Espressif Systems Internet of Things WiFi Chips Employ Cadence Tensilica Xtensa Low-Power Processor for Control and DSP

SAN JOSE, Calif., January 28, 2014—Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS) today announced that Espressif Systems has utilized the Cadence^® Tensilica^® Xtensa^® processor in its ESP8089 and ESP8266 WiFi chips that are optimized for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The Xtensa processor, customized by Espressif to achieve the best power, performance and area results, is used both as a digital signal processor and control processor with a real-time operating system (RTOS) that runs Espressif’s WiFi and TCP/IP stacks and other application software.

For more information on the Xtensa processor, visit www.cadence.com/xtensa.

“With a rapid customization of the 32-bit ultra-low power Xtensa processor, we were able to combine the control and DSP functions into one very efficient core, conserving power and area for these very space-constrained designs,” said Teo Swee Ann, CEO of Espressif Systems. “We also utilized ultra-low voltage technology, dynamic frequency and voltage scaling, and an advanced power-control algorithm to achieve standby power consumption of less than 1.0mW and unrivaled 30uA RTC deep-sleep current consumption.”

The advantages of the Tensilica Xtensa processor include:

• The capability to integrate both performance-intensive digital signal processing (DSP) and embedded control processing functions in a single core
• The patented automated Xtensa Processor Generator, which allows designers to create differentiated features with the lowest possible power/area

About Cadence
Cadence enables global electronic design innovation and plays an essential role in the creation of today’s integrated circuits and electronics. Customers use Cadence software, hardware, IP, and services to design and verify advanced semiconductors, consumer electronics, networking and telecommunications equipment, and computer systems. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world to serve the global electronics industry. More information about the company, its products, and services is available at www.cadence.com.