Memec Design and Unique Memec Create Actel Automotive Development Kit: Evaluation Board, Module, and Intellectual Property for Actel Automotive FPGAs

SAN DIEGO - April 7, 2003 - The Memec Design and Unique Memec divisions of The Memec Group, a global semiconductor distributor, today introduced the Actel Automotive Development Kit, a complete solution that enables engineers to create Actel FPGA-based designs. The Kit combines an Actel FPGA-based development board with a CAN core, hardware and software Memec Design created and customized to be used with the Actel SX-A family. Actel's automotive line also includes its eX and MX families, which, like the SX-A devices, feature operating ranges from -40º C to 125º C ambient temperature (150ºC junction). When used with the new Actel FPGAs, Memec Design's Automotive Development Kit provides the automotive industry with high reliability, extreme temperature operation, fast design time, and low development cost.

Unique Memec, a leading global semiconductor distributor, and Memec Design, Memec's global design and engineering division, created the Automotive Development Kit according to Actel's requirements. To accommodate Actel's needs, Memec Design and Unique Memec engineers collaborated to enhance the board with a controller area network (CAN) transceiver and a CAN core, proven intellectual property Memec created for programmable logic devices. Besides the automotive market, Memec Design previously embedded its CAN core in various applications, including industrial equipment, ticket vending machines, point-of-sale terminals, and computing devices.

"As evidenced by their background in the space and military environments, Actel products continue to demonstrate the highest reliability," commented Richard Joy, Ph.D., vice president of Memec Design. "Now Memec Design can help Actel apply these proven successes to the automotive market, together satisfying this industry's demand for extreme temperature ranges and nonvolatility in a single-chip solution."

"With the continued growth of the automotive electronics market, the introduction of our best-in-class automotive solutions is a timely one for in-cab automotive systems," said Barry Marsh, vice president, product marketing at Actel. "The combination of Actel's high-reliability FPGAs, optimized IP, including the successful CAN core from Memec Design, and a customized development kit from Unique Memec enables designers to reduce time to market without compromising cost or performance."

Price and Availability

The Memec Design Actel Automotive Development Kit is available from Unique Memec in the Americas and in Europe, at a price of $695 (USD). The Kit includes the evaluation baseboard, an add-on module, and a working copy of the CAN core. In addition to an Actel FPGA and the 32-bit microcontroller, the board includes 1 MB external SRAM; 2 MB external flash; a prototyping area; LVPECL input connectors; onboard charge pumps; a JTAG port; four seven-segment displays; complete access to all user I/Os; cable and power supply; a monitor program for FPGA programming and program execution; source code for FPGA and microcontroller; documentation and user's guide. To meet customer-specific design needs, the CAN core single-use license can be purchased for $7,000.

For more information on this and other Memec Design products available from Unique Memec, call 800.711.8841, ext. 205 (from the Americas only, toll free) or 858.314.8184, or go to www.memecdesign.com/actel.

About The Memec Group

The Memec Group encompasses three specialist semiconductor distribution companies, Impact, Insight and Unique. Each company focuses on a finite number of supplier partners, thus enabling superior product knowledge and unparalleled demand creation capabilities. Although Memec companies operate independently, they all rely on Memec United, the global logistics and EMS services division, and Memec Design, the design and engineering division, to offer original equipment manufacturers complete semiconductor solutions. Located throughout 42 countries, The Memec Group companies collectively represent over 200 developers and manufacturers of advanced semiconductors and intellectual property. With recent start-ups and acquisitions in Japan and Eastern Europe, Memec continues to expand its presence to emerging key areas of the global semiconductor market. Go to www.memec.com for more information.