Chipidea Data Converter Recognized For Leading-Edge Performance at Top Semiconductor Design Showcase

Chipidea Presented Paper to Prominent IC Engineers LISBON, Portugal--May 22, 2006--Chipidea®, the world leader in analog/mixed-signal merchant technology, recently presented a groundbreaking design for an analog-to-digital (ADC) converter to the world's top IC design engineers attending this year's IEEE International Solid State Circuit Conference (ISSCC) in San Francisco.

Chipidea's Data Conversion Solutions team presented the company's paper to hundreds of attendees at the conference, entitled "A 90nm CMOS 1.2V, 6-bit 1GS/s Two-Step Subranging ADC," an advanced ADC technology for new-generation data storage and wireless communication systems.

The ISSCC is a global forum for the presentation of technology advances in solid-state circuits and Systems-on-a-Chip (SoC). The conference is sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and gathers the top designers in the industry for a confab on cutting-edge IC design.

"Chipidea's continued success depends on our ability to supply customers with the most suitable IP solutions for specific applications," said Joao Vital, vice president of Data Converter Solutions for Chipidea. "As a result of our design team's forward thinking, we can provide one of the most advanced data converter designs the industry has seen. The effort underscores Chipidea's ability to maintain its position as the industry's leading analog and mixed-signal IP provider."

Market researcher Gartner Inc. ranked Chipidea as the leading Analog and Mixed-Signal IP player. "This was the reward from our customer's unwavering confidence in Chipidea", said Jose Franca, Chipidea's CEO. J. Franca highlighted Chipidea's commitment to Customers adding: "we commit to our customers' success with innovative solutions, reliable design, and dedicated engineer-to-engineer support during the specification phase, design validation, SoC integration, and market introduction. In this way, Chipidea offers customer's competitive solutions and enables fast time to market."

Chipidea's thorough design methodology contributes to the first-time right success rate of its designs. This one, built for a 90 nanometer CMOS process, is designed for 1.2 Volt supplied chips and offers an ultra-low power dissipation benchmark of 55 milliWatts. Despite the low power, the ADC samples at a rate of 1GHz per second, giving it the performance needed for targeted applications. And, with a core cell area of just 0.13mm2, it provides designers of digital ICs with a minimal silicon footprint for SoC solutions.

About Chipidea

Chipidea is the world's number one analog/mixed-signal merchant technology supplier targeting fast-growing market segments like wireless communications, digital media and consumer electronics. Chipidea supports blue-chip customers across the globe, has an impeccable reputation for delivering high-quality products and is known for its reliable execution. Chipidea licenses its technology to leading companies in these and other key markets, delivering everything from precision single-function blocks to full analog sub-systems. Chipidea employs more than 200 people in its research and development, and sales and marketing offices across Europe, Asia and North America.www.chipidea.com