Altera Unveils First Complete System-on-a-Programmable-Chip Solution at Embedded Systems Conference.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 9, 2001

Altera Corporation (Nasdaq:ALTR), a leading programmable logic device (PLD) supplier, today unveiled the industry's first ARM9(R)-based Excalibur(TM) embedded processor solution for system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) designs at this week's Embedded Systems Conference and expects to provide samples to customers later this quarter. The availability of the ARM9-based EPXA10 device, part of Altera's Excalibur embedded processor solution, is an integral part of Altera's SOPC strategy that enables system integration on a single chip by combining programmable logic, peripherals, and memory with embedded processors.

"Altera is raising the bar in terms of SOPC performance and functionality by shipping our Excalibur embedded processor solutions," said Jordan Plofsky, Altera senior vice president of embedded processor products. "We are continuing to innovate our Nios(TM) embedded processor core, which has been widely adopted by Altera customers in a broad range of applications, and remains the only available soft processor that has been optimized specifically for implementation in PLDs."

In separate announcements, Altera also announced the upcoming availability of an enhanced Nios soft processor core used in reference designs that enable Ethernet connectivity and Internet access as well as Linux operating system support. In addition, Altera has partnered with Wind River Systems for support of their VxWorks AE operating system, Red Hat for support of their GNUPro embedded software development tools, and Mentor Graphics for their Seamless Co-Verification Environment (CVE) on the Excalibur hard-core processor products.

Altera will be demonstrating its new development kits for the Nios embedded processor core and the ARM9-based Excalibur embedded processor products at booth number 302 at the Embedded Systems Conference in San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center April 10 through 13, 2001.

Altera's Excalibur Embedded Processor Solutions

Combining logic, memory, and a processor core, Altera's new Excalibur embedded processor solutions allow engineers to integrate an entire system on a single PLD. The three families--the Nios soft core embedded processor, and the ARM-based and MIPS-based hard core embedded processor--offer the flexibility of processor cores with the integration of SOPC logic.

Excalibur embedded processors can be used in any application requiring processors and PLDs with gate counts up to 1,000,000 gates. They offer full integration with Altera's APEX(TM) PLD architecture, and are supported by the Quartus(TM) II development software, which is optimized for the Excalibur embedded processor solutions.

About Altera

Altera Corporation, The Programmable Solutions Company(R), was founded in 1983 and is a leading supplier of programmable logic devices (PLDs). Altera's CMOS-based PLDs are user-programmable semiconductor chips that enhance flexibility and reduce time-to-market for companies in the communications, computer peripheral, and industrial markets. By using high performance devices, software development tools, and sophisticated intellectual property cores, system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solutions can be created with embedded processors, memory, and other complex logic together on a single PLD. Altera common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol ALTR. More information on Altera is available on the Internet at http://www.altera.com.

Altera, The Programmable Solutions Company, Nios, Excalibur, APEX, Quartus, 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.

ARM are registered trademarks and ARM9 is a trademark of ARM Limited. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.