Actel Unveils Development Ecosystem for Industry's First Mixed-Signal FPGAs

Application Notes, Boards, Partners, Software Tools and 99 IP Cores Support Fusion Programmable System Chips (PSCs)

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Jan. 17, 2006 -- Actel Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTL) today enhanced its Actel Fusion(TM) mixed-signal PSC offering with an ecosystem that supports power and thermal management applications. The Fusion Ecosystem enables customers to speed the development and reduce the complexity of designs based on Actel's revolutionary mixed-signal FPGAs. The award-winning Actel Fusion PSC devices, introduced last month, integrate digital logic, analog functionality, up to 8Mbits of embedded flash memory, and FPGA fabric on a single chip for a broad range of application areas that previously relied on costly and space-consuming discrete analog components or mixed-signal ASIC devices.

"The Fusion PSC device, with its high level of system integration, enables designers to quickly move from concept to completed design," said Yankin Tanurhan, senior director of applications and IP solutions at Actel. "The Fusion Ecosystem simplifies and accelerates design with exceptional application support. Actel will continue to improve this support while cultivating a network of partners to help improve the adoption of Fusion in the marketplace."

Extensive Ecosystem Supports PSC Implementation

Supporting its strong focus on specific applications for the Fusion product family, Actel has made available a range of application information. In December, Actel introduced eleven application notes and briefs with a power management focus as well as a power management demonstration design for the Fusion Starter Kit. Today, Actel is introducing additional application information with a focus on thermal management. There are three application briefs: one for thermal management, a DC/DC conversion brief and an LED backlight control document. Additionally, there is a thermal management demonstration design for the Fusion Starter Kit and an application note describing thermal monitoring techniques with Fusion.

The Fusion Ecosystem includes 99 IP cores to serve as building blocks for rapid system design. Two new DirectCores have been developed specifically for the Fusion platform. CoreCFI provides a flash memory interface, per the common flash interface standard, and CoreFMEE extends the life of the flash memory to emulate the high endurance of EEPROMs using the Fusion device's large internal flash memory. This offering also includes the Fusion Backbone IP, which in conjunction with Actel's SmartGen, provides a simple interface and configuration tool for Fusion analog and large nonvolatile memory systems.

The Actel Fusion Starter Kit, also introduced last month, is a comprehensive design environment that includes a development board, FlashPro3 programmer, power supply, software tools and reference designs for fast and easy implementation of Fusion devices.

Finally, the Fusion Ecosystem includes over 30 Solution Partners that provide geographical reach and additional application expertise as well as component and board-level knowledge. Ultimodule, Ishnatek and Monolithic Power are partners that provide support for Fusion with application briefs highlighting that company's products working with Fusion devices.

Customers can access the Fusion Ecosystem on the Web at www.actel.com and through Actel's worldwide sales team, Actel distribution partners and Fusion Solution Partners. For more information, please contact Actel.

The Fusion Programmable System Chips

The Actel Fusion PSCs are the industry's first mixed-signal FPGAs. Actel Fusion devices integrate mixed-signal analog, large flash memory blocks and FPGA fabric in a monolithic PSC, enabling designers to quickly move from concept to completed design and deliver feature-rich systems to market. The programmable devices also offer the flexibility of upgrades in the field.

About Actel

Actel Corporation is the leader in single-chip FPGA solutions. 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. For more information about Actel, visit http://www.actel.com . Telephone: 888-99-ACTEL (992-2835).