NEC Labs Picks Tensilica’s Xtensa Configurable Processor Again

NEC Labs Signs Multi-Year License Renewal

Santa Clara, Calif., July 7, 2003 – Tensilica®, Inc., the leading provider of configurable and extensible processors, today announced that NEC Laboratories America, Inc. (NEC Labs) of Princeton, NJ, has signed a multi-year renewal of their license for the Xtensa® configurable processor for system-on-chip (SOC) designs developed at NEC Labs.

“When we signed our initial licensing agreement with Tensilica two years ago, we were very impressed with the Xtensa technology,” stated Kojiro Watanabe, executive vice president of NEC Labs. “Tensilica’s tools for automating the generation of processor hardware and software development environments are the best in the industry and provide the fastest way to develop our leading-edge technologies. Therefore, we have decided to renew our license and continue our development efforts to utilize the Xtensa processor in SOC designs for product development at NEC Labs.”

“NEC Labs is part of the creative ‘think tank’ for NEC development of advanced products,” said Bernie Rosenthal, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Tensilica. “We’re very pleased that they have chosen to continue to work on SOC architectures and multiple processor design methodologies for leading-edge products for the future using the Xtensa processor.”

About NEC Laboratories America, Inc.

NEC Laboratories America, Inc. (NEC Labs America), located in Princeton, NJ, and Cupertino, CA, was established in 2002 through the merger of NEC’s leading research operations in the United States. The mission of NEC Labs America, recognized as one of the most preeminent and innovative research institutions of its kind, is to impact both the research community and high technology industry by focusing on the following core areas: Internet software, robust and secure systems, broadband networking and mobile communications, system LSI, bioinformatics and quantum IT.  NEC Labs America’s research activities strive to contribute to NEC’s global leadership in providing innovative technology solutions to enterprises, service providers, and end-users worldwide.

About Tensilica

Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the growing need for optimized, application-specific microprocessor solutions in high-volume embedded applications. With a configurable and extensible microprocessor core called Xtensa, Tensilica is the only company that has automated and patented the time-consuming process of generating a customized microprocessor core along with a complete software development tool environment, producing new configurations in a matter of hours. For more information, visit www.tensilica.com.

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Editors’ Notes:

• “Tensilica” and “Xtensa” are registered trademarks belonging to Tensilica Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

• Tensilica’s announced licensees are Agilent, Astute Networks, Avision, Bay Microsystems, Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Conexant Systems, Cypress, ETRI, FUJIFILM Microdevices, Fujitsu Ltd., Hudson Soft, Hughes Network Systems, IC4IC, Ikanos Communications, JNI Corporation, Marvell, Mindspeed Technologies, National Semiconductor, NEC Laboratories America, NEC Corporation, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT), Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., ONEX Communications, OptiX Networks, Osaka & Kyoto Universities, S2io, Sony, TranSwitch Corporation, Trebia Networks, Victor Company of Japan (JVC) and ZiLOG.