JET Propulsion Labs (JPL) selects Innovative Semiconductors FlexFire 1394 Cores for X2000 Deep Space Systems technology program

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. April 10, 2000 -- Innovative Semiconductors announced today that JPL has selected Innovative’s FlexFire Link and Digital PHY Layer cores for use in the NASA/JPL Advanced Deep Space Systems Technology Program, known as X2000. The FlexFire cores will become part of an avionics and communication architecture that will be used in spacecraft missions bound for Mars, the outer planets of the solar system and beyond. JPL will use the Innovative cores to develop a chipset that will integrate the computer, telecom, navigation, power management, and sensor technology.

A key goal of X2000 is to make spacecraft electronics re-usable across many different missions, while driving down the size, mass, power, and cost of spacecraft. To achieve this goal, the program takes advantage of technology breakthroughs from high-speed Internet communications and commercial PC design, such as the IEEE 1394 high-speed serial bus standard. Innovative’s FlexFire 1394 technology, which has been proven in silicon for over two years and is delivered as re-usable semiconductor Intellectual Property, will help realize that goal.

The cores are synthesizable RTL blocks that provide the Link and PHY Layer functions for the IEEE 1394 high-speed serial bus. The cores are based on Innovative's FlexFire architecture, which incorporates a set of parameterized building blocks that can be quickly and easily configured to support a wide range of applications. These blocks are delivered with an extensive test bench and a regression suite.

"The momentum behind IEEE 1394 is accelerating in both the consumer electronics and computing markets", said Mark Kirstein, Vice President of research for Cahners In-Stat Group. "Key IP building blocks, such as the Innovative's FlexFire cores, enable semiconductor and system companies to meet accelerating time-to-market requirements."

"This design proves again how flexible and versatile the 1394 multimedia standard really is," said James Snider, chairman of the 1394 Trade Association. "JPL's decision certainly reflects the speed, bandwidth and cost-efficiencies available by using 1394."

“We are pleased to have been selected by JPL for the X2000 Program” said Nabil Takla, president of Innovative Semiconductors. “JPL’s design decision to use the IEEE 1394 serial bus for this critical application is another indicator of the growing acceptance of this standard and of our 1394 FlexFire technology”

The X2000 program is the latest in a series of high-profile design wins for Innovative Semiconductors FlexFire 1394 cores. The FlexFire family includes 1394 General Purpose Link Layer Controller, an Audio/Video Link Layer Controller that supports encryption, a PCI Link Layer Controller, as well as a Backplane PHY Layer Controller, and a Cable PHY Layer Controller that includes both the analog and digital design components. More information on Innovative Semiconductors products can be found at www.isi96.com

About Innovative Semiconductors Established in 1992, Innovative Semiconductors, Inc. develops Intellectual Property (IP) cores, the building blocks for developing high-performance ICs and chip sets for video and communications applications. The company’s products include cores 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, Accelerix, Evans & Sutherland, Infotronic, Nvidia, LSI Logic, Oki, Micron Technology, S3, STMicroelectronics, Samsung, and Trident. The company is a member of the 1394 Trade Association, VESA, VSI, and Rapid. 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.