PORTLAND, OREGON, March 24, 2003 - First Silicon Solutions (FS2) today announced the In-Target System Analyzer for the Altera Nios^® 3.0 embedded processor. The FS2 System Analyzer features a JTAG connection containing OCI^® (On-chip Instrumentation) core technology developed by FS2. The System Analyzer gives Nios software developers a powerful tool for debugging real-time code and provides a single target connection for downloading, running and debugging their software.

The FS2 System Analyzer enables communication between the host PC development system and the OCI core in the Nios embedded processor. Embedded developers can configure the OCI core using the Nios processor Megawizard to enable features such as on- and off-chip trace, event triggering and real-time trace collection. This easy customization process ensures a development environment optimized for the user’s specific design. It reduces the time required to debug and optimize the system while minimizing system gate resources and device pins.

An entry-level version of this powerful debug tool is included at no charge in the recently announced Nios Development Kit, Stratix Edition, and Nios Development Kit, Cyclone™ Edition. Both use the Altera ByteBlaster JTAG cable for basic debug operations such as software download, run control, memory examination/modification, and software breakpoints. A feature rich version, providing faster download speed, hardware breakpoints, sophisticated triggering, and on- and off-chip trace, is available from FS2 separately or bundled with the Accelerated Technology code|lab Developer Suite. The full-featured version incorporates the FS2 BlackBox probe instead of the ByteBlaster for the target connection, and includes an optional external buffer for deep trace capture.

“ The addition of a JTAG-based debugger has been on our road map based on feedback from the Nios development community,” said Craig Lytle, vice president of Altera’s IP business unit. “Integrating the On-Chip Instrumentation core with the Nios embedded processor, has significantly enhanced the software developer’s experience, helping them accelerate the task of debugging complex, and real-time code”.

“ FS2’s OCI intellectual property and debug tools are tailor made for SoC designs. The scalable and configurable features make them ideal for programmable logic applications where pins and gate resources are frequently limited,” said Rick Leatherman, president of First Silicon Solutions. “FS2 has worked closely with Altera to provide a best-of-breed instrumentation and debug solution for the Nios 3.0 embedded processor. The inclusion of a highly functional trial version in the Nios SDK Stratix Edition will provide a way for customers to easily use and evaluate our technology. We’re confident that the majority of designers will upgrade to the full-featured BlackBox to take advantage of the additional trace and triggering features for even faster and productive debugging.”

Integration with code|lab Debug
For ease of use and source level debugging, the FS2 System Analyzer is tightly integrated with the Accelerated Technology code|lab Debug interface. This interface provides for a graphical Windows environment with features such as dockable windows, drag and drop, and right-click technologies, for a debugger that is as easy to use as it is powerful. Developers using the Nios Development Kit can manage their projects using code|lab Embedded Development Environment (EDE), debug their source code with code|lab Debug, and connect to their target with the FS2 ByteBlaster or FS2 BlackBox versions of the JTAG debugger.

About the FS2 System Analyzer for Nios 3.0
The FS2 System Analyzer consists of OCI provided in the Quartus II development software, a hardware probe for communications with the Nios embedded processor, and Windows-based host software. The system can be used standalone or with the Accelerated Technology code|lab Debug. The OCI block offers configurable parameters for triggers and trace depth to allow the user to optimize it for the Nios embedded processor gate count resources. Two versions of the full-featured BlackBox probe are offered. One supports on-chip real-time trace collection of instructions, data and status information. The other supports both on- and off-chip streaming of real-time trace data through a controlled impedance high frequency 38-pin Mictor cable. A feature-limited version of the tool using an Altera ByteBlaster cable for the target interface is included in the Nios Development Kit Stratix Edition.

About the Nios Embedded Processor
Altera’s Nios embedded processor is the world’s most widely licensed soft-core embedded processor today. The Nios embedded processor is a general-purpose RISC CPU that can be combined with a wide array of peripherals, custom instructions and hardware acceleration units to create a custom system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solution. The processor features a 16-bit instruction set and user-selectable 16- or 32-bit data paths configurable for a wide range of applications. A typical 32-bit data path Nios processor consumes only $2 worth of logic in Altera’s low-cost Cyclone FPGAs, making it one of the lowest cost RISC processors available today. The Nios embedded processor is royalty free when used in Altera FPGAs and HardCopy™ devices. An ASIC license for OEM applications is available for an additional charge. For more information, visit www.altera.com/nios.

Pricing and Availability
The FS2 Nios System Analyzer is currently shipping. Pricing for the internal trace version bundled with the Accelerated Technology code|lab EDE suite starts at $6,485. For further information, please contact FS2 at (503) 292-6730 or visit www.fs2.com.

About First Silicon Solutions
FS2 provides silicon IP and design services using OCI (On-Chip Instrumentation). This includes custom development tools for programming, testing and debug of FPGA, SoC, SOPC, ASSP and ASIC devices. FS2 products help silicon vendors and their customers develop and more effectively market their products, reducing development cycles, and allowing them to focus on delivering all the potential of the system on silicon. Additional information is available at www.fs2.com.

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FS2^® Contact:
Chuck Swartley
First Silicon Solutions
(503) 489-0311 x103
info@fs2.com

Media Contact:
Gary Rains
Rains and Associates
(503) 297-1791
gary@rains.cc

FS2, OCI and BlackBox are registered trademarks of First Silicon Solutions. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.