Xilinx announced it acquired AccelChip, the leading
provider of MATLAB synthesis software tools for building digital signal
processing (DSP)
The acquisition by San Jose, Calif.-based Xilinx of AccelChip in nearby
Milpitas, Calif., is designed to boost the overall DSP business of Xilinx.
AccelChip is the industry’s only provider of MATLAB-based algorithmic
synthesis solutions, including its DSP library of algorithmic intellectual property (IP).
Xilinx said the acquisition is consistent with the DSP strategy and
product roadmaps it unveiled in October. The tools offered by AccelChip (as
well as Xilinx) are designed to
accelerate the adoption of application-optimized solutions for digital
communications; multimedia, video and imaging; and defense systems.
In a
statement, Xilinx said the synergy of the combined offerings would be
key to targeting the $2 billion high-performance DSP market.
“AccelChip provides an excellent strategic fit with our existing DSP
products and roadmaps,” said Omid Tahernia, vice president and general
manager
of the DSP Division at Xilinx, in a statement.
The AccelChip DSP Synthesis tools and DSP library of algorithmic IP will
now be offered as part of Xilinx XtremeDSP solutions, which includes the System
Generator for DSP design suite. The XtremeDSP solutions encompass
specialized hardware development platforms and algorithmic libraries, as well
as design and verification tool suites.
The recently released AccelChip 2006.1 software adds automatic generation
of C++ verification models from fixed-point MATLAB models, which the company
said enables rapid algorithm and architectural design exploration based on
performance, power, area and cost.
The Xilinx System Generator for DSP
8.1 suite extends its hardware co-simulation capability to support
high-speed Ethernet (10/100/Gigabit) connectivity, as well as provides
enhancements in generating DSP co-processors for embedded applications.
“It is clear that most DSP designers want a design flow that starts with
MATLAB and Simulink, and also supports modeling in the C programming
language,” said Vin Ratford, president and CEO of AccelChip.
“The merging of
our tools and libraries of DSP algorithms will provide a world-class
platform for a host of new DSP applications, and will create new design wins for
Xilinx reconfigurable DSP silicon.”
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Xilinx did say “a majority”
of AccelChip employees at its headquarters and two design centers in North
America, will become employees within the Xilinx DSP Division.
