design flow," said John Kaewell, senior vice president, advanced product development, InterDigital Communications Corporation. "Prior to the integration of SPW and ConvergenSC, industry methodologies for combining these functions were ad hoc. This integration enables us to combine baseband and control earlier in the design cycle."

The latest mobile phone designs are an example of the ever-increasing levels of interaction between algorithms and protocol software. As a result, the interaction of the control functions in the software with the algorithmic data-path components must be exhaustively tested. Previously, the inability to effectively evaluate an entire design containing data-path and control resulted in inconsistencies and schedule risk. Now, SPW can export the data-path components as SystemC models, for integration with the software and the full SoC architecture in ConvergenSC. This enables system optimization and software development long before implementation, and helps designers define and build designs that will work right the first time.

To make effective architecture and performance tradeoffs, it is beneficial to simulate the entire system at an abstracted level. However, the challenge has been the availability of such models for the entire SoC and system testbench. The integration of SPW and ConvergenSC brings thousands of SPW algorithm building blocks and reference design libraries to SystemC designers.

"Customers need complete and fully integrated system-level design solutions," said Johannes Stahl, the newly appointed director of marketing for CoWare's SPW product line. "Through this integration of ConvergenSC and SPW, we are delivering a combination of powerful technologies to accurately design real world operations of wireless and consumer chips. I recently joined CoWare to further strengthen CoWare's leadership in system-level design."

Pricing and Availability
SPW 4.8.3 and ConvergenSC are available now and run on Sun Solaris and Linux platforms. The new SPW to ConvergenSC link is included as part of ongoing SPW maintenance agreements. For pricing information, contact your local sales office or email sales@coware.com.

About CoWare
CoWare is the leading supplier of system-level electronic design automation (EDA) software tools and services. CoWare offers a comprehensive set of electronic system-level (ESL) tools that enable SoC developers to "differentiate by design" through the creation of system-IP including embedded processors, on-chip buses, and DSP algorithms; the architecture of optimized SoC platforms; and hardware/software co-design. The company's solutions are based on open industry standards including SystemC. CoWare's customers are major systems, semiconductor, and IP companies in the market where consumer electronics, computing, and communications converge. CoWare's corporate investors include ARM Ltd. [(LSE:ARM);(Nasdaq: ARMHY)], Cadence Design Systems (NYSE:CDN), STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM), and Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE). CoWare is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and has offices around the world. For more information about CoWare and its products and services, visit http://www.coware.com.