Virage and NurLogic Join Simplex's IP Power Grid Library Program

Leading IP Providers Build Momentum for Pre-verified Power Grid Libraries
 

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Simplex Solutions, Inc. , a leading provider of software and services for the design and verification of integrated circuits (ICs), today announced that NurLogic Design, Inc. (San Diego, Calif.) and Virage Logic  have joined Simplex's intellectual property (IP) power grid library program, building momentum for the inclusion of pre-verified power grid libraries with leading IP libraries and components. As participants in Simplex's industry-leading program, NurLogic, a developer of high bandwidth connectivity IP solutions, and Virage Logic, a leader in embedded memory solutions, will deliver their IP with pre-validated power grid libraries for use in verifying the power grid integrity of complex system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The libraries will be used with Simplex's leading power grid verification product, VoltageStorm(TM) SoC.

The Simplex IP Partners Program is focused on building, pre-validating and distributing transistor-accurate power grid models for leading IP libraries and components, to be used in power grid verification with VoltageStorm SoC. Through their participation in the Simplex program, NurLogic and Virage Logic enable their customers to immediately benefit from the speed of the VoltageStorm SoC's hierarchical verification approach, while maintaining the transistor-level accuracy required for deep-submicron (DSM) power integrity analysis.

"NurLogic's innovative and advanced approach to solving SoC challenges has made us a proven leader in IP development," said Lisa Lipscomb, vice president of marketing at Nurlogic. "By verifying the power grid integrity of our high-speed IP and providing power grid libraries with these leading IP solutions, we enable our customers to be more competitive and productive."

Vincent Ratford, vice president of marketing at Virage Logic, echoed that providing IP with pre-verified power grid libraries has significant value to customers. "Our leading embedded memory products are optimized for area, speed and power," stated Ratford. "By providing power grid libraries with our memories, our customers can not only have confidence in power grid integrity of our IP, but also use our products more efficiently and effectively in their communications, consumer and computer products."

Until the advent of DSM process technologies, IR (voltage) drop was considered a second- or third-order effect. Today's deep-submicron SoC designs, with their increasing chip size and number of integrated IP blocks and decreasing power supply voltages, are at increased risk for IR drop-related failures due to the unpredictable flow of power in and around embedded blocks.

The Simplex IP Partners Program was launched with charter members ARM Ltd. and Virtual Silicon Technologies, Inc. in June 2001 as the industry's first IP power grid library program. Commenting on the growth of the program, Jan Willis, vice president of business development at Simplex, said, "From standard cells to memories to cores, Simplex's IP Partners Program supports all IP with transistor-accurate characterization of the power grid. We're very pleased to see the momentum of the program building as leading IP suppliers such as NurLogic and Virage recognize and respond to this critical design need."

Availability

Pre-validated power grid libraries are available by request to NurLogic and VirageLogic customers for select IP products. The VoltageStorm SoC product suite includes tools that enable SoC design teams using custom libraries and IP blocks to create their own power grid libraries.

About the Simplex IP Partners Program

The Simplex IP Partners Program, launched in June 2001 as the industry's first IP power grid library program, provides users of Simplex's VoltageStorm SoC power grid verification product with pre-validated power grid libraries for a variety of system-on-chip components, including standard cells, I/Os, embedded processor cores and memories. The pre-validated power grid libraries available through the program provide SoC designers with direct access to VoltageStorm SoC's fast, hierarchical verification while maintaining the transistor-level accuracy required for deep-submicron power integrity analysis. Current members include ARM Ltd., NurLogic Design, Inc., Virage Logic and Virtual Silicon Technology, Inc.

About NurLogic Design, Inc.

NurLogic Design, Inc. provides high-bandwidth connectivity solutions to the networking and communications industries. NurLogic's products encompass customer-specific and industry-standard integrated circuits and semiconductor intellectual property to deliver value-add to its customers. NurLogic products are targeted at CMOS and silicon germanium technologies, and include high-speed connectivity IP, analog and mixed-signal IP, foundation IP, and PMD and PHY ICs. NurLogic is the recipient of the 2001 Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Award in a competition sponsored by the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) CONNECT program for its 48-channel optical interface chipset design. Based in San Diego, California, the company has regional sales offices in Massachusetts and Silicon Valley. NurLogic is a privately held corporation. Headquarters: 5580 Morehouse Drive, San Diego, Calif. 92121. Tel: 1-877-NURLOGIC. On the web at www.nurlogic.com.

About Virage Logic

Virage Logic is a technology and market leader in embedded memory. To meet customer design goals with the highest level of quality, Virage Logic products are production tested and optimized for area, power and speed. These products include embedded memory cores, which are critical components of communications, consumer and computer products, including switches, routers, modems, cellular phones, set-top boxes, HDTVs, DVD players and PCs. In addition, the company offers software tools and custom memory design services. The company's customers include fabless semiconductor companies targeting pure-play foundries and semiconductor companies. Founded in January 1996, the company has over 200 employees and is located at 46501 Landing Pkwy., Fremont, Calif., 94538. Telephone: 877-360-6690 (toll free) or 510-360-8000. Fax: 510-360-8099. For more information, please visit www.viragelogic.com.

About Simplex Solutions, Inc.

Simplex Solutions, Inc. provides software and services for the design and verification of integrated circuits to enable its communications, computer and consumer-products customers to achieve first-time production success and rapid delivery of complex systems-on-chip. Simplex's customers use its products and services prior to manufacture to design and verify the integrated circuits to help ensure that the integrated circuits will perform as intended, taking into account the complex effects of deep-submicron semiconductor physics. Simplex can be reached at 408-617-6100 or on the web at www.simplex.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements (including, without limitation, information regarding the benefits of Simplex's IP Partners Program, the ability of Simplex's IP Partners Program to support all IP, the timing of availability of pre-validated power grid libraries and the ability of SoC design teams using custom libraries and IP blocks to create their own power grid libraries) that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the results of Simplex to differ materially from management's current expectations.

Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors including, among others: future strategic decisions made by Simplex, NurLogic, Virage Logic and other program members; competitive developments; demand for advanced semiconductor chips and the verification software that supports their production; the availability of pre-validated power grid libraries through the program, members' continued involvement in the program, the ability of power grid libraries provided through the program to integrate with third party custom IP; and the rapid pace of technological change in the semiconductor industry. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties described in Simplex's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Simplex assumes no obligation to update the forward- looking information contained in this release.

NOTE: Simplex Solutions, the Simplex logo and VoltageStorm are trademarks of Simplex Solutions. All other trademarks mentioned here are the property of their respective owners.