PLDApplications announces PCI Express IP Core and unveils Complete PCI Express Roadmap

• Offer includes IP core for ASIC and Altera Stratix GX FPGA     as well as prototyping and data acquisition boards
• Announcement underscores company commitment to PCI Express technology.

Embedded Systems Conference, San Francisco - booth #723 - April 22, 2003 - PLDApplications (PLDA – www.plda.com), a leading provider of high-speed interconnect solutions for the design community and the 2nd PCI IP (intellectual property) core vendor worldwide (source Gartner Dataquest) today unveiled its PCI Express roadmap. Centered on an IP Core solution designed to allow fast and full-speed prototyping on FPGA and low-risk portability on ASIC/ASSP, the complete offer also includes prototyping and data acquisition boards. Today's news ensures customers willing to benefit from the PCI Express bandwidth advantage that they will have access to a proven and valuable expertise in IP core designs and implementation. It also strengthens PLDA position as a key provider of high speed connectivity platforms for next-generation mobile, desktop, storage, server and embedded communications designs.

PCI Express IP Core for FPGA and ASIC

Supporting 32/64-bit addressing and suitable for root complex, switch, bridge and endpoint implementation, the PCI Express IP Core from PLDA initially comes in 1 and 4-lane versions for up to 10Gbps bandwidth. All protocol layers (physical, data link, transaction) are implemented; the physical layer is compatible with FPGA manufacturers integrated PHY layers (for example Altera Stratix GX) and with major ASIC/ASSP silicon founders PHY layers. Featuring up to 6 BAR addressing spaces and up to 4 DMA channels, the core also provides support for up to 8 traffic-classes (TCs) and "virtual channels" (VCs).

Enhanced Backend Interface and Complete Development Package

The backend interface features, continually enhanced by the feedback of more than 300 licenced customers worldwide, allow high performance, low-latency and ease of integration in any SoC and standard design flow. High effective bandwidth (more than 80% on 256-byte transfer) is ensured thanks to 2 deep address data pipelines. A dedicated configuration space interface is provided for upstream and downstream ports.

Multi-layer capabilities make root complex, switch or bridge implementation a child's play. Connection to standard core specialized busses (AMBA, CoreConnect, OCP-IP) is seamlessly achieved with the help of dedicated application notes. Lastly, the backend interface is configurable depending on lane width, system clock frequency and data path width.

Like every IP core provided by PLDA, the PCI Express core is delivered with an entire ecosystem of support including hot-line services provided by PLDA IP designers to help customers cut time-to-market and ensure design's success. Besides reference designs and application notes, a complete set of development and simulation tools like the IP Wizard for core customization and a VHDL/Verilog test bench are also delivered.

Base and Advanced Switching compliant IP Cores Availability

Currently in design, the Base specifications compliant core is scheduled for release in Q3, 2003. The Advanced Switching version is to be released on the heels of the specifications availability.

Other PCI Express Products from PLDApplications

Available in Q4 2003, a prototyping board for FPGA and ASIC and a data acquisition board will complement the IP core offer. Other PCI Express products will be announced by PLDA in the course of S2 2003.

Saying Arnaud Schleich, vice president of sales and marketing at PLDA: "Though PCI has long been the interconnect standard and will still be for some years, PCI Express is poised for industry rapid adoption as applications are becoming more and more bandwidth-greedy. We're confident that PLDA PCI Express complete product offering and its track records in high-speed busses technologies implementation will be instrumental in easing this exciting transition and will encounter a positive echo in the designing community which is now eager to leverage on the PCI Express flexibility and very high speed data transfer rates promises."

For additional information about PLDApplications PCI Express product offering visit PLDA booth #723 at ESC 2003, San Francisco

About PLDApplications - www.plda.com

PLDApplications (PLDA) designs, delivers and supports a catalogue of high quality interfacing and processing standard digital products. Its highly-skilled R&D team specializes in programmable logic-based electronic systems and intellectual property (IP), with a strong focus in the PCI and derivatives market (PCI-X, CompactPCI, PCI Express, PC104/PC104+)

Complete solutions from PLDA include megafunctions license, hardware, software, consulting services as well as full technical support provided directly from the IP designers.

Founded in 1996, PLDA is headquartered in Aix-en-Provence, France. Its products are available worldwide thanks to a strong distribution and partnership network wowen with companies including Altera and Reflex Consulting (complete distributors list is available on PLDA website).

PLDA is the 2nd PCI IP core vendor worldwide with more than 20% market share (source: Gartner Dataquest 2001). We support more than 300 customers worldwide including Airbus Industries, Alcatel, BT Research Labs, CERN, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi, IBM, Intel, Lockheed Martin, NEC, Nokia, Northrop Grumman, Siemens, Sony, Sun and Toshiba.