MIPS Technologies Licenses 64-Bit Processor Core to Marvell
Marvell To Use MIPS64 5Kf Core in Next-Generation Broadband Communications Solutions
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 10, 2002--MIPS
Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:MIPS - News; Nasdaq:MIPSB - News), a leading provider of
industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital
consumer and business applications today announced that the MIPS64(TM)
5Kf(TM) processor core, a licensable, synthesizable 64-bit core with
an integrated floating-point unit, has been licensed to Marvell®.
"Emerging broadband applications have extreme performance
requirements that demand 64-bit architecture," said Gary Smerdon,
Marvell's Vice President of Marketing for the Communications Business
Group. "The 5Kf core gives us the scalability, speed and power
efficiency to meet those requirements."
"Leading broadband chip companies like Marvell are utilizing MIPS
technology to enhance the user experience with high-quality features
and functionality enabled by the power of 64-bit processing," said
Kevin Meyer, vice president of marketing at MIPS Technologies.
"Furthermore, the industry-standard MIPS architecture provides
hardware designers with broad, third-party tools support, which
translates into optimal, cost-effective solutions that enable our
customers to get to market quickly."
About 64-Bit Architecture
MIPS Technologies began developing its 64-bit processor
architecture more than 10 years ago, based on the leading-edge RISC
(reduced instruction set computer) research of MIPS co-founder John
Hennessy, currently the president of Stanford University. Today, MIPS
Technologies is the only company that openly licenses a 64-bit
architecture, and it licenses 64-bit processor cores based on that
architecture. More than a dozen leading companies, including NEC,
Toshiba, Broadcom, PMC-Sierra, IDT and LSI Logic have successfully
deployed the technology in a variety of applications. They include the
microprocessor for the Nintendo® 64 and the 128-bit Emotion Engine
processor for the Sony PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system.
The growth in 64-bit processing is fueled by demand for features such
as streaming audio and high-definition video for small and large
displays, cryptography enhancements for e-commerce, better power
efficiency and battery life in handheld devices, and the convergence
of computing, communications, multimedia and encryption in new types
of information appliances. The MIPS® architecture has the rare
capability of executing 32-bit and 64-bit code, in binary form, on
64-bit processors without the need to recompile. This capability
allows system designers to select from a broad range of commercially
available 32-bit and 64-bit MIPS code and accelerate the development
of high-bandwidth, next-generation 64-bit products. In 2002,
In-Stat/MDR, publisher of Microprocessor Report, honored two
MIPS64-based products with its Analysts' Choice Awards: the MIPS64
20Kc(TM) core was named Best High-Performance Processor Core and
Broadcom's dual-core BCM1250 was named Best High-Performance Embedded
Processor.
About MIPS Technologies
MIPS Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of industry-standard
processor architectures and cores for digital consumer and business
applications. The company drives the broadest architectural alliance
that is delivering 32- and 64-bit embedded RISC solutions. The company
licenses its intellectual property to semiconductor companies, ASIC
developers and system OEMs. MIPS Technologies and its licensees offer
the widest range of robust, scalable processors in standard, custom,
semi-custom and application-specific products. The company is based in
Mountain View, Calif., and can be reached at +1 (650) 567-5000 or
www.mips.com.
Note to Editors: MIPS® is a registered trademark in the United
States and other countries, and MIPS64(TM), 5Kf(TM) and 20Kc(TM) are
trademarks of MIPS Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks referred to
herein are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
MIPS Technologies, Inc.
Lee Garvin Flanagin, 650/567-5180
flanagin@mips.com
