Fukuoka Intelligent Cluster Laboratory Chooses eASIC’s Nextreme Devices for its Unique System-in-Package (SiP) Development

The Nextreme 90nm Structured ASIC delivered the fast turnaround, low-cost and low-power required for the SiP implementation

Santa Clara, California and Fukuoka, Japan, January 29, 2007 - eASIC Corporation, a provider of Structured ASIC devices and Configurable Logic IP, today announced that Fukuoka Intelligent Cluster Laboratory for Emerging and Enabling Technology of SoC (FLEETS), a technology research institute (Japan) selected eASIC’s Nextreme family of 90nm Structured ASIC devices for its unique System in Package (SiP) product. eASIC delivered to FLEETS on time the Nextreme product in both bare dice and packaged devices modes. FLEETS and eASIC have joined forces and combined their breakthrough technologies to enable rapid implementation of SiP system using a Structured ASIC fabric, delivering flexibility and affordability for mass usage. FLEETS choose eASIC’s Nextreme family due to its high performance, low power and ease-of-design features in addition to the advantages of no NRE and low unit cost.

The product being developed by FLEETS’ is of great significance, as SiP technology is challenging System-on-Chip implementations as a high-level design strategy for selected wireless applications due to lengthening design cycles and other deep submicron issues. The FLEETS team successfully resolved the SiP related manufacturing and design-tool issues and presented it as a viable solution on a configurable fabric. The power of SiP is in the ability to bring together various IC, packaging and test technologies to create highly integrated products with optimized cost, size and performance.

“FLEETS always looks for innovative technology and products that can provide a cost-effective and timely solution to cope with existing design challenges,” said Masato Tsuru, Science & Technology Coordinator of FLEETS. “By using the fast turnaround Nextreme devices together with our SiP technologies, we were able to significantly speed up the product development cycle, achieving our target performance and moreover, saving the NRE cost. These benefits allowed us to get to market with a functioning board, on schedule and on budget.”

“The powerful combination of ASIC product features with FPGA design flexibility, while eliminating NRE cost, makes Nextreme a perfect solution for Fukuoka Intelligent Cluster Laboratory,” said Salah Werfelli, eASIC Vice President of Customer Operations. “By removing the cost and time barriers of design entry, we allowed Fukuoka Intelligent Cluster Laboratory to take advantage of our innovative technology in order to develop their breakthrough SiP solution that can serve a wide range of users. Both companies aim to answer the customers’ critical needs and strive to allow for affordable semiconductor devices in order to further promote innovation and industry growth. We are pleased and honored to help our customers gain leading positions in their market space and thereafter share the success.”

About eASIC

eASIC is a fabless semiconductor company offering breakthrough Structured ASIC devices and Configurable Logic IP aimed at dramatically reducing the overall fabrication cost and time of customized semiconductor chips. Low-cost, high-performance and fast-turn ASIC and System-on-Chip designs are enabled through patented technology of FPGA-like programmable logic coupled with ASIC-like Via-layer customizable routing. This innovative fabric efficiently employs mask-less customization with Direct-write e-Beam, and thus allows eASIC to offer NRE-free Structured ASICs. Founded in 1999, eASIC Corporation is privately held, headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Investors include Vinod Khosla, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers (KPCB), Crescendo Ventures, and Evergreen Partners. www.eASIC.com

About Fukuoka intelligent cluster Laboratory for Emerging and Enabling Technology of SoC (FLEETS)

FLEETS is organized as a central institute of research activities, as part of a large scope initiative of Fukuoka Innovative Cluster Creation Project named CLUSS (CLUSter for Silicon Sea Belt). The goal of this project was to establish a leading research and development center of advanced technologies on SoC design in the Silicon Sea Belt, which includes Korea, Kyushu, Taiwan, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. This area is positioned to be the world largest market of products of Information Technology in the next decade and has already been the world largest production center of semiconductor businesses.
FLEETS is located at the Institute of System LSI Design Industry, Fukuoka, 3-8-33, Momochihama, Sawara-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. The Fukuoka intelligent cluster Laboratory is funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology. www.fleets.jp