Atmel and emWare Combine Technologies to Provide Complete Internet Networking With AVR MCUs.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 1998--

Atmel AVR Microcontrollers Use EMIT Software to Deliver

Internetworking Capabilities for Embedded Systems

Atmel Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML) and emWare(R), Inc., announced today an agreement that extends the functionality of the 8-bit Flash AVR(R) microcontroller family of products with the addition of embedded networking capabilities.

AVR microcontrollers now can include a port version of emWare's EMIT(R) (Embedded Micro Internetworking Technology(TM)) software, providing a distributed embedded networking platform appropriate for 8-bit microcontrollers. The inclusion of EMIT software in AVR microcontrollers allows developers to create Internet-enabled embedded networks quickly and easily for AVR-controlled electronic devices, reducing development time and costs while expanding the use of embedded systems using 8-bit MCUs.

"The AVR family of microcontrollers is ideal for embedded projects requiring cost-effective, high-performance systems with space or power constraints, including industrial process control, robotics, and security systems," said Jim Panfil, director of microcontroller marketing for Atmel.

"These systems increasingly need networking with access to the Internet for greater monitoring, control and information collection and analysis. Atmel's relationship with emWare allows us to provide the foundation for a complete, end-to-end networking solution for embedded systems using an AVR microcontroller."

AVR microcontrollers are designed for systems that handle a large number of inputs and outputs simultaneously, need EEPROM data encryption/decryption for data security, and have low power requirements. The 8-bit AVR microcontrollers have various memory and peripheral options of up to 128K of Flash memory, 4K of SRAM, 4K of EEPROM, a timer/counter, a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), and analog to digital A/D converter.

"The inclusion of Internet networking capabilities for electronic equipment will become a standard requirement instead of an extra feature," said Chris Sontag, chief technology officer and co-founder of emWare Inc.

"Atmel's ability to provide the foundation for embedded device networking in their AVR microcontrollers allows them to fulfill customer needs for networking, in some cases before the customer realizes the need exists. Manufacturers using Atmel microcontrollers will have the advantage of faster development and implementation of a distributed device network with internetworking capabilities available for their products, providing them with faster time to market and a competitive advantage."

Atmel and emWare previously announced an alliance to port EMIT software to Atmel's 8051 microcontrollers and the use of the AT89C2051 microcontroller on the development board in emWare's software developer's kit.

At the core of EMIT software's distributed networking architecture is emMicro, a micro Web server -- the industry's smallest -- that uses as little as 128 bytes of memory at the device. Standard Internet technologies, such as Java, HTTP and a Web browser interface are used to access, control and monitor devices through emGateway, the communication link between IP networks and lightweight networks (IIC, RS485, CAN, RF).

The user interface can be a Web browser, using industry standard browser technology to reduce client side development and interact with devices through a remote Web browser, a directly connected laptop, or even a handheld PDA. In addition, the user interface can be a database or other application, providing a machine-to-machine interface to deliver information from embedded equipment in the format most useful to users.

emWare is the sole provider of embedded Internet networking software that runs on 8- and 16-bit microcontrollers without requiring an RTOS or a TCP/IP stack at the device. The company develops products based on open Internet standards that allow embedded device manufacturers to simplify the use, management and control of their products.

In cooperation with microcontroller manufacturers, enterprise software companies, and hardware companies, emWare delivers complete end-to-end solutions for networking any electronic product, including those using 8- and 16-bit microcontrollers, to any network, including the Internet. The company is based in Salt Lake City. More information is available on the company's Web site at www.emware.com.

Founded in 1984, Atmel Corporation is headquartered in San Jose, with principal manufacturing facilities in Colorado Springs, Colo., Nantes and Rousset, France and Heilbronn, Germany.

Atmel designs, develops, manufactures and markets on a worldwide basis semiconductors, including nonvolatile and embedded memory, logic, analog, microcontroller products and system-level integration (SLI) solutions using advanced CMOS, BiCMOS, BiPolar and SiGe process technologies.

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