Xilinx' Million-Gate Programmable IC Drive

Electronic News, August 10, 1998

To that end, Xilinx last week introduced version 1.5 of its Alliance Series software and tool package that works with tools provided by third party companies to support its FPGAs. Version 1.5 includes support for Xilinx's Virtex series, the one that it claims will be able to deliver the market's first million-gate FPGA.

In addition, the FPGA vendor has rolled out its Foundation Series version 1.5 software that supports volume products from Xilinx such as the Spartan FPGA family and XC9500 family of complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). The Foundation Series 1.5 software is said to feature simplified push-button design flows and design implementation software and is able to scale across all Xilinx IC technologies and densities.

Xilinx said the Alliance Series 1.5 software expands the version 1.4 software by enabling 50 percent faster compile times and a 30 percent increase in average clock speed for PLDs. What Xilinx calls AKAspeed technology enables these faster speeds in the PLD devices. AKAspeed is a set of algorithms and algorithmic strategies that combine with features and applications to address high density, high performance designs.

The technology is designed to provide minimum timing delays, voltage and temperature prorating, graphical constraints editor and enhancements to existing software technology in the Alliance Series. The Alliance Series is also designed to provide an HDL design offering integrated into third party EDA environments. Version 1.5 is available now with prices starting at $95 on PCs and $750 on workstations.

Foundation Series version 1.5 is targeted at the high volume logic designers and design applications that Xilinx believes is an expanding market for PLDs. Xilinx said the push-button design flow and design implementation software allows a designer to have optimized results for typical FPGA and CPLD applications. The Foundation Series 1.5 software is planned for availability next month with starting prices at $95 for the basics.

Both software sets are designed for intellectual property core integration as well. Xilinx has set up the software so a user can actually develop their own IP cores for FPGAs as well as use the company's library of cores if needed. The software enables these basic elements and building blocks to be accessed on Xilinx's web site and then downloaded into their design.