Out in Front: April 11, 1996

Analog Devices has signed agreements with four companies to simplify use of the ADSP-21xx DSP architecture, now in the company's standard products, in application-specific standard-product (ASSP) and ASIC devices. Two companies are planning to use the DSP core in ASSPs. Advanced Micro Devices (Sunnyvale, CA; (800) 222-9323) will design and make ADSP-21xx-based products for computer and communication equipment. Acer Laboratories (San Jose, CA; (408) 764-0644) plans to integrate the DSP core into a fax/modem product.

For ASIC applications, Analog Devices is teaming with Mentor Graphics (Wilsonville, OR; (908) 604-0845) and Aspec Technology (Santa Clara, CA; (408) 774-2199). Mentor will add the ADSP-21xx core to its macrocell library. Mentor engineers can integrate the core into your ASIC at various points of the chip's design cycle. Mentor also plans to use its ICGen product to retarget the core to different technologies. You can also go directly to Analog Devices for your ASIC designs. Analog is working with Aspec to provide access to cell libraries, third-party EDA tools, and many silicon-foundry processes for DSP-based ASIC chips.

The ADSP-2171 will be the first core available for ASSP and ASIC products. The core includes the DSP engine, peripherals for the 2171 core, and configurable memory. Peripheral blocks are functions such as timers, serial ports, and DMAs. The ASIC core will also include new circuitry to allow testing of the core when it is embedded into a chip.

—by Jim Lipman
Analog Devices Inc, Wilmington, MA. (617) 461-3881