San Jose, Calif., Aug. 31 Silicon Canvas, Inc. today announced the release of Laker-AMS version 6.1. Highlights of this new release include the new licensing scheme transition from Rainbow to the industry standard FlexLM, enhanced hierarchy navigator usage, added Tcl/Tk scripting language support, and a streamlined spice-out procedure. The other significant addition in this new version is the newly developed interface to Laker, the industry leading full custom layout solution. Greatly increased interest and a desire to shift from a traditional polygon pushing methodology to the schematic driven layout flow methodology make the new release attractive to a broad range of existing customers and new prospects.

Laker-AMS (a.k.a ECS or Cohesion AMS) has long been a recognized reference standard for the schematic capture technology with more than 60,000 users owning the software. Changing the license scheme from Rainbow license technology to the EDA industry standard FlexLM license scheme makes Laker-AMS homogeneous with typical corporate CAD environments and also streamlines the support effort.

Laker-AMS has a strong type checking engine to prevent common errors and provide a correct-by-construction work flow. Its built-in concurrent version control mechanism allows groups of engineers to work seamlessly on team projects. The unique hierarchy navigator feature, which allows users to easily traverse the whole schematic DB has been completely re-architected and can now run in a standalone mode. Laker-AMS version 6.1 also implements an industry standard scripting language Tcl/Tk for easy support and interface with other tools. Laker-AMS can support sophisticated parameter passing schemes such as inline Boolean expression with conditional predicates.

The other significant addition in this Laker-AMS version 6.1 release is integration into the existing Laker layout environment. Laker-AMS customers can now benefit from tightl integration solution between schematic and layout, obviating the need to use sub-par layout packages. Customers will immediately benefit from the flexible and proven schematic-driven-layout methodology as they experience a significant increase in productivity for real-world custom design projects. The integrated environment also features an ECO capability with a unique topology pattern-matching function that facilitates legacy layout reuse and schematic association.

About Laker-AMS
Laker-AMS is a "connectivity-driven" schematic entry tool that keeps track of connectivity as a schematic is created. A net is viewed as a database element. As a net is created, its connectivity is established across all pages and levels of hierarchy. Queries can establish a net's hierarchical name, attributes and cross-probing value. Laker-AMS provides a superior workflow for design creation and verification through powerful editing and debugging tools, real-time access to the entire design, tight integration with downstream applications, and an architecture based on concurrent team engineering. Some of the algorithms in Laker-AMS were originally developed by the CAD/CAM Group, who later sold the technology to Data I/O. The technology has since been owned by Data I/O, Minc, Xilinx, and finally Cohesion. Cohesion has been the exclusive owner since 2000. In May 2004, Silicon Canvas becomes the exclusive owner.

About Laker
The Laker layout system is the next generation full custom layout solution. Its patented Magic Cell, Rule-Driven, and automation technology conservatively deliver six times productivity gains over existing methodologies. With more than 500 chips taped out, Laker is a proven product for designs ranging from analog-mixed signal to multi-million gate SoC designs.

Pricing and Availability
Laker-AMS 6.1 and Laker are available now. Pricing for perpetual licenses starts at $12,000 and $45,000 respectively depending on configuration. Laker-AMS is supported on the Sun Solaris, HP-UX, Microsoft Windows NT/2000/XP, and Linux platforms, while Laker is also supported on the above-mentioned platforms except the Windows environment. The promotional bundle price with Laker-AMS and Laker is available until the end of the year. Please contact Email Contact for more information.

About Silicon Canvas
Silicon Canvas is the technology leader for full custom layout solutions. The company develops the Laker suite of tools - a completely new technology founded on best practices in computer software engineering and a clear focus on nanometer design requirements for analog, mixed signal, large complex IC's, ASSP, SoC, and test key designs. Silicon Canvas' custom layout solutions provide more automation and high performance capabilities to any design project requiring the use of a more effective full custom layout solution. Customers' applications include processors, computing systems, networking, telecommunication and graphics.

NOTE: Silicon Canvas is a registered trademark and Laker, Magic Cell & Rule-Driven are trademarks of Silicon Canvas, Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For more information, please contact:
Silicon Canvas, Inc.
Hau-Yung Chen
Phone: +1 (408) 321-0888
FAX: +1 (408) 321-0880
E-mail: Email Contact
Website at http://www.sicanvas.com