Clear Logic Migrates 1,000th Altera-based FPGA Design to Low Cost, Socket Compatible Replacement; Devices offer Cost Savings of Up to 70%; Configured Samples are Free.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 2, 2000

Clear Logic, Inc. announced today that it has successfully migrated 1,000 designs submitted by customers to the company's low cost, Altera(R) socket-compatible LPLD(TM) and LASIC(R) products. Clear Logic's automated process converted these designs seamlessly and at no charge, using only programmable logic programming files or bitstreams that customers sent to Clear Logic over the Internet.

Clear Logic develops, manufactures, and markets pin-compatible, low cost production replacements for Altera's popular MAX(R) 7000 and FLEX(R) 8000 families of programmable logic devices. The company migrates designs to its devices, based on the customer's programming file or bitstream, at the Clear Logic factory. There is absolutely no charge for design migration and the company ships configured sample devices to the customer, for free, within two to three weeks of Clear Logic's having received the bitstream. Production quantities are available within four to six weeks and cost from 30% to 70% less than the Altera parts they replace.

According to Don Knowlton, Clear Logic's vice president of marketing, "The substantial cost savings we offer our customers is a primary reason why so many designers have chosen migrate their programmable logic designs to Clear Logic devices. We offer an absolutely risk free alternative to Altera's costly programmable devices.

"The customers simply submit their bitstreams using our web site once they are satisfied with their designs," Knowlton explained. "This takes less than five minutes. Within two to three weeks, we ship configured sample devices that are guaranteed to work interchangeably in the same socket as the Altera device. There is no charge to migrate the design to Clear Logic, and the samples are free. A lot of customers have a hard time believing this, but it's true. There is absolutely no risk in trying a Clear Logic device.

"Once the design is done the customer can order Clear Logic devices for low cost, high volume production. There is absolutely no functional difference between the programmable device and ours. In addition, customers do not have to pay to program our devices because they are configured at our factory. Clear Logic devices cost up to 70% less than their programmable counterparts, and consume up to 50% less power. Our four to six week lead time for production quantities is about the same amount of time required to get pre-programmed Altera parts from distribution -- the course most PLD customers pursue. Minor modifications to the design are not an issue because the Clear Logic devices can be quickly changed to the new design, and because the company does not charge for design changes. Since there are no minimum order quantities, customers can order "just-in-time" deliveries to react to changes in their customers' demand. Our LPLDs and ASICs are an excellent cost-saving option for anyone using Altera parts in production applications," Knowlton concluded.

Clear Logic's innovative metal link technology enables low prices and low power consumption. Links are used to perform the function of the hundreds of thousands of transistors used to implement programmability in FPGAs and CPLDs. Metal links require very little silicon area and draw no power at all, so Clear Logic die sizes are substantially smaller than those for programmable devices offering the same functionality. The type of logic used in Clear Logic devices is compatible with the logic structures in their supporting Altera programmable devices, so the customer's design can be migrated directly to the corresponding Clear Logic Device, without any modification.

Knowlton added, "The Clear Logic concept has been validated by the fact that hundreds of engineers have elected to migrate over one-thousand designs to Clear Logic devices, and those migrations have resulted in form, fit, and function compatibility in the same socket as the Altera products. As a result of the effortless and risk free cost-reduction path we offer, Clear Logic's revenue is growing rapidly, and we have made substantial inroads at major Altera customers, including Cisco Systems, Matsushita, and NEC."

Clear Logic employs proprietary software that converts the programming file from a design implemented using an Altera programmable logic device to a Clear Logic low cost production replacement. Clear Logic has no NRE charges or minimum order sizes. Clear Logic devices arrive at the customer's site fully pre-configured and ready to plug in the socket. Clear Logic's factory-configured devices are guaranteed to function identically to their programmable counterparts. Clear Logic's World Wide Web site is www.clear-logic.com.

Note to Editors: Clear Logic, LASIC and NoFault are registered trademarks of Clear Logic. LPLD is a trademark of Clear Logic. Altera, FLEX, and MAX are registered trademarks of Altera Corporation.