Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc.

Fujitsu’s New AccelArray Technology Delivers Improved Time-to-Market, Lower Power Dissipation and Reduced Development Cost for Storage, Telecommunications and Industrial Automation Markets

Architecture resolves key design challenges competitors overlook

Sunnyvale, CA, April 23, 2003 — Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc. (FMA) today introduced the AccelArray™ technology, developed to meet customer requirements for low cost and minimal design cycles using Fujitsu’s proven design and process technology leadership. AccelArray shortens the design and fabrication cycle times of a typical standard cell ASIC by as much as 70 percent, and reduces total ASIC development cost for 0.11-micron products by as much as 80 percent.

The new technology combines the performance of ASICs with the flexibility of FPGAs. It supports 333 MHz core system frequency, with 800 MHz analog PLL capability. Available AccelArray gate counts range from 512,000 to 3.8 million. Using AccelArray, back-end physical design can be completed from two to four weeks and manufacturing prototypes can take as few as two weeks. Customers can receive prototypes in only eight weeks, compared with the currently typical schedule of 28 to 32 weeks.

AccelArray targets storage networking, telecommunications and industrial automation applications, which need the high performance of cell-based ASICs, and typically have volumes of between 5,000 and 100,000 units per year.

"The market window is now open for a new platform based design products that enable systems developers to reduce their costs and move their products to markets faster" says Bryan Lewis, research vice president and chief semiconductor analyst for Gartner Dataquest. "Cost is king in this economy and the new breed of platform based ASIC products being introduced are clearly targeted to capitalize on this trend," he added.

“Customers want to optimize their time-to-market and the total cost of product ownership. AccelArray delivers the reduced cost, improved time to market and lower cost of ownership the industry now requires,᾿ said Keith Horn, vice president of marketing for Fujitsu Microelectronics America. “Our approach reduces their NRE costs, which have increased as design and manufacturing processes move to deep submicron technology. Increases in NRE have had an adverse impact on the number of new ASIC designs,᾿ he added.

AccelArray is built on Fujitsu’s proven 0.11-micron technology. Customer designs can be implemented using three metal mask layers. The AccelArray platforms support pre-defined high-speed interface I/Os that deliver key system functions, enabling customers to avoid long design-cycle times and to focus their resources on the differentiating elements of their product design.

The AccelArray architecture has been designed specifically to simplify physical design tasks. It delivers easy timing closure with built-in I/O interfaces, and incorporates pre-designed global clock trees and 24 flexible peripheral local clocks. This platform also solves signal and power integrity issues such as crosstalk and IR drop. Built-in logic scan, JTAG and RAM BIST ensure simplified back-end physical design.

Fujitsu is engaging with customers on the initial AccelArray programs. Customers of the AccelArray technology will have access to the advanced intellectual property in Fujitsu’s IPWare™ portfolio. The first pre-fabricated platforms for use on the AccelArray technology, including a wide range of SRAMs, flip flops and ASIC logic, are ready now with more to be added shortly. Vertical market platforms include embedded high-speed I/O macros such as SPI-4, SFI-4, SFI-5, XAUI, Fiber Channel and Rapid I/O, all of which will be available soon.

“AccelArray builds on Fujitsu’s legacy of delivering dependable, cost-effective technology to our customers,᾿ said Marwan Majid, senior marketing manager at Fujitsu Microelectronics America. “By adding the AccelArray technology to our portfolio, we extend our ASIC reach to more customers in the mid-volume market.᾿

Note to Editors:
For a detailed data sheet on AccelArray, visit
http://www.fma.fujitsu.com/pdf/accelarray_fs.pdf

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About Fujitsu Microelectronics America

Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc. (FMA) leads the industry in innovation. FMA provides high-quality, reliable semiconductor products and services for the networking, communications, automotive, security and other markets throughout North and South America. For product information, visit the company web site at http://www.fma.fujitsu.com/ASIC

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AccelArray is a trademark of Fujitsu Limited.
IPWare is a trademark of Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc.