Tality Launches Licensable Integration Platform for Bluetooth System-on-Chip Design

SAN JOSE, Calif.----Oct. 23, 2000--Tality Corporation, a subsidiary of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CDN) -- announced today the availability of its Bluetooth system-on-chip (SOC) integration platform, which accelerates the design of Bluetooth baseband chips for fabrication in a wide range of silicon process technologies.

The platform integrates Tality's low power Bluetooth baseband controller core and protocol stack with its ARM SOC integration platform, to offer a customizable pre-designed Bluetooth baseband SOC solution. Both the integrated SOC platform and the individual intellectual property (IP) components are immediately available through custom design programs or can be licensed independently.

This comprehensive solution enables customers to accelerate the introduction of new Bluetooth-ready products and to rapidly enhance existing products with Bluetooth connectivity. The platform's modular architecture enables the fast integration of IP to add custom options to Tality's pre-designed baseband solution. For example, a USB, Ethernet or HPNA interface can be added to a Bluetooth design or Bluetooth connectivity can be added to an existing SOC design. The platform is both a vehicle and a structured methodology for IP selection, integration and verification, which increases project predictability and accelerates time to market. The platform also enables the fast adoption of new IP as it comes to market, allowing rapid product enhancement. Deliverables include full RTL source, test benches, verification scripts, code coverage scripts, synthesis scripts, example driver layer software, documentation and application notes.

``Tality has a wealth of experience developing Bluetooth IP and delivering custom solutions,'' said Brent Hudson, vice president and general manager of Tality's Wireless business unit. ``We have completed more than twenty-five Bluetooth system and chip design projects to date, over a dozen customers have licensed our baseband core, and a similar number has licensed our protocol stack. The Bluetooth SOC integration platform now enables us to offer customers an even higher level of integration.''

Added Ajay Shingal, vice president and general manager of Tality's Digital IC business unit, ``Tality's ARM SOC integration platform family, the basis for this solution, has a proven track record of success. We have used it to design ten ARM-based chips for production at multiple silicon foundries. Tality's proven route to production utilizing customer-owned tooling (COT) offers our customers an unprecedented degree of independence and flexibility.''

Tality Bluetooth Baseband Controller and Protocol Stack

The Bluetooth baseband controller implements all real-time Bluetooth protocol functions and is synthesizable to any target chip fabrication process. The core possesses a flexible interface that supports multiple radio frequency (RF) communications options. The core owes much of its low-power performance to an integrated sequencer that significantly reduces central processor unit (CPU) loading. The sequencer also allows fast software reconfigurability to keep pace with specification changes and interoperability challenges. Deliverables include full VHDL source, test benches, synthesis scripts, documentation and training.

The Bluetooth protocol stack's modular architecture ensures a high level of portability to a wide range of processors, real-time operating systems (RTOS), Bluetooth baseband chips, and host-controller interface (HCI) transports. The stack's comprehensive testability features support full regression testing, including in the target system. Deliverables include full ``C'' source code, SDL, test tools and scripts, documentation and training.

Tality's extensive Bluetooth intellectual property portfolio will continue to track and comply with the evolving Bluetooth specification, enabling customers to stay on the forefront of wireless connectivity.

About Tality

Tality Corporation, formerly the Electronic Design Services group of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CDN), was recently launched as a separate company. With more than 1000 engineers located in 14 design sites worldwide, Tality is the world's largest independent provider of engineering services and intellectual property for the design of complex electronic systems and integrated circuits. Tality is headquartered at 555 River Oaks Parkway, Building No. 3, San Jose, California, 95134.

Note to Editors: Tality is a trademark of Tality Corporation. Cadence is a registered trademark of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact:
     Tality Corporation
     Jim Douglas, 408/944-7955
     jimd@tality.com
      or
     Cohn & Wolfe
     Chris Demers, 415/477-4542
     chris_demers@cohnwolfe.com