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Tensilica Licenses Xtensa to National Semiconductor for Wireless Internet Chipset
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 11, 2000--
Tensilica® Inc., the leading supplier of configurable microprocessor
core intellectual property (IP), announced today that National
Semiconductor® (NYSE:NSM) has licensed the company's Xtensa(TM) III.
National will employ the technology to develop configurable
microprocessor cores for the high-speed Ricochet(TM) modem technology
it is developing in concert with Metricom, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCOM).
According to National Semiconductor, the objective of their
recently announced strategic relationship with Metricom(TM) is to
drive the Ricochet modem technology into a chipset, delivering a
complete, easy-to-use mobile access technology for the rapidly growing
wireless data product sector. National and Metricom will jointly
market the chipset, which is expected to become available by midyear
2001.
Tensilica's Xtensa IP provides embedded systems designers with a
configurable processor technology for system-on-chip (SOC)
applications. Now, with Xtensa III, designers are able to achieve
integration of DSP and CPU functions within a single core
microprocessor. Using specific instruction extensions provided by the
Tensilica Instruction Extension (TIE) language, accelerated decoding
-- a critical requirement of next generation wireless technology -- is
easily achieved.
``Tensilica's Xtensa technology provides a powerful, cost effective
processor solution.'' said Joe Montalbo, Vice President, Custom
Solutions Division of National Semiconductor. ``It uniquely satisfies
the DSP as well as general purpose processor needs in our
applications. We're looking forward to utilizing its substantial power
and flexibility in the Ricochet chipset and bringing our product to
market in an accelerated timeframe.''
Chris Rowen, Tensilica's President and CEO, said ``We are
particularly delighted to welcome National Semiconductor to our
growing family of licensees. Long a pioneer in analog and digital
components, National is quickly becoming the model for semiconductor
suppliers where the focus is on rapid creation of information
appliance solutions like this new wireless communications technology.
About National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor provides system-on-a-chip solutions for the
information age. Combining real-world analog and state-of-the-art
digital technology, the company's chips lead many sectors of the
personal computer, communications, and consumer markets. With
headquarters in Santa Clara, California, National reported sales of $2
billion for its last fiscal year, and has about 10,500 employees
worldwide. Additional company and product information is available on
the World Wide Web at www.national.com. For more information, contact
Gayle Bullock at 408-721-2033.
About Metricom
Metricom, Inc., is a leading high-speed wireless data company.
With its high-speed Ricochet mobile access, Metricom is making
``information anytime'' possible-at home, at the office, on the road,
and on many devices. Founded in 1985, Metricom has spent more than 15
years on the development of its distinctive MicroCellular Data Network
(MCDN) technology. That experience has enabled Metricom to develop the
fastest wireless mobile data networking and technology available
today. Ricochet has been operating since 1995 at speeds up to 28.8
kbps. The new Ricochet, delivering end-user speeds of 128 kbps, is
currently available in ten markets and is connected to the 28.8 kbps
service areas to increase coverage for mobile professionals. Coverage
will continue expanding, and is targeted to reach 46 markets by the
end of 2001.
About Tensilica
Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the fast-growing
market for application-specific microprocessor cores and software
development tools for high volume, embedded systems. Using the
company's proprietary Xtensa Processor Generator, system-on-a-chip
(SOC) designers can develop a processor subsystem hardware design and
a complete software development tool environment tailored to their
specific requirements in hours.
Tensilica's solutions provide a proven, easy-to-use, methodology
that enables designers to achieve optimum application performance in
minimum design time. The Company has over 100 engineers engaged in
research, development, and customer support from its offices in Santa
Clara, California, Burlington, Massachusetts, Princeton, NJ, Houston,
Texas, Oxford, U.K. and Yokohama, Japan. Tensilica is headquartered in
Santa Clara, California (95054) at 3255-6 Scott Boulevard, and can be
reached at (408) 986-8000 or via www.tensilica.com.
Editors' Notes:
- ``Tensilica'' is a registered trademark and ``Xtensa'' is a
trademark belonging to Tensilica Inc. ``National Semiconductor''
is a registered trademark of National Semiconductor
Corporation. ``Metricom'' and ``Ricochet'' are trademarks of
Metricom, Inc.
- Tensilica's announced licensees are, in alphabetical order,
Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Cisco Systems, Fujitsu
Limited, Galileo Technology, National Semiconductor, NEC
Corporation, NTT, ONEX Communications, Osaka and Kyoto
Universities, TranSwitch Corporation, and ZiLOG.
- Selected Analyst's comments
``This deal establishes the validity and importance of
reconfigurable processor cores for advanced electronic designs,
particularly those destined for high volume, consumer and
communication products.''
Steve Leibson, Vice President and Editorial Director of
MicroDesign Resources, publisher of the MICROPROCESSOR REPORT;
sleibson@mdr.cahners.com; Tel: 408 328-3916
``Clearly, this proves the utility of the Tensilica architecture
for volume DSP applications,'' said Will Strauss, president of DSP
market watcher Forward Concepts. ``This provides National with a
platform that can address a number of other DSP-enabled markets, as
well,'' he added.
Will Strauss, President, Forward Concepts, wis@fwdconcepts.com,
Tel: +1-480-968-3759
``Configurable processors offer intriguing possibilities for
designers who are prepared to exchange design effort for a
highly-tuned architecture. This design win with National Semiconductor
shows that when price/performance matters, a configurable processor
architecture is worth serious consideration.''
Luke Collins, principal semiconductor analyst, Gartner Dataquest
(luke.collins@gartner.com) Statements made in this press release that are not historical
facts, including those related to the Ricochet modem
technology chipset. Future market conditions, future
competitors, future partners, market rollouts and future
technology, are forward looking and are made pursuant to the
safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties which
may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in
these statements. Among other things, additional competition
from existing and future competitors may impact the market.
Projections of market size, partners, market acceptance,
technological rollout and competition are estimated based on
preliminary information as well as certain assumptions which
management believes to be reasonable at this time. All forward
looking statements are subject to the successful completion of
the actions described in this press release. In addition to
the factors set forth elsewhere in this press release, the
economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other
factors identified in Metricom's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission could affect the forward looking
statements contained in this press release.
Contact:
Tensilica Inc.
Bernie Rosenthal, 408/327-7302
bernier@tensilica.com
or
Leapfrog Group
Kim Alfaro, 415/563-4769
kimpr@holonet.net
or
National Semiconductor
Gayle Bullock, 408/721-2033
gayle.bullock@nsc.com
or
Metricom, Inc.
Sarita Kincade, 408/282-3410
sarita@metricom.com
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