PGC Adopts S2C's FPGA-based ESL Tools to Streamline Front-End Design Service Flow

Shanghai, China – July 2, 2008 – The Progate Group Corporation (PGC), a leading SoC and ASIC design service provider in Taiwan, today announced that it has selected the FPGA-based ESL tools of S2C Inc., an advanced SoC design solutions provider, to upgrade PGC’s front-end design service flow.  Complementing proven strengths in back-end design, integrated chip (IC) fabrication, and production logistics, PGC will now employ S2C’s Virtex-5 TAI Logic Module to enact system-on-chip (SoC) design creation, verification, and customer sign-off capabilities on FPGA prototype.

By adopting S2C’s FPGA-based ESL tool flow, PGC can systematically assist customers to first transform their design specifications on FPGA prototypes.  PGC’s customers will have a clear design sign-off point that serves to maintain design integrity through to first silicon.  Early implementation of IC designs onto FPGA prototype also allows customers to engage in software development while PGC prepares the design for foundry processes.  The overall design service environment is thus streamlined to minimize potential correlation problems between front-end and back-end design processes and reduce time to working SoC or ASIC in the end system.

“After surveying our options among FPGA prototyping vendors, we selected S2C’s Virtex-5 TAI Logic Module to anchor our front-end design platform due to its high product reliability, ease of use, and competitive cost.  S2C’s FPGA-based ESL software further speeds up design mapping onto FPGA prototype and enables delivery of IP securely in FPGA-based form,” said Albert Hu, General Manager of PGC.  “PGC is now proud to provide a robust SoC design and prototyping flow to our front-end design service customers.”

“PGC is a respected firm with significant experience in taking SoC and ASIC designs of all shapes and sizes to tapeout,” said Mon-Ren Chene, Chief Technology Officer of S2C.  “We are delighted that PGC has recognized our FPGA-based ESL tools’ quality and versatility, and chosen them to extend PGC’s depth in providing a full range of SoC design turnkey services.”

About PGC
Since its founding in 1991, PGC (Progate Group Corporation) has focused on ASIC design services.  From design initiation, verification, first silicon to production, PGC does its best to perform time-to-value partner services to its customers.  PGC endeavors to provide customers the best quality of design, logistics and quality control service to achieve the challenges of time to market, competitive price, and the most competitive position in the market.

About S2C
S2C lnc. develops and provides FPGA-based electronic system level (ESL) and advanced system-on-chip (SoC) prototyping solutions to accelerate and simplify the integration of embedded systems into chips. S2C products, using innovative TAI IP technology, let designers easily and securely employ IP to quickly assemble SoC prototypes on FPGA and immediately start software development.  By partnering with leading IP vendors, S2C provides a broad array of commercial IP in plug-and-play FPGA-based format. S2C's FPGA-based ESL solution enables designers to go directly from architectural specification to FPGA prototype – and reduce the SoC design cycle by up to six months.