Improv Systems Unveils Acappella Platforms for Voice-Over-Packet Chip Development

Business Wire, Oct 9, 2000

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 9, 2000

Specialized high-performance, multi-processing approach first

in a series of `off-the-shelf' application platforms;

Philips Semiconductors first customer of Acappella(TM)

Improv Systems(TM), Inc., a provider of configurable multi-processing platforms for Voice-over-Packet (VoP), networking and emerging media chips, unveiled its Acappella(TM) family of hardware/software solutions for VoP applications at the Microprocessor Forum today. The announcement is the first in a series of specialized application platform families based on Improv's patented Programmable System Architecture (PSA(TM)) and its Jazz Processor(TM) architecture that target specific markets requiring high-performance, flexible solutions.

Acappella offers a complete package of capabilities for leading-edge broadband products that require high performance, high channel density packetized voice and echo cancellation processing. At the heart of the system is the PSA, a general purpose, programmable multiprocessor architecture. The PSA architecture takes an entirely new approach to "programming" a system onto a collection of hardware resources, and utilizes advanced compilation techniques for superior performance capabilities. The Improv PSA has been enhanced with the release of the Acappella solution and now offers a comprehensive approach to utilizing the configurable platform methodology specifically for VoP applications.

Acappella includes three complete platforms addressing the requirements of the three key voice processing points in the packet network:

-- The Acappella Home(TM) platform for home access devices supports 4 voice
channels running any of the codecs listed below along with G.168 echo
cancellation with a 16ms tail length,

-- Acappella IAD(TM) platform for integrated access devices offers 16 channels
of G.726 with 32ms of echo cancellation

-- Acappella Gateway(TM) platform is optimized for maximum channel density. It
provides 180 channels of G.726 or 150 channels of G.168 echo cancellation with
32ms tails. This performance enables the termination of a 672 channel DS-3 line
with 10 chips; less than half the number of general purpose DSP chips required.

The Improv solution includes a Voice Processing System (VPS), which is a configurable and scalable voice processing core that is based on the company's VLIW Jazz Processor. The VPS system includes custom processors designed specifically for accelerating voice and echo processing. The VPS is provided as "soft IP" (Verilog RTL) that can be mapped onto different process technologies. The cores have already been mapped into multiple, .18um cell-based technologies for implementation.

Acappella also includes a full suite of software implementing all the ITU-T voice codecs, G.168 echo cancellation, DTMF, call progress tones, silence suppression, comfort noise generation and voice activity detection. The ITU voice codecs currently supported are G.711, G.723.1, G.726, G.728, G.729, and G.729 Annexes A, B, and E.

The VPS core is supported by a comprehensive integration kit that includes all the necessary hardware and software design interfaces and models for implementing the platforms as standalone chips or as cores in integrated system-on-chips. The VPS also includes a variety of interface blocks for connecting to necessary bus and interface devices.

Acappella Platforms are designed by configuring Improv's Jazz PSA(TM) Platforms with custom Jazz Processors, integration blocks, multiprocessor structures and application software. The platforms are constructed using Improv's innovative Jazz PSA Composer(TM) tool that allows graphical configuration of custom VLIW processors, multiple processors and embedded memories. All the Acappella software is written in Improv's Notation(TM) Environment using a structured form of Java and no assembly programming is required.

"With Acappella we have taken what we have learned and been successful with in terms of general capabilities of configurable platforms, and added critical application specificity for specialized markets, in this case VoP and broadband applications," said Cary Ussery, president and CEO of Improv. "Because of the need for more flexible, configurable and scalable processing solutions that can be assembled quickly and easily, we believe this development approach represents the next-generation of chip architectures for high-performance products."

Philips Semiconductors is the first Improv licensee to develop integrated chips based on Improv's Acappella Platform.

"We are firm believers in the configurable platform approach as a means to quickly and efficiently implement high-performance processor-based products. Improv has taken the next step with this model by providing a complete environment to tailor a configurable processor for very specific applications, and is enabling Philips Semiconductors to develop extremely competitive silicon solutions" said Bob Payne, Vice President /General Manager System ASIC Technology, Philips Semiconductors "We are pleased to be leading the way with this exciting new approach to chip design."