Arteris Counters Sonics Patent Infringement Claims

Retains Patent Litigation Counsel, Files Patent Infringement Claim Against SonicsGN (SGN) Interconnect, and Asserts Non-Infringement and Invalidity of Sonics Patents

SUNNYVALE, CA, Jan 27, 2012  -- Arteris, the inventor and leading supplier of network-on-chip (NoC) interconnect IP solutions, today announced that it has filed a complaint alleging that Sonics' newest product, SonicsGN (SGN), infringes Arteris patents. In addition, Arteris responded to the lawsuit that was filed by Sonics Inc. on November 1, 2011, asserting that it has not infringed the Sonics patents, and further that the Sonics patents are invalid. Arteris has retained a well-regarded patent litigation team at DLA Piper LLP, which has successfully represented numerous companies in hi-tech patent litigation, to act as its defense counsel and to prosecute its patent infringement claims against Sonics.

The Sonics patents asserted in its November 1, 2011 complaint are related to the old Sonics Silicon Backplane product, and do not apply to Arteris' true network on chip technology. Crossbar technologies were used in the semiconductor industry long before the existence of any Sonics patents, when on-chip crossbar switches were developed for communications applications in the 1980s. Conversely, Arteris network on chip interconnect IP is a distributed packet switching network which is significantly different than older crossbar-based hybrid bus technologies used in products like Sonics' SonicsSX (SSX) and SonicsLX (SLX).

Sonics Inc.'s newest "SonicsGN (SGN)" interconnect IP product appears to resemble Arteris' first-generation network on chip interconnect product, NoCSolution(TM). Similarities include use of network interface units for generating network packets, use of response and request networks to avoid communication deadlock, and use of globally asynchronous and locally synchronous (GALS) approaches to frequency domain management and other parameters. NoCSolution was first released by Arteris in 2005 while Sonics was focusing on its outmoded crossbar/bus technology. Since then, Arteris has released an enhanced and expanded network on chip interconnect IP product, Arteris FlexNoC(R), which has been adopted by the majority of mobility application processor vendors. Arteris has asserted two of its patents against the SonicsGN (SGN) product and is seeking damages and equitable relief.

Arteris has been delivering true, silicon-proven network on chip interconnect IP and tools since 2005 and has developed extensive knowhow, inventions and innovations, while procuring valuable trade secret, copyright, and patent rights protecting its technology.

"We are saddened that Sonics has chosen to try to make up for its deteriorating SoC project market share by initiating legal action," said K. Charles Janac, President and CEO of Arteris. "We intend to vigorously defend against Sonics' attempt to stifle Arteris' rapid market progress while simultaneously protecting our own extensive international network on chip intellectual property portfolio and market leading position."

About Arteris

Arteris, Inc. provides Network-on-Chip interconnect IP and tools to accelerate System-on-Chip semiconductor (SoC) assembly for a wide range of applications. Results obtained by using the Arteris product line include lower power, higher performance, more efficient design reuse and faster development of ICs, SoCs and FPGAs.

Founded by networking experts and offering the first commercially available Network-on-Chip IP products, Arteris operates globally with headquarters in Sunnyvale, California and an engineering center in Paris, France. Arteris is a private company backed by a group of international investors including ARM Holdings, Crescendo Ventures, DoCoMo Capital, Qualcomm Incorporated, Synopsys, TVM Capital, and Ventech. More information can be found at www.arteris.com .