Epson Renews Contract for Tensilica's Xtensa Configurable Processors

SANTA CLARA, CA, – February 13, 2006 – Tensilica, Inc. today announced that it had licensed its Xtensa configurable processors and XPRES Compiler to Seiko Epson Corporation (“Epson”).

“It is faster and easier to design complex SOCs using Xtensa configurable processors - especially when using the XPRES Compiler - than to hand-code complex SOC design elements in hardware using traditional RTL methods. Plus the Xtensa processors are programmable, so it will be valuable for future products and applications,” stated Katsuhiko Nishizawa, general manager of the IJP Design Department of the Imaging Products Operations Division of Seiko Epson Corporation.

Epson’s engineers configure and extend the Xtensa processors to exactly match their image processing applications. By optimizing the Xtensa processor for specific embedded imaging functions, Epson obtains performance vastly exceeding that of standard processor cores, allowing the use of processors in SOC design blocks previously not serviceable by conventional processor cores. This dramatically expands the role of processors in Epson’s state of the art SOC designs.

“This is yet another milestone in the growing adoption of Tensilica’s Xtensa processor architecture,” stated Chris Rowen, Tensilica’s president and CEO. “Epson’s compelling product leadership comes from leadership in the design methodologies used to create their electronics offerings. By broadly deploying a chip design methodology based on multiple Xtensa processors, Epson will speed new product designs to market.”

About Tensilica

Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the growing need for optimized, application-specific processor solutions in high-volume embedded applications. With a configurable and extensible processor core called Xtensa, Tensilica is the only company that has automated and patented the time-consuming process of generating a customized processor core along with a complete software development tool environment, producing new configurations in a matter of hours. For more information, visit www.tensilica.com.

About Epson

Epson is a global leader in imaging products including printers, projectors and LCDs. With an innovative and creative culture, Epson is dedicated to exceeding the vision and expectations of customers worldwide with products known for their superior quality, functionality, compactness and energy efficiency. Epson is a network of 98,480 employees in 107 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and to the communities in which it is located. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corp., the Group had consolidated sales of 1479.7 billion yen in fiscal 2004. For further information, visit Epson's website at http://www.epson.co.jp/e/.