Magma's Talus-based RTL-to-GDSII reference flow for Imagination Technologies' POWERVR graphics accelerator

SAN JOSE, USA & HERTFORDSHIRE, UK: Magma Design Automation Inc., a provider of chip design software, announced the availability of an RTL-to-GDSII reference flow for system-on-chip (SoC) designs that incorporate POWERVR(TM) SGX graphics accelerator cores from Imagination Technologies, a leader in SoC intellectual property (IP).

Based on Talus 1.1, the latest release of Magma's design implementation system, the flow leverages the recently enhanced optimization capabilities of the Talus Design 1.1 synthesis tool and the Talus COre technology that performs timing optimization concurrently during routing.

Also included is the Talus Flow Manager, which provides an out-of-the-box reference flow that engineers can quickly and easily tune for their specific SGX-based designs. With the reference flow and Imagination Technologies' POWERVR graphics processors, designers can achieve faster overall design closure with better performance and predictability for their consumer and wireless multimedia processing applications.

"The drive to get to market faster than the competition is stronger than ever, so our customers don't have time to waste setting up and validating design flows," said Martin Ashton, vice president of POWERVR Visual IP at Imagination Technologies. "With the Talus-based reference flow, our customers can design and deliver innovative SoC devices utilizing the industry's most advanced graphics acceleration technologies in record time."

"Dealing with the complexities of 65-nanometer and smaller process geometries is a significant challenge," said Premal Buch, general manager of Magma's Design Implementation Business Unit. "By incorporating advanced capabilities such as early clock tree modeling, advanced crosstalk optimization, concurrent optimization during routing into Talus 1.1, and providing reference flows, Magma is equipping designers with the technology they need for silicon success."

The reference flow is available now from Magma.

Talus: Fastest Path to Silicon
Talus 1.1 was created to deliver optimal quality of results out of the box at advanced process nodes. It has already been used to tape out numerous production chips at 40 nanometers (nm), and is ready for designs at 32 nm and 28 nm.

Talus Design and Talus Vortex are key components of Magma's RTL-to-GDSII system. Talus Design performs RTL synthesis and physical optimization. Talus Vortex performs placement, clock tree synthesis and routing.