Altera Achieves ISP Leadership in Programmable Logic Device Market.SAN JOSE San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 1999--Altera Corporation (Nasdaq: ALTR) today announced that it has overtaken Lattice Semiconductor Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: LSCC) is a United States based manufacturer of high-performance programmable logic devices (FPGAs, CPLDs, & SPLDs). The Oregon based company is the number four ranked company in world market share for FPGA devices,[1] to become the world's leading provider of In-System Programmable Refers to programmable logic chips (PLDs) that are programmed after they are attached to the circuit board. Also called "in-circuit programmable," devices that use static RAM (SRAM) are in-system programmable by nature because they are loaded at startup. See PLD. (ISP (1) See in-system programmable. (2) (Internet Service Provider) An organization that provides access to the Internet. Connection to the user is provided via dial-up, ISDN, cable, DSL and T1/T3 lines. ) logic devices. Altera's fourth-quarter 1998 revenue of $39.5 million for the MAX(R) 7000A, MAX 7000S, and MAX 9000 product families compares to Lattice Semiconductor's announced revenue of $36.7 million for its ISP PLD (Programmable Logic Device) Refers to a variety of logic chips that are programmable at the customer's site, the customer being the vendor of the finished chip, not the end user. products in the same period. With this milestone behind it, Altera now maintains leadership in both ISP components and ISP programming tools. Altera's device- and vendor-independent Jam(TM) programming and test language provides developers with a single platform for programming designs into targeted programmable logic devices (PLDs). "In-system programmability is a key requirement in many of today's designs, where fast time-to-market, upgradeability and flexibility can make or break a product introduction," said Craig Leclair, Altera's director of component marketing. "Altera is committed to maintaining its position as the leading vendor of ISP solutions for the programmable logic See PLD. market by supplying its customers with the tools and devices they need to meet their project and time-to-market requirements." In-System Programmable Devices Using ISP-capable PLDs, developers can accelerate their time-to-market, simplify the manufacturing flow, reduce inventory costs and improve system-level test capabilities. Designers can easily maintain and upgrade ISP-capable devices in the field to fix bugs, add new features, or make changes to conform to a new standard. Altera's ISP-capable devices include the MAX 7000A, MAX 7000S, and MAX 9000 product families. The ISP feature in the MAX family is implemented through IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, www.ieee.org) A membership organization that includes engineers, scientists and students in electronics and allied fields. 1149.1 standard JTAG (Joint Test Action Group) An IEEE standard for boundary scan technology. See scan technology. JTAG - Joint Test Action Group test ports. This interface allows developers to program devices and functionally test the printed circuit board in a single step, saving development and test time and assembly costs. Altera's other major products -- the FLEX(R) and upcoming APEX(TM) device families -- are SRAM-based and are in-circuit reconfigurable using the Flash-based EPC (1) (Entertainment PC) See HTPC. (2) (Electronic Product Code) A standard code for RFID tags administered by EPCglobal Inc. (www.epcglobalinc.org). 2 configuration device. That configuration device is also in-system programmable using the JTAG interface. ISP Tools ISP tools permit PLD devices to be reprogrammed after they have been mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB PCB: see polychlorinated biphenyl. PCB in full polychlorinated biphenyl Any of a class of highly stable organic compounds prepared by the reaction of chlorine with biphenyl, a two-ring compound. ). One such tool is the Jam programming and test language, a vendor- and platform-independent language for programming devices via the JTAG interface. The Jam programming and test language supports ISP-capable PLDs from Altera, Cypress, Lattice, Vantis, and Xilinx, and is available for download at http://www.jamisp.com. The SVF SVF Serial Vector Format (ICT in circuit test) SVF Simple Vector Format SvF Sjónvarp Føroya (Television of the Faroes; Faeroe Islands) SVF State Variable Filter SVF Stoicorum Veterum Fragmenta 2Jam utility supports vendor independence by allowing users to convert SVF files to Jam files. Altera's other ISP tools include the Altera BitBlaster(TM) and ByteBlasterMV(TM) parallel port cables for prototyping. In addition, Altera's ISP-capable devices can be programmed via in-circuit testers in manufacturing, and embedded processors for in-field upgrades. MAX+PLUS(R) II Design Software In addition to Jam, Altera's MAX+PLUS(R) II development software plays a key role in ISP development by maintaining pin-outs when changes are made to device logic. By maintaining pin-outs, Altera's MAX+PLUS II software helps eliminate the need for PCB re-spins and allows the board to be manufactured early in the development cycle, reducing the overall time-to-market and design costs. MAX+PLUS II software offers automatic software support for generating Jam files and Serial Vector Files. Safe Harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. Notice This press release contains "forward looking statements" which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. Forward looking statements are generally preceded by words such as "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "projects," or "intends." Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and uncertainty, including without limitation the risks that the Company's products will not satisfy customer demands and that planned products will not be introduced or planned. Please refer to the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, copies of which are available from the Company without charge, for further information. About Altera Altera Corporation, The Programmable Solutions Company(TM), was founded in 1983 and is a leading supplier of programmable logic devices and associated logic development software tools. Programmable logic devices are semiconductor chips that can be programmed on-site, using software tools that run on personal computers or engineering workstations. User benefits include ease of use, lower risk and fast time-to-market. Altera's CMOS-based programmable logic devices address high-speed, high-density and low-power applications in the telecommunications, data communications, computer peripheral, and industrial markets. Altera common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market Nasdaq stock market The first electronic stock market listing over 5000 companies. The Nasdaq stock market comprises two separate markets, namely the Nasdaq National Market, which trades large, active securities and the Nasdaq Smallcap Market that trades emerging growth companies. under the symbol ALTR. More information on Altera can be obtained on the Internet at http://www.altera.com. Altera, The Programmable Solutions Company, Jam, MAX, FLEX, APEX, BitBlaster, ByteBlasterMV, MAX+PLUS, and specific device designations are trademarks and/or service marks of Altera Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. |
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