Chartered Licenses MIPS Technologies’ Cores for Aluminum and Copper Processes

DESIGN AUTOMATION CONFERENCE -- NEW ORLEANS -- June 21, 1999 -- MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIPS) and Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing have signed an agreement that gives SOC (System-On-Chip) designers unprecedented access to the popular MIPSÒ processor cores. Chartered is the first dedicated foundry to offer MIPSÒ RISC cores directly to their customers for SOC applications. The MIPS Technologies and Chartered alliance gives SOC designers the essential elements for integrating MIPSÒ processor cores into their products and rapidly building integrated SOC solutions for a variety of markets. For MIPS Technologies, the agreement establishes Chartered as a value-added foundry channel for its processor cores, as well as a world-class manufacturing partner.

The agreement allows SOC designers to access the MIPS32Ô 4KÔ processor core family directly through Chartered, ported and optimized to Chartered’s advanced manufacturing processes. By using the foundry model, designers retain control of their own IP and design flow, and they benefit from a lower cost of entry for systems on silicon.

Upon obtaining a license, a designer can immediately begin integrating the high-performance MIPS32™ 4Kc™ core for high-performance, low-power and advanced consumer applications including Microsoft^® Windows^® CE applications. For even lower power and size-sensitive applications, they can also choose the MIPS32™ 4Kp™ core. Both devices implement the MIPS32™ architecture, making them compatible with the R3000Ò and R4000Ò families of processors, which are de facto standards in the embedded systems market.

The MIPS32™ 4K™ processors will be made available in silicon in Chartered’s high-density, low-power 0.25-micron and 0.18-micron aluminum and state-of-the-art copper manufacturing processes. In addition, the MIPS32™ 4K™ cores will work with other library cells, intellectual property cores, and tools offered by Chartered’s existing network of partners. Since all these elements are aligned to Chartered’s baseline CMOS process technology, customers can "mix and match" the MIPSÒ cores with other supported elements offered at the same process level. Designers can embed the MIPSÒ processor into their existing chip designs without having to redesign their entire system. Re-proving elements would be unnecessary after they have been designed into Chartered’s process.

"It is abundantly clear that system companies are embracing both ASIC and pure-play foundry semiconductor supply chains," said Tony Massimini, Chief of Technology at Semico Research Corporation. "The availability of industry-critical silicon intellectual property from the leading foundries is a vital catalyst to the success of design reuse, lower design costs and faster time to market. MIPS Technologies and Chartered are leading the charge in this exciting trend."

"MIPSÒ processor cores have generated strong interest among system OEM and fabless semiconductor companies," said Derek Meyer, vice-president of worldwide marketing & sales at MIPS Technologies. "Companies have been quick to acknowledge the benefits of integrating a MIPSÒ core into SOC designs. With Chartered we have created a worldwide value-added distribution channel that will make our processor cores even more easily available. This alliance allows designers to manage COT (Customer-Own-Tooling) design flows, star IP sourcing, and foundry access, all through a common vendor. We help SOC designers improve their time to market from both a business as well as a technology perspective."

Ana Hunter, Chartered vice president of worldwide EDA services, said, "With the addition of MIPSÒ cores, we can provide designers the essential drop-in building blocks necessary to complete a system on silicon. When combined with Chartered’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, this creates another industry-first. We’ll continue to expand our partnership network with star IP offerings."

Kirk Gremillion, Windows CE Silicon Vendor Relations Manager at Microsoft Corp., said, "We are happy to see the development of new SOC channels for CPU IP. The MIPSÒ IP delivery mechanism will increase the expansion of deeply embedded Windows CE-based devices by enabling ASIC developers, fabless semiconductor companies and large system OEM companies to create a wide range of differentiated ASICs and SOCs designed specifically for those Windows CE segments."

Customer access to the MIPSÒ core will be facilitated through Chartered. Chartered will deliver the design information database for pre-tested hard core implementations which have been extensively verified using MIPS Technologies' test bench and a variety of operating system software. Each hard core implementation will be certified by MIPS Technologies before release to manufacturing. Chartered's network of design partners can provide support on SOC design and IP integration of MIPSÒ cores.

Chartered expects several new SOC designs to be enabled with powerful MIPS32ä processor cores through their foundry services. The relationship will offer new categories of customers the opportunity to design with MIPS-basedä cores to bring exciting new products to the digital consumer and embedded markets.