SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- To accelerate the
integration of programmable logic and processors in embedded
systems, Altera Corporation (Nasdaq: ALTR) today announced its
Embedded Initiative. With this initiative, Altera is providing
designers a single FPGA design flow based on its Quartus® II
development software—including the new Qsys system-level
integration tool, a common FPGA intellectual property (IP) library,
and new ARM® Cortex™-A9 MPCore™ and MIPS® Technologies MIPS32
embedded processor offerings. The design flow allows embedded
designers to quickly and easily target Altera's Nios® II, ARM- and
MIPS-based embedded processors and the recently announced
configurable Intel® Atom™-based processor. The Qsys system-level
integration tool leverages the industry's first FPGA-optimized
network-on-a-chip technology to support a wide variety of
industry-standard IP protocols, improved quality of results and
numerous productivity features.
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"The combination of FPGAs and processors is rapidly expanding to
create new levels of customization in embedded systems design,"
said Vince Hu, vice president of
product and corporate marketing, Altera Corporation. "With the
Embedded Initiative, Altera is enabling designers in markets such
as automotive, industrial, military and wireless to easily leverage
a rich ecosystem of processor, operating system and IP support all
through a single design flow, and to reduce overall system cost,
achieve faster time to market and increase the flexibility of their
systems."
As part of its initiative, Altera will expand its current
embedded partner programs by embracing the broad ecosystems from
ARM, Intel and MIPS Technologies, as well as the FPGA world. In
addition, Altera will collaborate with these entities to enhance
the design flow and allow access to the growing number of
FPGA-enabled embedded processing choices.
Intel recently unveiled details of an upcoming new configurable
Atom-based processor. The processor consists of the Intel Atom
processor E600 series paired with an Altera® FPGA on a multi-chip
package. The package provides additional flexibility for customers
who want to incorporate proprietary I/Os or acceleration, and
enables developers to differentiate their designs by reacting
quickly to changing requirements.
"Flexibility is critical for embedded designers, and FPGA
technology offers an additional option," said Doug Davis, vice president and general manager,
Embedded Communications Group, Intel. "Intel recently announced the
integration of an Altera FPGA on a multi-chip package with an Intel
Atom-based processor to continue to offer intelligent and flexible
solutions for embedded developers."
As part of today's news, Altera unveiled it signed earlier this
year an agreement with ARM Ltd. to license a range of technologies,
including the Cortex-A9 microprocessor. Altera will deliver
products that integrate hardened Cortex-A9 processor-based
subsystems with 28-nm FPGA technology. More detailed information on
these ARM processor-based devices will be made available in
2011.
"ARM recognizes the importance of the FPGA community and is keen
to work with our partners to provide the flexibility that embedded
designers require," said Eric
Schorn, vice president of marketing, processor division,
ARM. "By combining ARM's leadership in low-power, high-performance
processor IP, with Altera's expertise in FPGA technology, we can
provide an additional dimension of flexibility with a common
software flow to accelerate the development of numerous
applications for software developers and hardware designers
alike."
Altera has also broadened its portfolio of soft processor cores
and will introduce the MP32 soft processor core based on MIPS
Technologies' MIPS32 processor architecture in early 2011. The MP32
is a result of close collaboration between Altera, MIPS
Technologies and lead customers over the past year. It will
complement Altera's Nios II embedded processor and the portfolio of
partner soft CPUs available for Altera devices, and significantly
extend the number of operating systems and the amount of
application code available for use on FPGAs.
'We're pleased that through its MIPS32 architecture license,
Altera is offering the MP32 soft CPUs, which can provide tremendous
architectural flexibility for today's multi-core designs," said
Art Swift, vice president of
marketing for MIPS Technologies. "As the integration of processors
and programmable logic accelerates, having the MIPS32 architecture
available on the Altera platform is a great option for embedded
designers."
Later this quarter, Altera will deliver the Qsys system
integration tool, as part of the Quartus II development software.
Incorporating the industry's first FPGA-optimized
network-on-a-chip technology, Qsys will be able to offer
memory-mapped and datapath interconnects that achieve nearly double
the performance of Altera's SOPC Builder tool, while being able to
support industry-standard IP interfaces, such as AMBA. Qsys will
leverage the easy-to-use interface of SOPC Builder and provide
backwards compatibility for easy migration of existing embedded
systems. Furthermore, this advanced interconnect technology will
support hierarchical design, incremental compile and partial
reconfiguration methodologies. More details on Qsys and the
Embedded Initiative will be available later this quarter.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements regarding
timing of Altera product introductions that are made pursuant to
the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainty that can cause actual
results to differ from those currently anticipated, including
without limitation dependence upon product development schedules,
design performance of software and other tools, Altera's and third
parties' development technology and manufacturing capabilities as
well as changes in economic conditions and other risk factors
discussed in documents filed by Altera with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, copies of which are posted on Altera's website
and are otherwise available from the company without charge.
Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release,
and, except as required by law, Altera does not undertake an
obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect
future events or circumstances.
About Altera
Altera programmable solutions enable system and semiconductor
companies to rapidly and cost-effectively innovate, differentiate
and win in their markets. Find out more about Altera's FPGA, CPLD
and ASIC devices at www.altera.com. Follow Altera via Facebook, RSS
and Twitter.
ALTERA, ARRIA, CYCLONE, HARDCOPY, MAX, MEGACORE, NIOS, QUARTUS,
STRATIX and all other words that are identified as trademarks are,
unless noted otherwise, Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off. and/or
trademarks of Altera Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.
ARM, CORTEX and MPCORE are the trademarks of ARM Limited in the EU
and other countries. INTEL and ATOM are trademarks of Intel
Corporation in the U.S. MIPS and MIPS32 are trademarks of MIPS
Technologies, Inc. in the U.S. All other product or service names
are the property of their respective holders.
Editor Contacts:
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Mark Plungy
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Altera Corporation
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(408) 544-6866
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newsroom@altera.com
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SOURCE Altera Corporation
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