FPGA Synthesis Tools Add Muscle

Expanding the company's family of FPGA synthesis tools, Synplify Premier software provides an integrated environment that includes Synplify Pro FPGA synthesis software, a push-button physical synthesis flow employing a proprietary graph-based physical synthesis technology, and RTL debugging. The graph-based physical synthesis technology employs an automated, single-pass design flow that promises reliable timing performance, improved timing correlation, and reduced design cycle time and iterations. Users are able to close on aggressive timing requirements faster while achieving a performance improvement up to 20% compared to logic synthesis alone. Currently, the tool supports Xilinx Virtex-4, Virtex-2 Pro and Spartan-3 FPGA devices. The integrated debugging software allows users to annotate signals and conditions they want to monitor directly in the RTL code and run synthesis and place and route to implement the FPGA device. Nodes used as breakpoints and watch points are displayed for menu-driven instrumentation. Once FPGA programming is complete, the RTL debugger provides a view of actual signal values from a running FPGA directly in the RTL code. Debugging can be performed in system and at the target operating speed. Pricing starts at $29,000. SYNPLICITY INC., Sunnyvale, CA. (408) 215-6000.