StarCore and VaST Systems Technology Collaborate on StarCore Processor Model That Speeds Wireless and Consumer Electronics Time to Market

Cycle accuracy and high speeds enable concurrent development of hardware and real-time software

SUNNYVALE, California, and AUSTIN, Texas, March 23, 2004 – StarCore LLC and VaST Systems Technology Corporation today announced their collaboration on a high-performance, cycle-accurate software model of the StarCore SC1200 processor core, which includes the cache subsystem. The StarCore processor model, when used with VaST’s electronic system level (ESL) design tools, would enable customers to design and optimize their system level architecture and develop hardware and software concurrently. This reduces time to market for StarCore-based devices such as communications systems, wireless phones, and other consumer electronic products.

A VaST model of the StarCore SC1200 processor core could be integrated in a reference model for system-on-chip (SoC) design, or it could be used as the central component of a presilicon virtual prototype that engineers can use to develop and tune embedded software. The model is an executable specification that accurately simulates the functional behavior of the SC1200 processor core and cache subsystem and can run the actual binary image of the embedded system software. When used with VaST’s tools, the model allows StarCore’s customers to develop embedded system software before a silicon prototype is available, thus shortening their time to market.

“With this model, we enable our customers to develop increasingly complex StarCorebased wireless and consumer devices faster and with increased confidence in their functionality and performance,” said Alex Bedarida, vice president of marketing and sales at StarCore. “We expect the virtual prototyping approach to be widely adopted, because of VaST’s industryleading performance and cycle accuracy. The StarCore model in a VaST virtual prototype would be fast enough to support real-time embedded system and SoC development.”

“StarCore is a technology leader in its field and this model would help its customers to lead in their fast-paced markets, by developing new multimedia phones and consumer devices more quickly,” said Graham Hellestrand, VaST’s CEO. “Our studies indicate that products developed using virtual prototypes can experience a 25% reduction in development time and resources and a 67% reduction in project risk. VaST is pleased to work with StarCore’s customers to help them achieve these benefits.”

About Virtual Prototypes

A virtual prototype is a model of a complex processor-based system that executes real embedded software in binary image form and accurately predicts the system’s realworld behavior. VaST’s virtual prototypes can be networked computing systems, each incorporating several processor and peripheral models. The virtual prototypes are cycleaccurate and are fast enough to boot operating systems in seconds. This level of accuracy and speed is essential for development of applications and systems with real-time performance requirements. SoCs and embedded systems developed with virtual prototypes are used in the wireless, automotive, and consumer markets, in products such as mobile handsets, automotive control systems and sophisticated cameras.

A version of the StarCore SC1200 model in VaST’s ESL tool environment will be demonstrated at electronicaUSA with the Embedded Systems Conference from March 30 to April 1, 2004.

About StarCore

Based in Austin, Texas, StarCore is a leader in the development of high performance processor architectures, cores and intellectual property building blocks for the communications and consumer electronics industries. For more information on StarCore and its intellectual property and services, visit the company’s web site at www.starcoredsp.com.

About VaST

VaST Systems Technology Corporation provides electronic system level (ESL) design and real-time embedded software development tools. VaST’s architectural design and virtual prototyping tools and software-simulation-based models enable true concurrent development of the hardware and software components of complex embedded systems and systems-on-chip (SoCs). VaST’s products deliver both high speed and cycle-accuracy under actual real-time software loads. VaST’s products dramatically improve time to market and quality, and reduce development costs and risk.

Current customers include world leaders in automotive electronics, wireless devices, and consumer electronics. VaST is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with sales and support offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.vastsystems.com.

# # #