Vivante and Cadence Unveil Mass Market GPU-Optimized DDR Memory Solution

Vivante and Cadence Enhance Graphics Performance on Consumer Devices Through Memory Design Collaboration

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 14, 2012 -- Vivante Corporation, a worldwide leader in graphics and visualization technologies for handheld and consumer devices, today announced that it has worked with Cadence  to qualify the Cadence double data rate (DDR) Memory controller on-chip intellectual property (IP) solution for use with Vivante's graphics processing unit (GPU) IP solution. Vivante's high-performance multi-core GPUs are capable of processing massive amounts of data in order to create the most advanced and realistic 3D visual effects on mobile, embedded and home entertainment devices. To render high quality images, the GPU requires access to external DDR DRAM through a highly optimized, low-latency DDR memory controller.

The collaboration between Cadence and Vivante has created a tightly coupled memory subsystem that maximizes the efficiency between the GPU, memory controller and external DDR memory. Vivante's memory-friendly architecture uses innovative design features like burst building, request merging, efficient data access, compression, prefetching, smart banking, prediction and much more. These pioneering features provide the optimal data flow and memory access patterns for graphics applications. The Cadence DDR controller works as the interface between the GPU and DDR memory, fine-tuned to perform data and traffic management. This co-optimized solution enables SoC designers to select a proven, performance-enhanced solution ready for mass market deployment.

"Graphics performance represents a cornerstone of modern mobile devices. By optimizing the memory subsystem interface to work with the graphics subsystem, we are able to deliver significant advantages in power and performance, which are key focus areas for Cadence," said Vishal Kapoor, vice president of product marketing, SoC Realization Group at Cadence. "Our collaboration with Vivante is enabling end customers to fully benefit from the advanced system-specific capabilities of Cadence's industry leading DDR solutions."

"Consumer markets that use our GPUs, such as smartphones, tablets and HDTVs, are already visually aware. These segments are upping the ante for better graphics, augmented reality, flashy images, and captivating game play based on our new GPU cores. Balancing performance and memory bottlenecks is a key enabler to achieving these new experience levels is. Our collaboration with Cadence was the key focus to innovate and build the ideal graphics memory system. As these technologies are built into our memory-friendly designs already, we have solutions that benefit from the bandwidth, power, size and cost equations SoC architects have to account for. We look forward to working with Cadence on upcoming memory standards and features," said Wei-Jin Dai, President and CEO of Vivante.

About Cadence

Cadence enables global electronic design innovation and plays an essential role in the creation of today's integrated circuits and electronics. Customers use Cadence software, hardware, IP, and services to design and verify advanced semiconductors, consumer electronics, networking and telecommunications equipment, and computer systems. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world to serve the global electronics industry. More information about the company, its products, and services is available at www.cadence.com .

About Vivante Corporation

Vivante Corporation, a leader in multi-core GPU, GPGPU, and 2D Composition IP solutions, provides the highest performance and lowest power characteristics across a range of Khronos Group API conformant standards based on the ScalarMorphic(TM) architecture. Vivante GPUs are integrated into customer silicon solutions in mass market products including smartphones, tablets, HDTVs, consumer electronics and embedded devices, running thousands of graphics applications across multiple operating systems and software platforms. Vivante is a privately held company incorporated and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with multiple R&D centers in China and Europe. For more information, visit http://www.vivantecorp.com