15 March 2005

Knowlent Debuts Interface Verification Platform

Knowlent Corporation, a silicon-valley based Electronic Design Automation and Intellectual Property startup, has unveiled Opal – an electrical verification platform for high-speed interface verification.

Designers now have to thoroughly verify the electrical layer of the interface because this layer is most vulnerable to failures at higher speeds. Until now, interface verification offerings were limited to functional level. With Opal, electrical verification is now available to complement functional, explained the company. By providing persistent test bench setups for each specification measurement, consistent, reliable and complete coverage is obtained. A process that took weeks to complete is now accomplished in days with consistent results.

"Verification platforms and the verification IP market is established for the digital design side. There is now a very clear need for electrical verification platforms and the associated electrical verification IP", said Sandipan Bhanot, CEO of Knowlent Corporation. "We are fortunate to be leading this change in the industry with the support of our customers and partners."

Knowlent will be releasing Opal Electrical Verification Platforms for various standard interfaces in tandem with the customer demand. The company announced has so far released Opal PCI Express EVP and Opal Serial ATA EVP.

"ARM's high-speed PHYs are at the forefront of the high-performance interface IP market. Our customers hold us to a high standard of quality, and Knowlent's OPAL EVP tools play an important role in helping us achieve that standard," said Callan Carpenter, ARM's VP and GM of PHY Solutions. "The OPAL PCI Express EVP helped us save valuable time during the design of our 3G PHY, and introduced a measure of independence between the design and verification process - an important characteristic of any good verification strategy. We anticipate working closely with Knowlent as they develop EVPs to support additional interface standards."

Opal PCI Express and Opal Serial ATA EVPs are available now. Supported platforms include Solaris and Linux. Pricing starts at $65,000 for a one-year license.