SAN JOSE, CA–( EMWNews – April 7, 2008) – Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS),

the leader in global electronic-design innovation, today announced that

Seiko NPC Corporation successfully taped out a complex audio DSP design

using

Cadence® Encounter® Test Architect and

Encounter RTL Compiler global synthesis technologies. Using the industry

award-winning Encounter Test Architect and Cadence Encounter RTL Compiler,

Seiko NPC designers were able to automatically insert, synthesize and

validate the DFT infrastructure of a leading-edge design, greatly

accelerating design time, reducing risk and enabling a higher degree of

architectural exploration.

“The joint use of Encounter Test Architect and Encounter RTL Compiler

global synthesis enabled our design team to hand-off a fully testable audio

DSP design, including a complex clock architecture, high-speed multiplier

and many memories, in less time, allowing us to meet our schedule, quality

and cost goals,” said Akehito Gunji, EDA engineering manager at Seiko NPC.

“Encounter Test Architect and Encounter RTL Compiler enabled greater

optimization, providing a back-to-back logic and test synthesis

environment.”

Seiko NPC’s experience underscores that a highly integrated design

environment creates multiple points of benefit, often capitalizing on the

benefits achieved at previous design stages. For instance, by applying

Encounter RTL Compiler physical technology, Seiko NPC was able to achieve

better timing convergence during physical implementation. In addition, an

Encounter Test Architect XOR compression macro was inserted during

synthesis enabling significant test data volume reduction which led to

reduced manufacturing costs. Also, Seiko NPC was able to rigorously test

embedded memories in the design using the Memory Built-In Self Test (MBIST)

capability in Encounter Test Architect.

“Using Cadence Encounter Test Architect and Encounter RTL Compiler with

global synthesis, customers such as Seiko NPC are able to experience

significant benefits in automation, risk reduction, design time and design

optimization,” said Nimish Modi, corporate vice president of the Cadence

Front End Design Group. “This is a powerful proof of the benefits of a

highly integrated design environment.”

Encounter Test Architect is a complete solution to insert, synthesize and

validate a full-chip DFT infrastructure. These basic methodologies include

scan insertion using Encounter RTL Compiler with global synthesis

technology; top-level I/O test structures, including IEEE 1149.1 boundary

scan; on-chip compression with multiple input signature register (MISR)

architecture or exclusive-or (XOR)-based architectures; and memory BIST

solutions.

Encounter Test Architect and Encounter RTL Compiler with global synthesis

technology are key components of the Cadence Logic Design Team Solution and digital

implementation user segments. They are both available in L, XL, and GXL

offerings.

From Encounter RTL Compiler 7.2 version, all the Encounter Test Architect

based original DFT capabilities have been integrated into the Encounter RTL

Compiler platform. Using this new Encounter RTL Compiler based logic-test

synthesis platform, the users will be able to run through the logic and

test synthesis flow in one pass at ease. More developments are on the way

to make this new logic-test synthesis platform stronger and easier to use.

About Cadence

Cadence enables global electronic-design innovation and plays an essential

role in the creation of today’s integrated circuits and electronics.

Customers use Cadence software and hardware, methodologies, and services to

design and verify advanced semiconductors, consumer electronics, networking

and telecommunications equipment, and computer systems. Cadence reported

2007 revenues of approximately $1.6 billion, and has approximately 5,300

employees. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with sales

offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world to serve

the global electronics industry. More information about the company, its

products, and services is available at www.cadence.com.

Cadence and Encounter are registered trademarks, and the Cadence logo is a

trademark, of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the

property of their respective owners.