Mentor Graphics and Altera Partner on DO-254

-- Supporting the growing number of avionics and military applications requiring DO-254-certifiable components, Altera Corporation (NASDAQ: ALTR) and Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) today announced the companies are working together to develop tools and methodologies for use in creating DO-254-certifiable intellectual property (IP) that targets Altera’s field programmable gate array (FPGA) and HardCopy® application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) solutions. As part of this announcement, Mentor will join Altera’s DO-254 Global Partner Network in order to establish design and verification best practices for DO 254-certifiable IP development and integration flows.

Under this initiative, Mentor will leverage its expertise and industry-leading design and verification solutions in the development of DO-254-certifiable IP. The primary tools in Mentor’s DO-254 suite include HDL Designer™, Precision® Synthesis, ModelSim®, Questa®, the 0-In® suite of formal verification tools, and a new solution for automating requirements traceability. Mentor also offers DO-254 compliance training, design methodology assessments, and consulting services, including a DO-254 Jumpstart package aimed at establishing advanced verification methodologies for DO-254 designs. More information on Mentor’s DO-254 offering can be found at www.mentor.com/go/do-254.

 “DO-254-certifiable IP is a huge productivity gain for our customers who have to comply with the DO-254 standard,” said Amr El-Ashmawi, senior business unit manager of Altera’s military/aerospace market. “Now instead of having to reverse engineer or re-develop a commonly used component, companies can actually reap the productivity benefit of off-the-shelf certifiable networking and processor IP, with the confidence of knowing that it supports the design assurance needs of their flows and thus does not present a certification risk.”

Altera, through its DO-254 Global Partner Network, currently offers a safety-critical version of its Nios® II embedded processor. The certification aspects of this core were developed by HCELL Engineering using Mentor tools.

Tammy Reeve, president of Patmos Engineering Services, a firm that acts as a certification authority under the guidance of the FAA, stated, “Dealing with COTS IP under the guidance of DO-254 has been one of the industry’s biggest challenges to date. I’m excited to see vendors like Altera and Mentor taking the initiative to address a very important aspect of these flows to make COTS IP compliant with DO-254. Their efforts could save hardware applicants a lot of resources and frustration.”

 “Working with Altera on DO-254-certifiable IP is the next step for us in supporting the needs of this market,” said Michelle Lange, DO-254 program manager, Mentor Graphics. “Mentor recognized the importance of DO-254 at its inception and has been investing in solutions for DO-254 certification for several years. This initiative lets us leverage both our methodology expertise and tools to not only provide the industry with high-quality IP but also the tool and methodology guidance that many are seeking.”

About Altera’s DO-254 Global Partner Network

Enforced by worldwide aviation safety agencies since 2005, the DO-254 standard was developed by the avionics industry to establish design assurance and guidance for airborne electronic hardware designs. Altera’s DO-254 Global Partner Network provides a comprehensive environment of DO-254-certifiable IP cores, best practice methodologies, best-in-class tools and in-house DO-254 expertise. The DO-254 Global Partner Network supports the needs of companies developing hardware that requires DO 254 Level A, B, C or D compliance. For more information about Altera’s DO-254 Global Partner Network, visit www.altera.com/military .
 
About Altera

Altera® programmable solutions enable system and semiconductor companies to rapidly and cost-effectively innovate, differentiate and win in their markets. Find out more at www.altera.com.

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services, and award-winning support for the world’s most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of over $850 million and employs approximately 4,200 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: www.mentor.com.