Conexant Crosspoint Switch Quadruples Volume of Networking Traffic a Single Chip Can Support in High-Speed Internet Infrastructure Equipment.

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 15, 2001

Advanced Semiconductor Packaging Squeezes Four Times The Switching

Capability Into A Single Chip While Providing A World-Record 1.8

Terabits Per Second Of Input/Output Performance For Next-Generation

Telecom And Datacom Equipment

Conexant Systems, Inc., (Nasdaq:CNXT) Monday introduced a crosspoint switch device that uses advanced semiconductor packaging and circuit-design technology to quadruple the networking traffic that can be routed through a single chip in optical-networking equipment used at the core of the Internet infrastructure.

Conexant's CX20487 device allows 136 independent channels to switch traffic at 3.3 gigabits per second (Gbps) per channel. This enables a total throughput of 449 Gbps and a world-record 1.8 terabits per second (Tbps) of input/output performance, or the equivalent of more than 16,000 copies of William Shakespeare's complete works passing through the device every second.

Its proprietary design far exceeds minimum channel-isolation requirements to eliminate crosstalk interference between the device's thousands of individual signal paths, while maintaining the same low power dissipation as today's 68x68 devices.

"With the introduction of the world's highest-performance crosspoint switch, Conexant has raised the bar for high-isolation, low-power switching in today's high-speed optical-networking equipment," said Achim Hill, vice president and general manager of Conexant's Integrated Circuits for Optical Networking (ICON) group.

Crosspoint switch devices provide the central connection-routing technology for incoming and outgoing signals from hundreds of line cards in a typical high-speed optical network. Circuit-based technology gives each network node a direct connection to every other network node.

The larger the matrix of input/output ports that can be supported in a single device while still isolating each signal path from crosstalk interference, the more signals that can be routed without having to add complicated circuitry in between each of the switching chips.

Until now, a single chip could only support 68 input connections and 68 output connections without suffering from signal interference problems between adjacent channels. The CX20487 device will allow manufacturers to use from one-sixth to one-half the number of chips that were previously required with existing 68x68 solutions, depending on the application and the desired port density of the system.

With all channels fully operational, including all 136 inputs and 137 outputs running in full differential mode (simultaneously handling both a positive and negative logic signal), the CX20487 device supports 550 high-speed lines capable of delivering 1.8 Tbps of input/output performance.

This level of performance will enable manufacturers to build equipment with significantly more ports to support escalating bandwidth demand.

"Our 136x137 device extends one of the industry's broadest families of crosspoint switches, including a 34x34 device for high-congestion 2.5 Gbps OC-48 networks where power efficiency is critical, and a 68x68 solution that increases routing density for fiber-optic data communications and SONET/SDH test equipment," Hill added.

"With our 136x137 solution, we've solved key semiconductor packaging and integration challenges to squeeze much higher switching density into a single crosspoint switch chip than ever before. This will enable manufacturers to simplify switch-card design for platforms with much higher port count, while simultaneously cutting costs and significantly reducing power dissipation."

The CX20487 uses Conexant's proven silicon bipolar complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (BiCMOS) manufacturing process, which the company has enhanced to combine fast switching performance with ultra-low power consumption. It also uses advanced packaging technology that has been proven in satellite applications, and is now being used for the first time in an optical-networking product.

It fully supports synchronous optical network (SONET) and synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) digital data transmission standards, and is ideally suited for applications in cascaded switch fabrics, optical cross connect systems, dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) switches and other high-speed optical-switching equipment.

The device also can be combined with other members of Conexant's broad wide area network (WAN) transport product family -- which includes a comprehensive line of switch fabrics, backplane interconnect transceivers, clock and data recovery (CDR) re-timing devices, and pre- and post-amplifiers -- to create complete optical-networking solutions for a wide variety of applications.

First to Include Internal Circuitry for Diagnostic Testing 

The CX20487 device is the industry's first crosspoint switch to include an internal pseudo-random bit stream (PRBS) generator and PRBS receiver that counts bit errors to facilitate system diagnostics and test for today's demanding equipment platforms.

This allows PRBS routing to be done on-chip using the extra channel of the CX20487 device's internal 136x137 crosspoint core, instead of off-chip which would add to switch-card signal-routing complexity. Alternatively, the device's extra channel can be used to enable a larger switching solution.

The CX20487 reduces power dissipation to an industry-low 9.125 watts at 2.5 volts, and uses a proprietary high-isolation design that minimizes the amount of any signal's short-term phase variation -- or "jitter" -- caused by crosstalk in a circuit, even when all channels are operating.

Other features include programmable output levels to further optimize power efficiency, and the added flexibility of multicasting and/or broadcasting capability so that a signal can be output to multiple selected channels and/or all outputs at the same time. Implemented in a non-blocking switch fabric, the device can support up to 18,496 input and output ports.

Conexant has achieved the CX20487 device's breakthrough switching density by using advanced flipchip packaging with copper-interconnect technology. Flipchip packaging enables a significantly higher number of signals to be routed through the chip than is possible with packages that use individual wire bonds to connect the semiconductor die to the package.

Instead, the individual die from the silicon wafer is flipped upside down and is bonded directly to a ceramic substrate using more than 2,000 low-resistivity copper interconnects.

The CX20487 device is packaged in a 1,155 ball grid array (BGA) package using flipchip technology. It is priced at $3,200 per unit in OEM quantities of 1,000. Samples are available now and volume production is scheduled for the second calendar quarter of 2001.

About Conexant Systems, Inc.

With revenues of $2.1 billion in fiscal 2000, Conexant is the world's largest independent company focused exclusively on providing semiconductor solutions for communications electronics.

With more than 30 years of experience in developing communications technology, the company draws upon its expertise in mixed-signal processing to deliver integrated systems and semiconductor products for a broad range of communications applications.

These products facilitate communications worldwide through wireline voice and data communications networks, cordless and cellular wireless telephony systems, personal imaging devices and equipment, and emerging cable and wireless broadband communications networks.

The company organizes its activities into two business areas: Internet infrastructure, which consists of the network access division, and personal networking, comprised of the digital infotainment, personal imaging, wireless communications and personal computing divisions. Conexant is a member of the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 Indices.

For more information, visit Conexant at www.conexant.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains statements relating to future results of Conexant (including certain projections and business trends) that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: global economic and market conditions, such as, the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry and the markets addressed by the company's and its customers' products; demand for and market acceptance of new and existing products; successful development of new products; the timing of new product introductions; the successful integration of acquisitions; the availability and extent of utilization of manufacturing capacity and raw materials; pricing pressures and other competitive factors; changes in product mix; fluctuations in manufacturing yields; product obsolescence; the ability to develop and implement new technologies and to obtain protection for the related intellectual property; the successful separation of the company's Internet infrastructure and personal networking businesses; the company's ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; labor relations of the company, its customers and suppliers; and the uncertainties of litigation, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Other brands and names contained in this release are the property of their respective owners.