Partners sign up for VST's quarter-micron libraries

Library vendor Virtual Silicon Technology Inc. (VST; Sunnyvale, Calif.) has recruited multiple third-party core vendors to produce versions of their cores that use, or are in compliance with, VST's Diplomat 0.25-micron, cell-based physical libraries.

According to the company, the IP Ambassador Program, which is open to all IP vendors, allows partners to create single physical representations of their hard cores that can be manufactured at multiple silicon foundries, with no need for additional re-targeting software. Partners are allowed to run test chips to prove their cores in silicon. VST claims the result will be to let system-on-chip designers quickly create accurate designs using multiple Diplomat-compliant thirty-party cores in conjunction with their own functions created using Diplomat libraries.

Charter members include Argonaut, CoreEl Microsystems, Coreum Technology, Genesys Testware, Innovative Semiconductors, I2P, Logic Vision, Palmchip, Phoenix Technology, Silicon Engineering and Technical Data Freeway. VST says the partners will release Diplomat-compliant cores in the coming months. VST officials also promised 0.18-micron libraries in the near future.

Atmel Corp. (San Jose, Calif.) has licensed the CoreFrame on-chip bus architecture from Palmchip Corp. for use in its ASIC devices. CoreFrame is an on-chip interconnect architecture that makes it possible to combine silicon functional blocks in a synthesis environment.

According to Atmel, the company will offer CoreFrame to its ASIC customer base and also use it internally for the development of new application-specific standard products (ASSPs) for mobile communications and digital-imaging markets.

Integrated Intellectual Property Inc. and Technology Rendezvous Inc., both based in Santa Clara, Calif., have announced a strategic alliance to develop a 1394 core package that complies with TRI's FireStack 1394 software stack and protocols.

According to the companies, the result will be a turnkey solution for 1394 connectivity containing Integrated Intellectual Property's cores bundled with TRI's FireStack. I2P's 1394 portfolio includes modular LINK and PHY synthesizable cores, virtual sockets for speedy integration and a functional-verification environment.

TRI's Firestack is available with various protocols, including SBP-2 interior target for printers, hard disks and scanners; IP over 1394; the digital-camera specification protocol; and AV/C for audio and video equipment.

Real-time operating-system support includes Nucleaus, OS/9, QNX, pSOS, VxWorks and Windows CE. CPU architectures supported include X86, PowerPC, ARM, MIPS, DSPs and the 68k family.

Altera Corp. (San Jose) will offer the latest edition of its Altera Megafunction Partners Program catalog, with more than 85 cores, at booth No. 118 at the Design Automation Conference.