Innovative Semiconductors introduces a silicon verified USB 2.0 480 MBS device controller core

This core together with the mixed-signal transceiver macrocell introduced last year provides all the building blocks necessary to design USB 2.0 peripherals

Mountain View, Calif., -- April 2, 2001 -- Innovative Semiconductors, Inc. (Innovative) announced today the availability of its USB 2.0 Device Controller. The SL250 USB Core is a USB 2.0 device controller compliant with the USB 2.0 Specification and has been verified in the ISD-300 high-speed bridge. The ISD-300, designed by In-System Design Inc. (ISD), has successfully met the compliance testing standards set by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) for inclusion in its Integrators List. The ISD-300 was the first peripheral bridge solution to pass the USB-IF high-speed compliance testing.

This core together with the SL200 USB 2.0 Mixed-Signal Transceiver Macrocell introduced last year provides Innovative's customers with all the building blocks necessary to build USB 2.0 peripherals. Innovative's family of USB Macrocells is designed for use in computer and consumer peripheral products such as cameras, storage devices, printers, scanners, TV Video Recorders and Internet appliances. These building blocks offer semiconductor and system manufacturers a cost-effective, scaleable architecture that makes Innovative's technology ideal for designing next-generation multimedia PC systems.

The demand for higher throughput on peripheral devices has become crucial with the increasing multimedia content in PCs, such as real-time video, the digitization of information and the convergence of PC and consumer electronics. The high-bandwidth Universal Serial Bus 2.0 was designed to enable the market for high-resolution videoconferencing cameras, next-generation scanners and printers, secondary storage, and other high-speed PC peripherals. Innovative's USB high-speed serial bus technology fuels this industry trend by featuring real-time data transfer at rates of up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps).

Innovative's video product line has gained acceptance among some of the world leaders in the Video and Communications markets such as 3Dfx, Conexant, Evans & Sutherland, IBM, iCompression, Infineon, NASA (JPL), Nvidia, LSI Logic, Oki, Micron Technology, S3, ST-Microelectronics, Samsung, and Trident. Innovative's superior video and data communication technology has been designed in a variety of applications ranging from PCs, PC peripherals, set top boxes to satellites.

"The availability of this silicon-proven USB macrocell will shorten the design cycle for a USB system on a chip design." said Jason Ziller, Intel technology initiatives manager and Chairman of the USB Implementers Forum. "By offering silicon intellectual property that has been used in a certified USB high-speed peripheral bridge device, Innovative will help accelerate the adoption of USB in high speed peripheral applications."

Nabil Takla, president and CEO of Innovative said, "This logic core together with our mixed-signal transceiver provide our customers with all the building blocks necessary to design USB 2.0 peripherals." Takla continued, "The introduction of this silicon verified core should shorten the time to market for our licensees with certified USB 2.0 products."

"ISD has established a leadership position in the mass storage market with its USB bridge technology," noted Lynn Watson, CEO of ISD. "Our relationship with Innovative leverages our intellectual property through a complete design solution for markets where the speed advantages of USB 2.0 clearly have an impact: video, set top boxes, and Internet appliances."

Innovative has achieved a series of high-profile design wins for its FlexFiretm IEEE-1394 Macrocells such as Infineon Technologies, Jet Propulsion Labs, Oki Semiconductor and Samsung Electronics. Innovative's Analog 400 MHz 1394 PHY Macrocell has been verified in silicon almost two years ago and has been ported to several process technologies. Innovative has leveraged its transceiver and Phase Lock Loop technology to quickly design the Mixed-signal UTMI Macrocell.

The SL250 is available in synthesizable RTL, and includes a comprehensive test bench, validation suite, synthesis scripts, and user documentation. The Analog Front End is process technology specific and are available in .25u and .18u Digital CMOS processes.

About Innovative Semiconductors, Inc.
Established in 1992, Innovative Semiconductors, Inc. develops Intellectual Property (IP) Macrocells, the building blocks for developing high-performance ICs and chip sets for video and communications applications. The company's products include Macrocells that support the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, the IEEE-1394 standard, the Video Interface Port (VIP2) standard and Video Compression standards. The company's customers include 3Dfx, Agilent, Conexant, Evans & Sutherland, Creative Technologies, IBM, iCompression, Infineon, Mitel, NASA (JPL), Nvidia, LSI Logic, Oki, Mentor Graphics, Micron Technology, S3, ST-Microelectronics, Samsung, Standard Microsystems and Trident. The company is a member of the USB-Implementers Forum, and Synopsys IP Catalyst Alliance. Innovative Semiconductors is located at 465 Fairchild Drive, Suite 228, Mountain View, CA 94043. Phone: (650) 934-0170, email: info@isi96.com. For more information about Innovative Semiconductors, Inc., please access the company's web site at http://www.isi96.com.

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Editors note: FlexFire is a trademark of Innovative Semiconductors, Inc. All other brand or product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.