Virtual Silicon Technology Joins Simplex's IP Power Grid Library Program

SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplex Solutions, Inc. today announced that Virtual Silicon Technology, Inc. has joined Simplex's intellectual property (IP) power grid library program. As a participant in Simplex's groundbreaking program, Virtual Silicon becomes the first provider of standard-cell libraries to deliver its IP with pre-validated power grid libraries for use in verifying the power grid integrity of complex system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The libraries will be used with Simplex's leading power grid verification product, VoltageStorm(TM) SoC.

Through the IP power grid library program, SoC designers immediately benefit from the speed of the hierarchical verification approach introduced with the latest version of VoltageStorm SoC, while maintaining the transistor-level accuracy required for deep-submicron (DSM) power integrity analysis.

``Virtual Silicon uses Simplex's VoltageStorm SoC in the development of its IP. Our customers are benefiting from our use of this critical technology to verify the power grid integrity of our embedded IP components,'' said Taylor Scanlon, president and CEO of Virtual Silicon.

``Performing power grid IR drop analysis prior to tapeout greatly improves the chances of first-silicon success,'' said Ed Wan, vice president of worldwide field engineering at United Microelectronics Corp. USA (UMC, Sunnyvale, Calif.). ``We are pleased to see two of our supply-chain partners, Simplex and Virtual Silicon, collaborate to make this essential verification step easier for our customers to include in their design flow.''

Until the advent of DSM process technologies, IR (voltage) drop was considered a second- or third-order effect. Today's deep-submicron SoC designs, with their increasing chip size and number of integrated IP blocks and decreasing power supply voltages, are at increased risk for IR drop-related failures due to the unpredictable flow of power in and around embedded blocks.

VoltageStorm SoC combines transistor-level accuracy, provided by transistor-accurate characterization of the power grid within a cell or IP block, with gate-level speed and ease-of-use, provided by the tool's unique hierarchical analysis capability. By building, pre-validating and distributing power grid characterization libraries with its IP, Virtual Silicon enables its customers to immediately reap the speed and ease-of-use benefits of this hierarchical approach while maintaining transistor-level accuracy.

``By providing cell-level power grid libraries, Simplex's IP Partners Program supports all synthesizable IP with transistor-accurate characterization of the power grid,'' said Jan Willis, vice president of business development at Simplex. ``We're very pleased to have a leading SoC IP supplier such as Virtual Silicon join the program.''

Availability

Pre-validated power grid libraries are available by request to Virtual Silicon's customers for select standard-cell libraries. The VoltageStorm SoC product suite includes tools that enable SoC design teams using custom libraries and IP blocks to create their own power grid libraries.

About Virtual Silicon Technology

Virtual Silicon Technology (www.virtual-silicon.com) is a leading supplier of semiconductor intellectual property to manufacturers and designers of complex systems-on-chip (SoC). Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., the company provides process-specific embedded components including standard cell libraries, I/Os, SRAM & ROM compilers, mixed-signal functions, PLL compilers and embedded Flash/EEPROM solutions. Customers include leading fabless semiconductor companies, integrated semiconductor manufacturers, foundries, and SoC developers who demand leading-edge technology, the highest quality, maximum performance, lowest power and optimum densities for their semiconductor innovations.

About Simplex Solutions, Inc.

Simplex Solutions, Inc. provides software and services for the design and verification of integrated circuits to enable its communications, computer and consumer-products customers to achieve first-time production success and rapid delivery of complex systems-on-chip. Simplex's customers use its products and services prior to manufacture to design and verify the integrated circuits to help ensure that the integrated circuits will perform as intended, taking into account the complex effects of deep-submicron semiconductor physics. Simplex can be reached at 408-617-6100 or on the web at www.simplex.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements (including, without limitation, information regarding the viability of Simplex's intellectual property power grid library program, the ability of Simplex's power grid verification to improve the chances of first-silicon success, the ability of the program to support all synthesizable IP, the efficiency and accuracy of power grid verification obtainable through the use of pre-validated power grid libraries provided through the program, the timing of availability of pre-validated power grid libraries and the ability of SoC design teams using custom libraries and IP blocks to create their own power grid libraries) that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the results of Simplex to differ materially from management's current expectations.

Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors including, among others: future strategic decisions made by Simplex, Virtual Silicon and other program members; competitive developments; demand for advanced semiconductor chips and the verification software that supports their production; the availability of pre-validated power grid libraries through the program, Virtual Silicon's continued involvement in the program, the ability of power grid libraries provided through the program to integrate with third party custom IP; and the rapid pace of technological change in the semiconductor industry. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties described in Simplex's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Simplex assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this release.

NOTE: Simplex Solutions, the Simplex logo and VoltageStorm are trademarks of Simplex Solutions. All other trademarks mentioned here are the property of their respective owners.