Adamya Technologies and Tensilica Inc. Announce Sub $5 Bluetooth Functionality

December 11, 2001, Bluetooth Developers Conference, San Francisco, Calif. -- Adamya Technologies, Inc., a leader in wireless and DSP system development, and Tensilica Inc., the leading supplier of configurable processor cores for embedded system-on-chip (SOC) applications, jointly announce the availability of the C-Blue? Bluetooth application solution package for Tensilica's Xtensa® configurable microprocessor architecture.  This solution enables designers to incorporate Bluetooth functionality into their end systems and systems-on-chip (SOCs).

The Bluetooth 1.1 compliant software baseband and stack was developed through the combination of special hardware to accelerate the baseband and protocol functions created in the Tensilica Instruction Extension ("TIE") language, and an optimized implementation of the Adamya's Bluetooth software that utilizes the special hardware.

Traditionally Bluetooth solutions have been developed utilizing either standard products or dedicated hardwired logic in ASICs.  The standard product approach requires dedicated components that add significant cost and consume valuable printed circuit board real estate.  The use of hardwired logic in ASICs creates integration and verification challenges with a resulting increase in development time.  By contrast, the Xtensa C-Blue package is a processor-based solution that facilitates SOC integration and simplified verification through standard software development tools.

Key Features and Benefits
The use of TIE customized hardware instructions results in an extremely efficient implementation that requires an average of only 8 MHz to run both the baseband and protocol stack functions.  Combined with other application solution packages such as the Dolby Digital (AC-3) and MP3 audio decoders, highly-integrated, cost effective SOCs for consumer applications (digital imaging; set top boxes, wireless handsets and PDAs) can be quickly developed.  Designers can now meet the critical sub $5 cost point in their SOC designs through utilizing the Xtensa C-Blue package in conjunction with an external Blue RF compliant radio.

"Low cost and power are the key factors in developing Bluetooth products," stated Bernie Rosenthal, Tensilica's senior vice president of marketing and business development.  "By exploiting the configurability and extensibility of the Xtensa architecture, Adamya has been able to create an exceptional Bluetooth package that delivers on both. Tensilica's customers will benefit from a processor based Bluetooth solution that can be combined with other Xtensa based functions to create highly integrated and differentiated SOC designs while meeting demanding cost and time to market demands."

"We are excited to be partnered with Tensilica to create an optimized version of our Bluetooth Solutions suite on the Xtensa processor.   It makes possible a huge array of Bluetooth products in segments including Consumer Electronics, Human Interface devices, and computer peripherals.  These segments can now benefit from low power and cost through SOC integration with this combination," said Vikas Gurugunti, Adamya's senior vice president of strategic partnerships.

Additionally, Adamya has joined the Tensilica Xtensions? Network third-party partnership program as an Application Software partner.  The mission of the Xtensions Network is to assemble and make available a broad spectrum of "best-in-class technologies" to Xtensa technology users.  To date, the Xtensions Network numbers 24 partners, including real-time operating system (RTOS) companies, vertical-market application software specialists, and design services firms providing a solution-rich range of products and services that support Tensilica's robust processor ecosystem.

Background on Xtensa IV
The Xtensa IV processor core provides a powerful, integrated hardware and software development environment with thousands of configuration options and an unlimited range of customer-specific extensions.  The environment enables designers to carefully tune the processor for specific functionality.  Using a highly intuitive graphical interface, designers can take advantage of Tensilica's processor generator to create customized system-on-chip devices containing one or more Xtensa cores, each with specialized functions and instructions.  Because these instructions are recognized as "native" by software, developers can simultaneously tune both application software and processor hardware to meet specific speed, power and feature goals.

The Xtensa processor typically achieves a worst-case operating frequency of 200 MHz when implemented in standard cell methodology SOCs in 0.18-micron semiconductor processes.

Application Solution packages for the Xtensa processor
Unlike application software solutions for conventional, rigid processors and processor cores that are "software only" solutions, application solution packages for the Xtensa processor consist of both optimized software and hardware extensions to the processor to accelerate the application code.  Applications running on the Xtensa core outperform the same application running on conventional processor cores because the Xtensa processor itself is "tuned" for the target application. The Admaya C-Blue solution for the Xtensa processor is an example of such a package of both hardware and software.

Pricing and Availability
The C-Blue Bluetooth baseband and protocol stack is available now for license from Adamya Technologies.  The pricing is based on a license fee per design plus royalties and starts at $350,000.  Contact Adamya Technologies Inc. for detailed pricing information. Tensilica's pricing structure is based on a license fee per design instance plus royalties and is dependent upon the volume of processors manufactured.  Contact Tensilica for pricing information.

About Adamya Technologies, Inc.
Adamya specializes in delivering Wireless solutions on a chip, which leverages the in-house expertise in the areas of Digital Signal Processing, Networking and Communications and Platform technologies (RTOS, Embedded Java Virtual Machine). Adamya has a concrete roadmap to bring out products and solutions in Wireless Communication space (Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, HiperLan-2). Since its inception in 1996, the company has registered many IPs in the above fields and has delivered many solutions with small footprint to the market.  Adamya is located in Milpitas, California  (95035) at 504 Valley Way, and can be reached at (408) 946-5030 or via www.adamya.com on the World Wide Web.

About Tensilica
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 Santa Clara, California; Burlington, Massachusetts; Princeton, NJ; Houston, 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.

Editors Notes:

• "Tensilica" and "Xtensa" are registered trademarks and "Xtensions" is a trademark belonging to Tensilica Inc.
• Tensilica's announced licensees are Avision, Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Conexant Systems, Fujitsu Ltd., Hughes Network Systems, Ikanos Communications, JNI Corporation, Marvell (Galileo Technology), Mindspeed Technologies, National Semiconductor, NEC Networks, NEC Solutions, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT), ONEX Communications, Osaka & Kyoto Universities, TranSwitch Corporation, Victor Company of Japan and ZiLOG.
•  "C-Blue" and C-BlueBase" are trademarks of Adamya Technologies Inc.
• "Bluetooth" is a trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. USA.
• "Dolby" is a registered trademark and "AC-3" is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories.

 

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