Innovative Semiconductors is the first IP Company to offer the universal serial bus (USB 2.0) 480 MHz Signal UTMI Macrocell

Mountain View, Calif., -- October 10, 2000 -- Innovative Semiconductors, Inc. (Innovative) announced today the availability of its USB 2.0 Transceiver Macrocell. The SL200 USB Transceiver Macrocell is a Mixed-Signal design compliant with the USB Transceiver Macrocell Interface (UTMI) Specifications released by Intel. Innovative’s family of USB Macrocells is designed for use in computer and consumer peripheral products such as cameras, storage devices, printers, scanners, TV Video Recorders and Internet appliances. These building blocks offer semiconductor and system manufacturers a cost-effective, scaleable architecture that makes Innovative’s technology ideal for designing next-generation multimedia PC systems.

The demand for higher throughput on peripheral devices has become crucial with the increasing multimedia content in PCs, such as real-time video, the digitization of information and the convergence of PC and consumer electronics. The high-bandwidth Universal Serial Bus 2.0 was designed to enable the market for high-resolution videoconferencing cameras, next-generation scanners and printers, web publishing and video editing. Innovative’s USB high-speed serial bus technology fuels this industry trend by featuring real-time data transfer at rates of up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps).

Innovative’s video product line has gained acceptance among some of the world leaders in the Video and Communications markets such as 3Dfx, Conexant, Evans & Sutherland, IBM, iCompression, Infineon, NASA (JPL), Nvidia, LSI Logic, Oki, Micron Technology, S3, ST-Microelectronics, Samsung, and Trident. Innovative’s superior video and data communication technology has been designed in a variety of applications ranging from PCs, PC peripherals, set top boxes to satellites. Nabil Takla, president and CEO of Innovative said, “The high bandwidth that the USB 2.0 offers presents a significant opportunity for us.” Takla continued, “Our USB Mixed-signal technology combined with our Video Communication expertise will help us lead the way in providing USB 2.0 Macrocells for Video communication applications. ”

Innovative has achieved a series of high-profile design wins for its FlexFire tm IEEE-1394 Macrocells such as Infineon Technologies, Jet Propulsion Labs, Oki Semiconductor and Samsung Electronics. Innovative’s Analog 400 MHz 1394 PHY Macrocell has been verified in silicon almost two years ago and has been ported to several process technologies. Innovative has leveraged its transceiver and Phase Lock Loop technology to quickly design the Mixed-signal UTMI Macrocell.

Innovative is working with Synopsys to offer their customers a complete solution. We are excited to be working with Innovative to deliver a complete USB 2.0 solution. The SL200 is the first commercial USB 2.0 UTMI Macrocell that complements the Synopsys DesignWare™ synthesizable  USB 2.0 core, said Rick Tomihiro, Senior Director of Marketing for Synopsys' Design Reuse Group. "With this Mixed-Signal core technology, we can deliver a complete leading edge USB 2.0 solution to our customers."
 

Continuing with a track record of engineering breakthroughs, Innovative will have engineering samples of the SL200 UTMI this year. The digital part of the SL200 is available in synthesizable RTL, and  includes a comprehensive test bench, validation suite, synthesis scripts, and user documentation. The Analog Front End is process technology specific and are available in .25u and .18u Digital CMOS processes.

About Innovative Semiconductors, Inc.
Established in 1992, Innovative Semiconductors, Inc. develops Intellectual Property (IP) Macrocells, the building blocks for developing high-performance ICs and chip sets for video and communications applications. The company’s products include Macrocells that support the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, the Video Interface Port (VIP2) standard, the IEEE-1394 standard and Video Compression standards. The company’s customers include 3Dfx, Conexant, Evans & Sutherland, iCompression, Infineon, NASA (JPL), Nvidia, LSI Logic, Oki, Micron Technology, S3, ST-Microelectronics, Samsung, and Trident. The company is a member of the USB-Implementers Forum, 1394 Trade Association, VESA and Synopsys IP Catalyst Alliance.
Innovative Semiconductors is located at 465 Fairchild Drive, Suite 227, Mountain View, CA 94043. Phone: (650) 934-0170, email: info@isi96.com. For more information about Innovative Semiconductors, Inc., please access the company’s web site at http://www.isi96.com.

Innovative Contact:

Belen De La Garza
Innovative Semiconductors, Inc.
(650) 934-0170 x-100

Editors note: FlexFire ™ is a trademark of Innovative Semiconductors, Inc. All other brand or product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.