Oki Electric Launches Voice Synthesis Chip with P2ROM(TM), Reducing Delivery Time to One-Third
TOKYO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Feb. 7, 2006—
Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:6703) today
announced its launch of ML2216, a voice synthesis LSI with P2ROM(TM)
(Production Programmed ROM) that can be shipped in volume within two
weeks from order. Compared to the conventional mask-ROM voice
synthesis, programming and delivery time is reduced to one-third. Oki
plans to provide the chip to manufacturers for consumer and industry
equipment applications such as home digital appliances that require
voice guidance functions. Volume shipment is expected to begin this
month with a target of 500 thousand units shipped per month.
Ordinarily devices with voice playback chips need time to develop
the hardware and software, decide which playback voice to use, and
evaluate tone quality. However, in many cases such decisions are not
made until just before sample shipments and volume production are to
start. Conventional mask-ROM voice synthesis chips require at least
1.5 months until delivery because they require creation of one or more
masks with the customer's voice data, and then use that mask in the
chip manufacturing process. P2ROM, on the other hand, is a memory that
allows data to be written at the final test stage. The chip is kept in
an "Assembly Process" bank (1), which is a method of storing the
uncompleted device that has finished the wafer manufacturing up to the
packaging completed.
"With the ML2216, we can write customer's voice data into the
chips and test them after we receive orders, which enables us to
deliver the product in as little as two weeks. This means we can
reduce the time from order to volume production to one-third,
eliminating the need for a special mask step to program the customer
data," said Akira Kamo, President of Silicon Solutions Company at Oki
Electric. "Because P2ROMs are non volatile memories, it is impossible
to falsify information, which makes them suite to security devices
with emergency voice guidance capability, such as are used in fire
warning machine and gas leak alarm systems."
Going forward, Oki plans to integrate its P2ROM technology with
its voice synthesis technology to provide voice LSIs.
(Glossary)
(1) Assembly Process bank
Store and manage products that have completed the assembly stage
and ready for delivery as factory inventories.
About Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1881, Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. is Japan's first
telecommunications manufacturer, with its headquarters in Tokyo,
Japan. With the corporate vision, "Oki, Network Solutions for a Global
Society," Oki provides top-quality products, technologies and
solutions to its customers through its info-telecom system business,
semiconductor business and printer business. All three businesses
function as a collective force to create exciting new products and
technologies that satisfy a spectrum of customer needs in various
markets. Visit Oki's global web site at http://www.oki.com/.
Notes:
-- P2ROM is a registered trademark of Oki Electric Industry Co.,
Ltd. in Japan.
-- Other names of companies and products are trademarks or
registered trademarks of the respective companies and
organizations.
Contact:
Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
Naomi Takeuchi, 408-737-6479 (Europe and Americas)
Email Contact
Akiko Horiguchi, +81-3-3580-8950 (Asia and Other Areas)
Email Contact
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