Cypress Expands Warp Software Support For Programmable Serial Interface (PSI) Devices

New Capabilities in Warp(TM) Release 6.2 Speed Design Of Next-generation Communications Systems

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 2002-- Cypress Semiconductor (NYSE:CY - news) today launched the latest release of its popular Warp(TM) design tools and environment. Warp Release 6.2 expands its support for Cypress's Programmable Serial Interface(TM) (PSI(TM)) devices, a unique family of communications chips which combine high speed physical layer (PHY) technology with a flexible programmable logic architecture. Release 6.2 offers as much as a 35 percent improvement in design speed because of the addition of the Timing Aware(TM) feature, which allows the optimization of the fastest possible design routing solutions.

"Warp Release 6.2 expands support for Cypress's industry-leading family of programmable PHYs with a comprehensive design, development, synthesis, and simulation environment," said Richard Quon, product marketing manager in the Data Communications Division at Cypress. "Warp will enable designers to develop PSI solutions for next-generation communications systems in the InfiniBand(TM), ESCON, Fibre Channel, Gigabit Ethernet, and SMPTE markets."

"Timing Aware fitting, a new capability in the Warp environment, simplifies and speeds device design through its advanced algorithm implementation," said Rick Tinling, Cypress's director of software development. "Every programmable PHY design stands to benefit from this and other enhancements in this newest version of Warp software."

About Warp

Warp software is the No. 1 VHDL and Verilog-based PLD software tool, with over 27,000 installed seats. Introduced in 1991, Warp software pioneered the use of HDL for programmable logic design. Its design tools accept design entries using VHDL IEEE Standard 1076/1164 or Verilog IEEE Standard 1364. Warp software works in an integrated environment with all major third-party EDA toolsets, including Synplicity, Mentor Graphics and Synopsys. It provides the capabilities of development tools costing much more, enabling designers to capitalize on the performance and speed-to-market advantages of programmable logic with a minimal software investment.

About PSI

Cypress's PSI devices, the leading programmable PHYs in the industry, combine the high performance of the company's Serializer-Deserializer (SERDES) technology with the flexibility, predictable timing, and ease-of-use of its Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs). In addition, these programmable PHYs enable the integration of large blocks of communications memories and phase-locked loops (PLLs) to ease design into communications systems. They are compatible with various physical layer transmission media -- fiberoptic modules, copper cables and circuit board traces -- and are ideally suited for communications backplanes and line cards in a broad range of markets, including InfiniBand, Gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and SONET.

Availability and Pricing

Warp Release 6.2 is available now via Cypress's website. Cypress continues to offer a value-driven $99 edition of Warp Release 6.2, along with two editions that provide additional design functionality. Cypress also offers industry-leading value by providing customers with free technical support and free upgrades for life.

About Cypress

Cypress Semiconductor is "Driving the Communications Revolution"(TM) with high-performance integrated circuits for network infrastructure and access equipment. Leveraging its process and system-level expertise, the company designs and manufactures solutions targeted across wireless and wireline communications. Cypress supports a wide range of industry standards, such as SONET (OC-48 and above), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), InfiniBand(TM) and Gigabit Ethernet. The company's communications product lines include programmable high-speed physical layer devices (PHYs), wirespeed network search engines (NSEs) and network coprocessors (NCPs), and datapath switching elements (DSEs). Cypress is also the industry's leader in communications timing solutions, networking-optimized communications memories and personal connectivity solutions, such as USB and Bluetooth.

Cypress is a leader in pure optical and optoelectronic technologies designed to push network transmissions to higher performance levels and to satisfy the increasing demand for network bandwidth. With a focus on emerging communications applications, Cypress aims to become the preferred silicon supplier for network infrastructure solutions and for every network data stream to pass through at least one Cypress IC.

Cypress employs 4,000 people worldwide. Its shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CY. More information about Cypress is accessible on the Web at www.cypress.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements herein that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" involving risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: the effect of global economic conditions, shifts in supply and demand, market acceptance, the impact of competitive products and pricing, product development, commercialization and technological difficulties, and capacity and supply constraints. Please refer to Cypress's Securities and Exchange Commission filings for a discussion of such risks.

Note to Editors: Warp, Programmable Serial Interface, PSI, Timing Aware, and "Driving the Communications Revolution" are trademarks of Cypress Semiconductor. InfiniBand is a trademark of the InfiniBand Trade Association.

     Cypress Semiconductor
     Louie Yan, 408/943-2817
     LRY@cypress.com