Toshiba introduces the industry's first embedded 64-Bit MIPS CPU SLI ASIC core

TOSHIBA INTRODUCES THE INDUSTRY'S FIRST EMBEDDED 64-BIT MIPS CPU SLI ASIC CORE

Additional cores expand Toshiba's selection of optimal price/performance solutions

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 8, 2000 - Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) today introduced the TX49[tm] family of processor cores, the industry's first MIPS®-based, 64-bit embedded ASIC cores. The TX49H family, the latest in the company's TX SystemRISC[tm] series, supports MIPS III standards and demonstrates TAEC's continued development along the MIPS architecture. TAEC also introduced the TX39H2, a higher performance version of the company's 32-bit TX39[tm] family of cores. Both the TX39 and the TX49H processor cores are offered for use with TAEC's TC240 .25 micron ASIC process technology. By integrating the TX39 or TX49H processor cores with options into their ASIC designs, TAEC customers gain added system performance, and the optimum price performance for their requirements.

Toshiba's TX49 family of MIPS-based TX SystemRISC microprocessor cores is available with optional FPU (Floating Point Unit) and different sizes of cache. The TX49 cores feature up to 32 kilobytes (KB) instruction cache, 32KB data cache and operate at 150 Megahertz (MHz). The enhanced TX39H2 now offers100MHz performance.

"By offering 64-bit support, Toshiba continues to allow the customer more options to select the best level of price performance, particularly in the networking and communications markets," said Peter Richmond, director for SLI business development at TAEC. "The TX49 demonstrates our consistent embedded MIPS leadership, our expertise in SLI ASIC, and flexible solutions for our customers."

Toshiba's RISCASIC Strategy
In addition to its leadership in embedded memory technology, including dRAMASIC[tm], and SRAM, Toshiba utilizes its expertise from developing MIPS based ASSPs as the foundation for integrating CPU IP into SLI RISCASIC designs. The company offers a broad spectrum of cores from its TX SystemRISC processor family featuring ´32- to ´64-bit word widths, upward-compatible code and performance up to 180 MIPS. Toshiba also offers comprehensive design services to ensure that designers' risk is minimized and their designs are completed on time. The company's expert engineering staff, located at Technology Resource Centers throughout the world helps customers overcome design flow bottlenecks. Toshiba's SLI ASIC experts work as part of the customer's engineering team or execute independently to further optimize customer resources.

ASSP and ASIC Core Family
The TX SystemRISC product line addresses a wide range of applications with its 32-bit and 64-bit processor cores and ASSPs. Toshiba employs a modular design methodology based on a plug-and-play concept that streamlines the development of both ASSP and RISCASIC[tm] products to support applications such as laser printers, Win CE, set-top boxes, wireless multimedia terminals, switches, routers, and remote access devices. Complete system development support is also available from third-party partners. Toshiba's ASIC capabilities provide customers additional system integration options utilizing the TX SystemRISC core processors in the company's RISCASIC[tm] products.

Toshiba's latest SLI ASIC family is the TC260, designed for applications needing the highest performance with the smallest die size. The high density of the TC260 results from the combination of interconnect, gates, memory, and I/O structures. The 0.14-micron drawn geometry is ideal for systems above 150MHz, 2-million gates or those applications requiring the lowest power dissipation.

About Toshiba
Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) is the North American engineering, manufacturing, marketing and sales arm of Toshiba Semiconductor Company and Display Devices and Components Company. TAEC is recognized as one of the world's largest suppliers of semiconductor, electronic component and storage solutions. Toshiba's Semiconductor Company is one of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of semiconductor products including LSIs, microprocessors and controllers, and advanced memory products, in addition to discrete and bipolar components. The company is also responsible for global sales and marketing of other major electronic components including liquid crystal displays, color display and picture tubes, lithium-ion and other secondary batteries. For additional information, please visit TAEC's web site at, http://www.toshiba.com/taec.