Catalyst Semiconductor Patent Grows Mixed-Signal Intellectual Property Portfolio.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 16, 2003

Catalyst Semiconductor (Nasdaq:CATS) today announced it has been awarded a U.S. patent (number 6,518,737) on its innovative, low dropout (LDO) linear voltage regulator design. The new circuit technique enhances Catalyst's capability to incorporate its programmable EEPROM technology and mixed-signal design into system level integrated circuits (ICs).

"This patent grant is an important milestone in Catalyst's movement toward system-level ICs that combine our extensive EEPROM capability with mixed-signal circuits," said Barry Wiley, Vice President of Marketing for Catalyst Semiconductor. "We believe exploiting this capability will allow us to make key contributions to our existing mobile communication, automotive and consumer electronic customer base."

U.S. Patent 6,518,737 Overview

The patent covers a low dropout (LDO) linear regulator with non-Miller frequency compensation. Optimum frequency compensation and transient response are obtained by using wideband, low-power operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs). In contrast to previous approaches, requiring tightly specified equivalent series resistance (ESR) for the external capacitor, the patented solution imposes no lower ESR limit. An LDO using a low ESR load capacitor will exhibit superior transient response with less undershoot or overshoot. The transient response of the patented LDO very nearly resembles the response of a single-pole system.

U.S. patent 6,518,737 was assigned to Catalyst Semiconductor February 11, 2003. The inventors were Cornel Stanescu of Bucharest, Romania, and Radu Iacob of Sunnyvale, California, both employees of Catalyst Semiconductor.

About Catalyst Semiconductor

Founded in 1985, Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The Company is a developer and marketer of programmable products used in telecommunications, networking systems, computation, automotive, industrial and consumer markets. The Company designs and markets a broad range of programmable products including Flash Memories, Parallel and Serial EEPROMs with I2C, SPI and Microwire interfaces, NVRAMs, Digitally Programmable Potentiometers, Microcontroller Supervisory circuits and other programmable Mixed Signal products. Typical applications for the Company's products include optical networks, modems, wireless LANs, network cards, PC BIOS, DIMM modules, cellular telephones, digital satellite box receivers, set-top boxes and Internet routers. Catalyst's Quality Management System is ISO 9001 certified. Additional information about Catalyst Semiconductor is available on the Company's web site at www.catalyst-semiconductor.com.

Except for those statements that report the Company's historical results, the statements being made are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained under the heading "Certain Factors That May Affect the Company's Future Results of Operations" listed from time to time in Catalyst's SEC reports including but not limited to the report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2002, and to the reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended July 31, 2002, October 31, 2002, and January 31, 2003.

Editor Notes:

1. Trademark notices: DPP is a trademark of Catalyst Semiconductor. I2C is a registered trademark of Philips Corporation. SPI is a trademark of Motorola, Inc. Microwire is a trademark of National Semiconductor.