Tensilica Offers Xtensa Software Development Tools on Linux Platform

Provides Low-Cost Development Environment For Xtensa Configurable Processor Designs

SANTA CLARA, Calif., February 24, 2003 – Tensilica, Inc., the leading provider of configurable and extensible microprocessors, today announced the availability of its full suite of software development tools for the Linux® operating system (OS).  The new tools will allow embedded developers that are integrating the Xtensa® processor core into system-on-chip (SOC) designs to take advantage of the low-cost, high-performance benefits of the Linux development environment.

“The powerful features and inherent low cost of the Linux operating system have made it the development platform of choice for many SOC designers,” said Bernie Rosenthal, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Tensilica.  “These designers can now have the best of both worlds – a configurable and extensible microprocessor core that reduces design time and complexity plus lets them choose the development platform that they prefer.”

Tensilica’s full development tool suite runs on Red Hat Linux version 7.3, and is available in conjunction with the licensing of Tensilica’s Xtensa processor. The tools include the Tensilica Instruction Extension (TIE) compiler, Xtensa Instruction Set Simulator, Xtensa C/C++ compiler and GNU software development toolchain. Tensilica’s tools also run on Windows NT®/2000 and Sun® Solaris 2.7.

Licensed by over 50 of the industry’s leading semiconductor and systems companies, Tensilica’s patented Xtensa microprocessor technology enables designers to deliver a wide variety of optimized SoCs for applications ranging from low-cost, low-power consumer electronics devices to high performance, multi-processor communications systems. The Xtensa architecture provides a powerful, integrated hardware and software development environment with thousands of configuration options and an unlimited range of customer-specific extensions. Because these instructions are recognized as “native” by a complete set of software development tools, developers can simultaneously tune both application software and processor hardware to meet specific speed, power and feature goals. 

About Tensilica
Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the growing need for optimized, application-specific microprocessor solutions in high-volume embedded applications. With a configurable and extensible microprocessor core called Xtensa, Tensilica is the only company that has automated and patented the time-consuming process of generating a customized microprocessor core along with a complete software development tool environment, producing new configurations in a matter of hours. For more information, visit www.tensilica.com.

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Editors’ Notes:

• “Tensilica” and “Xtensa” are registered trademarks belonging to Tensilica Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

• Tensilica’s announced licensees are Agilent, Astute Networks, Avision, Bay Microsystems, Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Conexant Systems, Cypress, ETRI, FUJIFILM Microdevices, Fujitsu Ltd., Hudson Soft, Hughes Network Systems, IC4IC, Ikanos Communications, JNI Corporation, Marvell, Mindspeed Technologies, National Semiconductor, NEC Networks, NEC Solutions, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT), Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., ONEX Communications, OptiX Networks, Osaka & Kyoto Universities, Sony, TranSwitch Corporation, Trebia Networks, Victor Company of Japan (JVC) and ZiLOG.