Tensilica's Xtensa® Processor Core Validated in New IBM IP Program

IBM names Tensilica® First Member at the Launch of its New Blue Logic IP Collaboration Program
 

March 5, 2002, Santa Clara, California - Tensilica, Inc., the leading supplier of configurable and extensible processor intellectual property (IP) cores, today announced that it has become the first member of a new IBM program for third-party IP providers called IBM Blue Logic IP Collaboration Program. Additionally, the company announced that its Xtensa processor core has already been proven in IBM's Blue Logic ASIC design methodology for SA27E 0.18-micron process technology, and will be proven for IBM's advanced Cu-11 0.13-micron process technology via customer tape outs this calendar quarter.

The new program, announced by IBM today, (www.ibm.com/chips), was created to promote close working relationships with leading third-party Intellectual Property vendors. It was also established to advance customer utilization of cores that have been proven in production in IBM Microelectronics' ASIC technologies. Tensilica's breakthrough technology is seeing unprecedented market acceptance, and has been successfully implemented in numerous products designed in IBM's ASIC design methodology.

The Xtensa processor is horizontal technology that can be optimized for a range of applications from telecommunications to cost sensitive consumer products. Many customers have found Tensilica's flexible processor architecture a powerful solution for multiple processor designs where each unique Xtensa instance on a system-on-chip (SOC) can be tuned for high performance of a specific system function.

"Tensilica and IBM have several shared customers. With this program, both companies are committed to work even closer to develop streamlined flows for customers creating and optimizing SOCs with Xtensa configurable and extensible embedded processors in IBM's technology," said Bernie Rosenthal, Tensilica's senior vice president for Marketing and Business Development. "We're also pleased to note that we currently have several common customer designs in volume production."

"Through this program, we're giving customers a wider range of options to designing and manufacturing ASICs, certainly in high-end designs, long IBM's specialty, but also in mid-tier designs where we are growing our offerings and focusing additional attention," said Tom Reeves, vice president, custom logic, IBM Microelectronics.
 
 
 

About IBM
IBM Microelectronics is a key contributor to IBM's role as the world's premier information technology supplier. IBM Microelectronics develops, manufactures and markets state-of-the-art semiconductor technologies, products, packaging and services. Its superior integrated solutions can be found in many of the world's best-known electronic brands. For more information on IBM ASIC offerings and services, visit http://www.ibm.com/chips .
 
 

About Tensilica, Inc.
Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the fast-growing market for configurable processors and software development tools for high volume, embedded systems. Using the company's proprietary Xtensa Processor Generator, system-on-chip (SOC) designers can develop a processor subsystem hardware design and a complete software development tool environment tailored to their specific requirements in hours. Tensilica's solutions provide a proven, easy-to-use, methodology that enables designers to achieve optimum application performance in minimum design time. The Company has over 140 engineers engaged in research, development, and customer support from its offices in in Santa Clara, California; Burlington, Massachusetts; Princeton, NJ; Austin, Texas; Raleigh, NC; Oxford, U.K.; Stockholm, Sweden; Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.; and Yokohama, Japan. Tensilica is headquartered in Santa Clara, California  (95054) at 3255-6 Scott Boulevard, and can be reached at (408) 986-8000 or via www.tensilica.com on the World Wide Web.

### ### ###

Contacts:

	Tensilica, Inc.		Tensilica, Inc.		IBM Microelectronics
	Kim Alfaro		Joany Draeger, Tanis Communications, Inc.		Cary Ziter, Media Relations
	+972-9-7676226		650 365 3395		( 845) 892-5005
	kim@tensilica.com		joany@taniscomm.com		cziter@us.ibm.com

Editors  Notes:

"Tensilica" and "Xtensa" are registered trademarks belonging to Tensilica, Inc. All other registered trademarks or
trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Tensilica's announced licensees are Avision, Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Conexant Systems, FUJIFILM Microdevices, Fujitsu Ltd., Hughes Network Systems, IC4IC, Ikanos Communications, JNI Corporation, Marvell (Galileo Technology), Mindspeed Technologies, National Semiconductor, NEC Networks, NEC Solutions, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT), ONEX Communications, OptiX Networks, Osaka & Kyoto Universities, TranSwitch Corporation, Victor Company of Japan (JVC) and ZiLOG.