UpZide Becomes Tensilica Authorized Software Design Center; Offers Expertise in VDSL2, LTE, UWB and Baseband Chip Design

Luleå, Sweden, and SANTA CLARA, Calif. USA – January 28, 2009 – Tensilica, Inc. today announced that UpZide Technologies AB is now an authorized Tensilica Software Design Center. Over the past three years, UpZide has worked extensively on designs with Tensilica’s Xtensa® customizable processors, and have strong expertise in optimizing these processors for VDSL2 (very high bit rate digital subscriber line), the most advanced standard for DSL communications. UpZide is now available to help other companies with their wireless datapath or baseband designs, including LTE (long-term evolution) and UWB (ultra wideband).

“We have extensive expertise in optimizing Xtensa processors for performance improvements that are orders of magnitude beyond the reach of conventional processor cores for demanding dataplane tasks such as VDSL2,” stated UpZide’s CEO, Dr. Mikael Isaksson. “For example, a critical part of the VDSL2 design is the FFT/IFFT unit. We evaluated a top-of-the-line DSP, which showed us that each 4K transform would need approximately 370 microseconds to execute at 200 MHz clock frequency, even with highly optimized code. This is too slow for VDSL2. Using Tensilica’s technology, each 4K transform needs less than 80 microseconds to execute at 200MHz - a significant improvement that meets the VDSL2 specifications.”

“UpZide has deep expertise in designing state-of-the-art datapaths with Tensilica’s technology,” stated Chris Jones, Tensilica’s director of strategic alliances. “UpZide has proven that they can optimize our processors for complex communications algorithms, and we are excited to add them to our list of authorized software design centers.”

About UpZide

UpZide Technologies AB offers design services to companies who are designing integrated circuits for complex communications tasks, including VDSL2, UWB, and LTE. UpZide has considerable expertise in developing low-power, programmable solutions based on Tensilica’s customizable Xtensa processor cores. For more information, see www.upzide.com.

About Tensilica

Tensilica, Inc., is the recognized leader in customizable dataplane processors.   Dataplane Processor Units (DPUs) consist of performance intensive DSP (audio, video, imaging, and baseband signal processing) and embedded RISC processing functions (security, networking, and deeply embedded control).  The automated design tools behind all of Tensilica's application specific processor cores enable rapid customization to meet specific data-plane performance targets.  Tensilica's DSPs and processors power top tier semiconductor companies, innovative start-ups, and system OEMs for high-volume products including mobile phones, consumer electronics devices (including portable media players, digital TV, and broadband set top boxes), computers, and storage, networking and communications equipment. For more information on Tensilica's patented benchmark-proven DPUs visit www.tensilica.com .