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Tensilica Concludes Wide-Ranging Licensing and Joint Development Pact With Mindspeed and Conexant
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 9, 2001--Tensilica®
Inc., the leading supplier of configurable microprocessor core
intellectual property (IP), announced today that Conexant Systems,
Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXT) and its Internet infrastructure business, Mindspeed
Technologies(TM), have concluded a broad agreement involving the joint
development of next generation fully-configurable DSP application
platforms.
The multi-year pact includes the licensing of Tensilica's
Xtensa(TM) III and the Vectra(TM) DSP engine, as well as a bilateral
patent sharing agreement. Additionally, Tensilica will have rights to
sell next generation DSP technology and application platforms
developed as a consequence of the joint project.
Raouf Halim, who will become CEO of Mindspeed Technologies upon
separation from Conexant, said, ``We are very pleased to link with
Tensilica in this enterprise that will lead to the design and
development of new application platforms and DSP implementations.
Tensilica's advanced compiler technology will allow us to continue to
deliver high density platforms and products, enabling us to `Build it
First(TM)'.''
Chris Rowen, Tensilica's president and chief executive officer
said, ``Conexant is one of the industry's preeminent developers of
application-specific DSP, so the alignment of their DSP and
applications expertise with our Xtensa and Vectra technology will
accelerate a broad range of new Conexant and Mindspeed(TM) platforms
for fast-growing communications markets. This close joint effort is
advancing the state-of-the-art in system-on-chip solutions.''
About Conexant Systems, Inc.
Conexant Systems, Inc. is a worldwide leader in semiconductor
system solutions for communications applications. Conexant leverages
its expertise in mixed signal processing to deliver integrated systems
and semiconductor products through two separate businesses: Mindspeed
Technologies and Conexant.
Mindspeed Technologies is focused on Internet infrastructure
products including WAN transport, multiservice access and broadband
access for applications that extend from the edge of the Internet all
the way to its optical core. Conexant's personal networking business
is focused on digital infotainment, personal imaging, wireless
communications and personal computing products that are used in mobile
communications and the broadband digital home.
Conexant is headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., and delivered
revenues of $2.1 billion for fiscal 2000. The company is a member of
the S&P 500 and NASDAQ-100 indices. To learn more, visit us at
www.conexant.com or www.mindspeed.com.
About Tensilica
Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the fast-growing
market for configurable and extensible microprocessor cores and
associated software development tools for high volume, embedded
systems. Using the company's proprietary Xtensa Processor Generator,
system-on- 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 130 engineers engaged in
research, development, and customer support from its offices in Santa
Clara, California; Burlington, Massachusetts; Princeton, NJ; Houston,
Texas; Oxford, U.K.; Stockholm, Sweden; Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C.; 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'' and
``Vectra'' are trademarks belonging to Tensilica Inc.
``Mindspeed, Mindspeed Technologies'' and ``Build it First'' are
trademarks of Conexant Systems, Inc.
- Tensilica's announced licensees are, in alphabetical order,
Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Cisco Systems, Conexant
Systems, Fujitsu Limited, Galileo Technology, National
Semiconductor, NEC Corporation, NTT, ONEX Communications,
Osaka and Kyoto Universities, TranSwitch Corporation and
ZiLOG.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains statements relating to future results
of Conexant (including certain projections and business trends) that
are ``forward-looking statements'' as defined in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially
from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties.
These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:
maintaining a consistent and reliable source of energy; global
economic and market conditions, such as the cyclical nature of the
semiconductor industry and the markets addressed by the company's and
its customers' products; demand for and market acceptance of new and
existing products; successful development of new products; the timing
of new product introductions; the availability and extent of
utilization of manufacturing capacity; pricing pressures and other
competitive factors; changes in product mix; fluctuations in
manufacturing yields; product obsolescence; the ability to develop and
implement new technologies and to obtain protection for the related
intellectual property; the successful separation of the Company's
Internet infrastructure and personal networking businesses; the
ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; labor relations of
the company, its customers and suppliers; and the uncertainties of
litigation, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but
not limited to those detailed from time to time in the company's
Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking
statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the company
undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
Analyst Quotes Regarding Conexant/Mindspeed - NEC Solutions
Announcements:
Will Strauss, President of Research firm Forward Concepts, said,
``These new Tensilica wins are truly significant. Among other things,
they prove the point that configurable processors are a lot more than
an intriguing engineering development. It's become a mainstream
technology now, and seems to represent the solution to a lot of
problems. I'm particularly impressed with Conexant's validation of the
company's configurable DSP engine.''
Forward Concepts, 1575 West University Drive, No.111, Tempe, AZ
85281. Tel: 480/968-3759 Email: wis@ fwdconcepts.com
www.forwardconcepts.com
Linley Gwennap, Principal Analyst of The Linley Group, said, ``The
power of Tensilica's Xtensa technology, evidenced in the recently
disclosed EEMBC scores, continues to attract real customers. These NEC
Solutions and Conexant Technologies licensing agreements demonstrate
the growing momentum behind the company's approach to configuring
custom processors for embedded applications.''
The Linley Group, 355 Chesley Avenue, Mt. View, CA 94040.
Tel: 650/962-9380 Email: info@linleygroup.com
www.linleygroup.com
Steve Leibson, VP, Editorial Director, and Chief Analyst at
MicroDesign Resources, said, ``These agreements show that Tensilica's
bandwagon continues to gain momentum in a market hungry for deeply
embedded processors that provide high performance at reasonable power
levels.''
MicroDesign Resources, 298 S. Sunnyvale Ave., No.101, Sunnyvale,
CA 94086. Tel: 408/328-3916 Email: sleibson@mdr.cahners.com
www.mdronline.com
Comments may also be provided by contacting the following
Gartner/Dataquest Analyst:
Tom Starnes, Chief Analyst, Embedded Microprocessors,
Microcontrollers and Digital Signal Processors, 9020-I N. Capital of
Texas Highway, Suite 220-Y, Austin, TX 78759-7206. Tel: 512/345-3696
Email: tom.starnes@gartner.com
Contact:
Tensilica, Inc.
Bernie Rosenthal, 408/327-7302
bernier@tensilica.com
or
Kim Alfaro, 408/327-7343
kim@tensilica.com
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