Artisan Components' Libraries Selected By empowerTel Networks For Use In Industry's First Convergence Processors

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 3, 2002--Artisan Components, Inc., (Nasdaq: ARTI - news), a leading provider of semiconductor intellectual property (IP), today announced that empowerTel Networks, the first company to develop and deliver convergence processors enabling a new generation of multi-service platforms, selected Artisan's industry-standard memory generators and standard cell library to develop its award winning MediaXpress(TM) family of convergence processors. The MediaXpress processor with integrated MediaFlow(TM) software is the first convergence processor optimized to provide an unparalleled combination of high-capacity, low-latency, real-time packet processing solutions that enable network equipment vendors to deliver cost-effective, carrier-grade, multi-service platforms.

Artisan's products, optimized for speed and density, enabled empowerTel to meet their products' demanding performance targets and provided them with superior RTL-to-GDSII results. In addition, empowerTel gained access to a single library source that quickly moved them from design to production without worrying about incompatibilities.

"empowerTel's MediaXpress convergence processor family is designed to seamlessly interface to industry-standard DSPs for voice and video processing and incorporates additional standard interfaces including PCI, CT/H.110 and Fast Ethernet," said Dr. David Chang, vice president of engineering at empowerTel. "Artisan's broad product offerings enabled our designers to have confidence that they can simply drop the libraries into our designs and they would work with the process and foundry we chose."

"Artisan is pleased our semiconductor IP provided successful solutions for empowerTel's MediaXpress processors, which was just awarded Communications Solutions(TM) Magazine's Product of the Year Award for its innovative technology," said Neal Carney, vice president of marketing at Artisan Components. "The use of Artisan products provided a design flow that allowed them to quickly get to market with a family of convergence processors, with exceptional value propositions for next-generation media servers, media gateways and multi-service switches."

About Artisan Components

Artisan Components, Inc., (Nasdaq: ARTI - news), is a world leader in semiconductor intellectual property (IP) components, providing high-quality solutions for many of the world's leading semiconductor foundries, fabless IC companies, integrated device manufacturers and ASIC vendors. Artisan's Process-Perfect(TM) memory generators, standard cell and I/O libraries are optimized to achieve the full-speed, density and power potential of each semiconductor process and are delivered as full solutions, ready to use with industry-standard design environments.

Artisan Components is a registered trademark and Artisan, Process-Perfect and SAGE-X are trademarks of Artisan Components, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact:
     Artisan Components, Inc.
     Barry Katcher, 408/548-3171 (Corporate Communications)
     bkatcher@artisan.com
     Joyce Chowla, 408/548-3122 (Investor Relations)
     joyce@artisan.com