Sonics Combines DRAM Scheduler with Synopsys Protocol Controller For Integrated High-Performance Memory Subsystem

MemMax DRAM System Ensures Maximum Bandwidth Utilization in High-End SoCs

MILPITAS, Calif. -- June 23, 2009 -- Sonics, Inc. ®, a premier supplier of intelligent on-chip communications solutions has announced the MemMax® DRAM System, a pre-configured, verified and silicon-proven IP block that can be integrated into a variety of SoCs quickly and easily. The IP block is a combination of Sonics’ advanced memory scheduler and Synopsys’ DesignWare® DDR Protocol Controller IP. This combination provides the IC designer with an IP block that is optimized for maximum DRAM access efficiency and scalability as designs move from DDR2 to DDR3. Based on Sonics’ proprietary scheduling technology, designers can experience up to 85 percent memory bandwidth utilization from the system through to the external DRAM memory.

The MemMax DRAM System helps solve the growing problem of achieving viable memory bandwidth in advanced SoCs. In video applications, for example, increasing frame rates, image post-processing and increasing screen resolutions are causing memory requirements to accelerate. MemMax DRAM System automatically configures and shapes memory traffic from competing processing units in the SoC ensuring all parts of the system are served effortlessly. In addition, there is a range of products offered that allows the designer to choose the optimal cost/performance memory configuration today and have confidence that the system will easily scale as the memory size and speed requirements increase.

“Synopsys offers its customers high-quality, pre-verified DDR controllers and physical interface (PHY) IP,” said Ed Bard, senior director of marketing, DesignWare Digital IP and Memory at Synopsys. “The Sonics MemMax DRAM system leverages the low-latency, low gate count DesignWare DDR Protocol Controllers and the broad family of DDR PHYs to offer designers a comprehensive solution for memory subsystems, from the system interconnect through to the DDR SDRAMs.”

“The efficiencies in the MemMax DRAM System make it easy to design SoCs because many features are already integrated and tested,” said Jack Browne, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Sonics. “This improves time-to-market because designers needn’t waste time tuning the memory. We were pleased to work with Synopsys to bring this product to the SoC design community.”

MemMax DRAM System Product Details

The Sonics MemMax DRAM System operates at frequencies up to 533MHz in 65-nanometer processes and works with Sonics’ complete line of on-chip networking products. The Synopsys configurable DesignWare DDR Protocol Controller IP operates up to 1600 Mbps and supports the latest DDR2 and DDR3 memory devices. Synopsys’ silicon-proven IP solution consists of a digital controller core, mixed-signal PHYs (PHY available directly from Synopsys) and verification IP for subsystem and system-level verification. Together, the Sonics and Synopsys products form the basis of a flexible, low-cost solution for today’s complex SoC integration efforts.
The MemMax DRAM System is available now from Sonics.
For more information please visit: http://www.sonicsinc.com/solutions_memory.htm

About Sonics

Sonics, Inc. is a pioneer of network-on chip (NoC) technology and today offers SoC designers the largest portfolio of intelligent, on-chip communications solutions. Sonics’ products optimize memory access, seamlessly manage on-chip network traffic, accelerate performance and reduce power consumption in SoCs with advanced voice, data and video features—including those found in home entertainment, networking, wireless and mobile devices. With a broad array of silicon-proven IP, Sonics helps designers eliminate memory bottlenecks associated with complex, high-speed SoC design, streamline and unify data flows and solve persistent network challenges in embedded systems with multiple cores. As the leading supplier of on-chip communications networks for the embedded market, Sonics has enabled its customers, including semiconductor leaders Broadcom Corporation, Samsung, Texas Instruments and Toshiba, to ship more than 500 million units worldwide. Founded in 1996, Sonics is headquartered in Milpitas, Calif. with offices worldwide. Visit www.sonicsinc.com.