STMicroelectronics Adds DSP to Reconfigurable-Processor SoC for Wireless Infrastructure Applications

Geneva, June 6, 2005 - STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a leading developer of system-on-chip (SoC) solutions, has today disclosed details of an enhanced version of its recently announced STW21000, a multi-purpose microcontroller that targets applications in wireless infrastructure equipment. Fabricated using ST’s 130nm CMOS technology, the new device, dubbed the STW22000, adds a 600MHz 16/32-bit dual-MAC DSP core to the existing device, which already integrated an exceptionally rich mix of technologies including a 300MHz ARM926EJ-S RISC core, 16 Mbits of embedded DRAM, an eFPGA (embedded Field-Programmable Gate Array) block, reconfigurable interfaces, and a wide range of analog and digital peripherals such as A/D and D/A converters.

The STW22000 is the latest advanced System-on-Chip (SoC) product to be announced from ST’s Wireless Infrastructure Division and, like the other members of the product family, it was defined in co-operation with several leading wireless infrastructure manufacturers.

The additional ST122 DSP core combines VLIW and RISC features to achieve the optimum balance between performance and size. Also embedding a dedicated CDE (Convolutional Decoder Engine) the STW22000 is a low-cost alternative for baseband signal processing in 2G cellular modems and other signal-processing applications.

“The addition of an embedded DSP and associated coprocessor adds a whole new dimension to what the product can do,” said Marc Goddard, Director of ST’s Wireless Infrastructure Business Unit. “In real application terms, the new STW22000 will be used for baseband signal processing in 2G and 2.5G cellular modems and other signal processing-based applications.

Software development on the programmable logic is supported by an advanced and integrated software tool chain that encompasses traditional leading FPGA tool providers which enables the programming, debug, and validation of the reconfigurable interfaces within a unique design environment. The ARM Real ViewTM, or any independent third-party software tool chain, can be used for the software development on the CPU core.

ST also provides a complete set of development tools for the embedded DSP core, to evaluate the performance, and to develop, debug, and integrate Application Code on the chip via an ARM/DSP environment, providing multi-Core Development/Debug capabilities.

The STW22000 is delivered with a Board Support Package (BSP) to support multiple Operating System (OS) implementations, and many application software elements are already available due to the use of ST’s standard ST122 DSP core. The STW22000 is available now with a price range of $30 in volume.

For further information on ST’s complete offering for wireless infrastructure applications

About STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics is a global leader in developing and delivering semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications. An unrivalled combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners positions the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence markets. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 2004, the Company's net revenues were $8.76 billion and net earnings were $601 million. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.