Actel Adds LIN and CAN Cores to Extensive Library of IP for Automotive FPGAs

Intelliga Integrated Design's Cores Meet Performance and Reliability Standards in Actel's ProASIC^PLUS, Axcelerator, SX/SX-A and RTSX-S Devices

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., February 9, 2004 - Strengthening its extensive portfolio of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) intellectual property (IP) cores targeting automotive applications, Actel Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTL) today announced the immediate availability of new local interconnect network (LIN) and controller area network (CAN) cores to support its automotive- and industrial-temperature grade devices. Available from Intelliga Integrated Design, a new Actel CompanionCore partner, the iLIN and iCAN cores meet reliability and performance standards in Actel's ProASIC^PLUS, Axcelerator, SX/SX-A and RTSX-S devices. Actel's offering of IP specifically designed and optimized for in-cab and under-the-hood automotive applications now boasts more than 30 cores including LIN, CAN, I2C, SPI, 8051, Z80, 6809, Reed Solomon and DES/3DES/AES.

"With the inherent benefits of our nonvolatile FPGA technologies and our long history of delivering highly reliable solutions for extreme temperatures, Actel is uniquely positioned to deliver products that supply the quality and durability needed for the harsh automotive environment," said Yankin Tanurhan, senior director, applications and IP solutions group at Actel. "Teaming with Intelliga to provide a cost-effective LIN core and a new high-performance CAN core, we have expanded our extensive portfolio of pre-verified automotive IP to reduce design time when using our automotive-grade FPGAs, including our new flash-based ProASIC^PLUS automotive products."

Steve Ede, marketing director at Intelliga, said, "Uniquely live at power-up and highly secure, Actel's single-chip FPGAs are ideally suited to support our automotive IP. The combination of our iLIN and iCAN cores and Actel's automotive-temperature grade FPGAs easily delivers performance within margins, and provides the ability to integrate multiple design elements into a one-chip solution, reducing an application's component count and cost. As a new member of the Actel CompanionCore program, we look forward to enhancing our product offering to meet the needs of Actel's automotive customers."

Intelliga's iLIN and iCAN cores have been ported to support Actel's broad range of automotive grade FPGAs, including the ProASIC^PLUS (see related announcement today entitled, "Actel Drives Flash into Automotive Applications") and SX-A families as well as the industrial temperature grade Axcelerator devices. Qualified to operate at ambient temperatures from -40 degrees C to 125 degrees C and junction temperatures up to 150 degrees C, Actel's automotive temperature FPGA devices function at some of the highest temperatures among competitive FPGA solutions.

The Intelliga iLIN core is a standalone LIN Rev 1.3 compliant design, which performs all MAC/PHY logical functions and provides a simple interface to LIN transceiver chips such as the Philips TJA1020. The core's ultra-low gate count and flexible system interface make it ideally suited to the LIN concept as a low-cost accompaniment to the CAN bus in automotive applications. The iLIN hardware interface contains all the functionality expected from a LIN master/slave controller core that minimizes software overhead.

Intelliga's iCAN core is a full hardware solution that conforms to version 2.0B of the CAN specification and performs all MAC functions. The gate-efficient, well-partitioned design is suited for integration within low-power devices. With this core, Actel now offers more than 10 CAN cores for a variety of application requirements.

Pricing and Availability

The iLIN and iCAN IP cores are available for purchase directly from Intelliga with prices starting at $6500. A broad line of automotive FPGA devices is available now from Actel. For more information about Actel's automotive solutions, please visit the Actel Web site at http://www.actel.com/products/auto/index.html.

Actel DirectCore and CompanionCore Solutions

Actel offers its own system-level IP solutions, called DirectCores, specifically designed and optimized for use with Actel devices. The company also offers third-party IP blocks, called CompanionCores, which have been tested and verified in Actel FPGAs. Covering applications ranging from embedded systems to consumer and communications, the cores offered include bus interfaces, communication controllers and interfaces, processors and peripherals, encryption, memory controllers as well as multimedia and error correction. Actel DirectCores and CompanionCore products offer seamless implementation through Actel's suite of internal and third-party EDA development tools, documentation, and quality service and support, thereby streamlining the design process, enabling faster time-to-market and minimizing design costs and risks. For more information on the CompanionCore Alliance Program, DirectCores or CompanionCores, visit the IP section on the Actel Web site at http://www.actel.com/products/ip/index.html.

About Actel

Actel Corporation is a supplier of innovative programmable logic solutions, including field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) based on antifuse and flash technologies, high-performance intellectual property (IP) cores, software development tools and design services, targeted for the high-speed communications, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) replacement and radiation-tolerant markets. Founded in 1985, Actel employs approximately 500 people worldwide. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol ACTL and is headquartered at 2061 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, Calif., 94043-4655. Telephone: 888-99-ACTEL (992-2835). Internet: http://www.actel.com.

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