Axis' Verification Tools Selected by Vweb to Speed the Development of New MPEG CODEC

Axis' Accelerated Simulation and Emulation System Shortens Development Time for New Semiconductor Designs Through Simultaneous Hardware and Software Testing

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2002-- Axis Systems Inc., makers of high-performance system-on-a-chip verification solutions, today announced that Vweb Corporation, a leader in MPEG video compression and broadband video networking technologies, has added Axis' Xtreme emulation system with PCI Xchange to its verification flow. Vweb will use the new system for in-circuit emulation (ICE).

By upgrading from Axis' Xcite acceleration system to an Xtreme emulation system with PCI Xchange, Vweb will be able to shorten time-to-market for its new MPEG-1, 2 & 4 A/V CODEC designs by simultaneously allowing both hardware and software engineers to debug new systems.

"With Xtreme and PCI Xchange, our software team can start implementing the software drivers and application code while our logic designers continue to run full-chip verification," noted Dr. Sho Long Chen, President and CEO of Vweb. "That's a big advantage since it cuts development time dramatically. In addition, allowing for software development concurrently with full-chip verification reduces the time-to-revenue. This is a win-win proposition for us."

Before purchasing Xtreme and PCI Xchange, Vweb would build a prototype board for software engineers to use to debug their software code. Now that they use Xtreme and PCI Xchange, both hardware and software developers can instead use a "target" board that gives them debugging capabilities they didn't previously have available with the prototype.

"Xtreme gives Vweb the flexibility to debug systems-on-a-chip in a controlled, familiar environment using waveforms to fix bugs at the register-transfer level," said Mike Tsai, Axis president and CEO. "And our PCI Xchange solution lets them perform design verification at real-time speeds. We designed this powerful combination of design tools with customers like Vweb in mind."

Xtreme is based on Axis' patented ReConfigurable Computing (RCC) technology that enables software simulation, accelerated simulation, in-circuit emulation and hardware/software co-verification on a single platform and one design database.

PCI Xchange is a pre-packaged emulation board that provides a direct interface between PCI target boards and a design running on Xtreme. The advantage to engineers is they can run full-speed tests using the target PCI bus, since the target ASIC design has a real-time interface with the PCI target board. Without PCI Xchange, designers have to re-design the PCI target board to run at emulation speed to verify an ASIC design, or they would have to apply less accurate tests using a software bridging solution to simulate the PCI data cycles and slow down the data rates.

About Vweb

Founded in January 1998 by Dr. Sho Long Chen, Vweb is focused on being the leading provider of solutions for the most efficient distribution of digital video and audio, using MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 compression, over wired and wireless networks. The Vweb solution enables video distribution through network routers and switches, video servers, set-top boxes, personal video recorders, digital camcorders, security cameras and Internet video creators. Vweb Corporation is headquartered at 5300 Stevens Creek Boulevard; Suite 320, San Jose, CA 95129, E-Mail: info@vwebcorp.com and please visit our web site at www.vwebcorp.com for more information.

About Xtreme

Based on Axis' patented ReConfigurable Computing engine, Xtreme meets the needs of verifying today's complex system and system-on-a-chip designs in a compact server-sized machine. Xtreme supports the performance and capacity needed for full system verification, and is the only system that can be used for the entire verification flow. With Xtreme, designers can instantly "hotswap" between simulation, acceleration, and emulation, and have access to full debugging capabilities at every step. Xtreme directly accelerates and emulates RTL, allowing emulation to start at an earlier point in the design cycle.

About Axis Systems

Axis Systems, Inc. offers high-performance verification platforms for the hardware and software development of complex electronic system and system-on-a-chip designs. Axis' products help increase confidence in new designs, improve overall verification productivity and shorten time to market. On a single platform and with one design database, patented RCC technology provides software simulation, accelerated simulation, system emulation and hardware/software co-verification. Customers include the world's leading networking and multimedia companies. Axis is headquartered at 209 Java Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089. To learn more about Axis, visit www.axiscorp.com.

Contact:
     Axis Systems
     Yukari Chin, 408/588-2000 ext. 154
     yukari@axiscorp.com
        or
     Cayenne Communication
     Lois DuBois, 650/854-5485
     lois.dubois@cayennecom.com