PLDApplications announces the immediate availability of a complete interoperable PCI Epress technology-based design solution

New offering eases PCI Express chip designers’ work by providing a turn-key answer for each step of the design flow

INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, San Francisco, CA – PCI Express Community Booth #673 - Feb. 17, 2004 - PLDApplications (PLDA – www.plda.com), a leading provider of PCI Express*, PCI-X and PCI  intellectual property (IP) cores for ASICs, structured-ASICs, and FPGAs, today announced the introduction of a complete interoperable PCI Express design solution. Besides a PCI Express IP Core purposely architected in modular blocks to optimize its performance according to the target technology it is used for (ASICs, structured-ASICs or FPGAs), the new PCI Express design solution from PLDA includes a complete set of tools to insure a smooth and quick design cycle. These include standard verification tools & processes, a prototyping board, software and drivers. Furthermore, complete interoperability with major PHY vendors, EDA tools vendors and foundries makes it a real turnkey solution for PCI Express-based chip designers.

“PCI Express technology has already started being designed into markets like enterprise computing systems, storage, embedded control, imaging, video streaming and communications systems. Our customers asked for a rapid and cost-effective way to meet their new PCI Express-based products opportunity window” said Arnaud Schleich, PLDA VP Sales & Marketing. “As PLDA has always wanted to ease adoption of this new technology, we have implemented certified partnerships with major PHY IP vendors, EDA tools providers and providers of standard verification processes to offer them the complete interoperable solution they require to start their design without delay.”

“PCI Express IP cores and development tools, such as those from PLDA, are important to a robust ecosystem in which the benefits of PCI Express can be readily adopted into a wide variety of solutions,” said  Tim Parker, technology initiatives manager from Intel. “It is precisely this wide ecosystem that enables the rapid convergence of computing and communications starting in 2004.”

PLDA PCI Express Solution Quick Overview

• A versatile PCI Express IP Core

PLDA PCI Express Core can be implemented as a Root Complex, Endpoint, Switch, or Bridge. Its packet based layered architecture is composed of three protocol layers: a Physical layer, a Data link layer and a Transaction layer. The Physical layer includes the widely used PIPE interface (between PHY MAC and PHY PCS/PMA) which facilitates integration with third-party PHY IP vendors.

• An advanced Verification Process

The complete solution is fully pre-tested and entirely verified thanks to standardized verification tools and processes from a third-party vendor (nSYS). This allows customers to quickly test the core’s functionality and helps ensure a smooth integration of the core into a target design. But the verification process goes even beyond the PCI-SIG compliance check list by including basic, error, directed, random and of course compliance tests.

• A quick-start PCI Express Prototyping Board

This PCI Express prototyping platform allows PCI Express designers to start building and operating their products. It permits to test endpoint as well as PCI Express to PCI-X/PCI bridge applications. Networking applications based on Gigabit Ethernet or Fiber channel can also be tested. This platform is based on a market-leading FPGA technology and supports x1, x4 and x8 lanes each of 2.5 Gbps. It features connections to interface with test chip daughter cards from main PHY IP vendors like Rambus and Snowbush.

• A professional Support

The PCI Express solution from PLDA is supported by a highly trained team of PCI Express experts with a strong problem-solving and customer satisfaction oriented mind.

Designers willing to learn more about PLDA PCI Express product offering are welcome to visit booth #673 at IDF Spring 2004, San Francisco, CA (Feb 17-19), or to email us at sales@plda.com.

About PLDApplications - www.plda.com

Formed in 1996 by seasoned semiconductor industry engineers and profitable since its inception, PLDApplications (PLDA) is a privately owned company focused on the development and sale of high-quality semiconductor intellectual property cores (SIP) for ASICs, structured-ASICs and FPGAs.

PLDA mission is to help designing faster and easier top-performance chips based on PCI busses and derivatives. Unlike other IP companies who spread their resources and efforts thinly over many technologies without really mastering any, PLDA concentrates on high-speed busses cores: PCI Express, PCI-X, PCI, AMBA.

PLDA is also a total solution vendor that include IP core license, fully interoperable with other main vendors, prototyping boards, standardised verification process, customization as well as full technical support provided directly from the IP expert designers.

Pioneering the PCI IP core market, PLDA was also among the first to introduce a real PCI-X 133MHz core and is today leading the migration to the new PCI Express architecture. These sharp focus and successes that met the needs of more than 400 customers on all continents have made PLDA the 2nd world's largest provider of PCI and derivatives busses IP cores (source Gartner-Dataquest 2003) and a proud member of the 2003 Deloitte European Technology Fast 500.