Chipidea, Chartered Collaborate to Offer Advanced Mixed-Signal IP at 65nm

Update: MIPS Technologies Acquires Chipidea (August 27, 2007)

IP Provider, Foundry Extend Long-term Relationship to Accelerate Availability of Proven Analog/Mixed-Signal IP

LISBON, Portugal -- July 18, 2006 -- Chipidea announced today it has extended its long-term relationship with Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (Nasdaq: CHRT and SGX-ST: Chartered), one of the world's top dedicated semiconductor foundries, to qualify key analog/mixed-signal intellectual property (IP) blocks for Chartered customers on Common Platform technology at 65 nanometer (nm).

The effort expands the existing relationship between the two companies by working to offer customers of Chipidea's Data Conversion Solutions and USB physical layer IP a proven path to working silicon on Chartered's advanced 65nm process technology offerings. By having proven IP at this technology node, the companies' mutual customers can achieve high-yield results earlier in the silicon cycle, enabling them to bring new designs to market more quickly.

"As part of our commitment to providing a complete design enablement ecosystem, it is important that we offer support for advanced analog/mixed-signal IP solutions. Working closely with suppliers such as Chipidea, we can ensure the IP is silicon-proven to mitigate risk and streamline time to market in the competitive markets where this functionality is essential," said Kevin Meyer, vice president of worldwide marketing and platform alliances at Chartered. "We have a long-standing relationship with Chipidea and appreciate its track record for ensuring quality IP to enable our joint customers' success."

Chipidea has a diversity of analog and mixed-signal designs- from precision single-function blocks to complete analog subsystems - that enable customers to benefit from engaging one IP vendor for much of their critical analog and mixed-signal IP. The IP provider has an excellent track record for proven silicon results at Chartered. Dating back to 2002 and extending over five process generations, Chipidea's IP has been an important component of advanced designs of USB and Data Conversion technology by customers of Chartered.

"Both Chartered and Chipidea understand that it is paramount for enabling continuous process evolution to have early access to advanced technology and be ready when the most aggressive customers need silicon-proven results," said Jose-Maria Moniz, Vice President of Customer Services and Communications. "The expansion of our working relationship helps both companies' customers reduce time to market by having important IP blocks ready for system-on-chip integration. Relationships such as these demonstrate why the Chipidea portfolio keeps expanding in smaller, advanced process nodes."

Chipidea is now working on 65nm high-speed data converters that will be submitted to Chartered during the third quarter of fiscal year 2006. These converters are conceived to serve the SoC integration trend in the increasingly expanding markets of Broadband Wireless Communications and Multimedia Systems.

Additionally, Chipidea's USB 2.0 High-Speed OTG physical layer (PHY) mixed-signal IP in 65nm is in design. This will be the fourth generation of Chipidea's USB 2.0s available on Chartered processes.

Chipidea has already designed a complement of similar DACs and ADCs available now for Chartered customers on Common Platform technology at 90nm. Some are already in silicon, while others have been released to Chartered for fabrication. A USB 2.0 High-Speed OTG PHY design for the 90nm low-power process node has also been completed and released to Chartered.

About Chipidea

Chipidea is the world's number one analog/mixed-signal merchant technology supplier targeting fast-growing market segments like wireless communications, digital media and consumer electronics. Chipidea supports blue-chip customers across the globe, has an impeccable reputation for delivering high-quality products and is known for its reliable execution. Chipidea licenses its technology to leading companies in these and other key markets, delivering everything from precision single-function blocks to full analog sub-systems. Chipidea employs more than 230 people in its research and development, and sales and marketing offices across Europe, Asia and North America. Information about Chipidea can be found at www.chipidea.com