Accelerated Technology Announces Enhanced Microtec Compiler Support for PowerPC Processor Family

MOBILE, Ala., September 29, 2004 - Accelerated Technology®, the Embedded Systems Division of Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT), today announced an enhanced version of the Microtec® C and C++ compiler suite for embedded developers using the PowerPC family of 32-bit microprocessors from Freescale Semiconductor. PowerPC processor developers now have a complete software solution available from one vendor to build their embedded applications from conception to deployment.

This release of the Microtec suite version 3.0 supports C, C99 and C++, which has been updated to the latest standards and includes a standard template library (STL), advanced templates and the industry-acclaimed STLport libraries. The suite includes C and C++ compilers, assembler and linker and supports over 130 variants of the PowerPC processor family. A new technology, Dynamic Variant Support or DVS, allows upgrades of the tools via e-mail to accommodate for future processor variants. This will allow any users of the PowerPC architecture to continue use of the Microtec compilation system through existing and future PowerPC processors with instant configuration.

The complexity of embedded applications requires particular features from a compiler. The Microtec toolkit provides far more in-depth embedded features than traditional tools from outside the embedded forum. These features include the ability to debug production code (the "shipping bits"), arbitrarily pack data structures and configure the run-time memory image, produce position-independent code and data, move data from ROM to RAM at boot time and write sophisticated conditional assembler code for maximum configurability.

Instead of being confined to low-level assembly code, the Microtec compiler gives PowerPC processor developers the freedom to write code in the C/C++ language for such commands as reading, writing and reserving machine registers, defining interrupt procedures, and fetching and setting any hardware value like flags and stack pointer.

The suite completes a full real-time operating system (RTOS) development suite from Accelerated Technology. This highly integrated package comprises the Microtec compilers, XRAY® high-level debugger, instruction set simulator and the Nucleus® RTOS. The tight communication between these components provides everything that embedded developers need to complete their PowerPC processor designs.

"Accelerated Technology's comprehensive software solution allows PowerPC processor developers to maximize the power and value offered by PowerPC products to meet customer's complex market requirements," said Bill Dunnigan, vice president at Freescale Semiconductor and general manager of Freescale's Computing Platform Division. "Freescale Semiconductor welcomes the continued support from Accelerated Technology's embedded software for our PowerPC processor product line."

"This toolkit is for PowerPC developers what Microtec 68k compilers have been for 15 years: the embedded industry standard. Mentor's all-out commitment to PowerPC processor products from Freescale Semiconductor ranges across the complete embedded toolset and into new areas such as the Nucleus BridgePoint® modeling tool and the Seamless® co-verification environment," said Robert Day, director of marketing, Embedded Systems Division, Mentor Graphics.

Pricing and Availability
Licenses for the Microtec compiler begin at U.S. $2,400. For more information, please contact Accelerated Technology at 800-468-6853 or info@acceleratedtechnology.com.

About Mentor Graphics
Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of about $675 million and employs approximately 3,800 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777; Silicon Valley headquarters are located at 1001 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, California 95131-2314. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.

Accelerated Technology, a Mentor Graphics division, is located in Mobile, Alabama with sales offices and distributors worldwide. By providing embedded systems developers with a focus on service, well-documented source code and industry-leading non-royalty-based Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) software including modeling software, prototyping tools, kernels, middleware and development tools. AT's suite of products shorten time-to-market and provide a complete solution for engineers. For more information, please visit www.acceleratedtechnology.com or e-mail us at info@acceleratedtechnology.com.

Mentor Graphics, Accelerated Technology, Nucleus, BridgePoint, Microtec, XRAY and Seamless are registered trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.

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