Infineon Technologies Introduces First Silicon of the CARMEL DSP Core; Core for Next Generation Infineon High Speed Modems and Wireless Applications, Licensable to Third Parties.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 1999--

Infineon Technologies today demonstrated the first functioning silicon of the CARMEL(TM) DSP core.

The Carmel development chip (CDEV) integrates the CARMEL DSP core, peripherals and on-chip memory. Infineon exhibited the CARMEL development chip connected to a sophisticated software development system, based on Tasking, Inc.'s EDE(tm) (Embedded Development Environment) tool chain, exchanging debug data between a development host computer and the CARMEL core via an on-chip JTAG port.

Dr. Sonke Mehrgardt, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Infineon Technologies, stated: "I am very proud that we can demonstrate today the first system-on-a-chip based on the CARMEL DSP core. The core, which is a cornerstone of our Logic Initiative, will allow our customers to leverage outstanding DSP performance in products addressing high-growth Internet, multimedia and mixed analog-digital signal applications."

Will Strauss, president of the Forward Concepts market research firm, comments: "With the trend toward system level integration, the demand for DSP cores is increasing by a 35% compound annual rate. CARMEL's first silicon confirms once again Infineon's competence in signal processing and core IP development. CARMEL's innovative Configurable Long Instruction Word (CLIW(tm)) architecture allows high performance while maintaining good code density. This presents a significant opportunity for DSP system designers to use CARMEL in function and application specific IC (FASIC) designs, which already represent 56% of the overall DSP chip market.

CARMEL Development Chip Features

More than a mere laboratory exercise, thxternal interrupts and an externally accessible Flexible Peripheral Interconnect (FPI) bus for peripherals.

Infineon will offer a development kit (including samples of the CDEV chip and evaluation boards) to customers and licensees at the end of Q3 1999. The CARMEL DSP architecture represents joint research and development work performed by Infineon and I.C.Com, a Infineon/Nisko joint venture based in Israel.

Tony Webster, vice president of Infineon's Microcontroller and DSP Division, said: "The first CARMEL silicon shows excellent stability and we were able to ramp up a working system in less than one week. The CARMEL DSP core worked as expected, thanks to the competence and the dedication of the technical teams at I.C.Com (Azor, Israel), and in Infineon's Munich DSP center who have been working together to bring CARMEL technology to market."

To build a broad base of support throughout high growth segments of the embedded IC market, Infineon has established a CARMEL licensing program. Through this program, OEMs can use CARMEL as an off-the-shelf chip during development and low-rate initial production, and then migrate to more cost-effective CARMEL core-based ASICs for volume production.

The CARMEL licensing initiative includes a Partner Support Program open to licensees and system integrators. The CARMEL licensing program parallels similar efforts for Infineon's C500 8-bit microcontroller, C166 16-bit microcontroller and TriCore unified instruction set 32-bit microprocessor-microcontroller-DSP core.

For information on CARMEL architecture, algorithms and tools, readers should contact Ralph Sucher, [e-mail]. For information on CARMEL licensing programs, readers should contact Uwe Binnenbruck, [e-mail]. For general information, visit the CARMEL web site, www.carmeldsp.com.

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies, formerly Siemens' Semiconductor Group, based in Munich, Germany, is the 10th largest semiconductor manufacturer worldwide according to Cahners In-Stat Group. Infineon provides semiconductor solutions for the telecommunications, automotive, data networking, consumer electronics, and industrial automation markets.

The company's comprehensive product portfolio includes integrated system ICs, memory and high frequency components, smart card ICs, discrete semiconductors and power ICs, sensors and fiber optic components. In fiscal 1997/98, the company achieved sales of $3.8 billion (DM 6.7 billion) and employed 25,000 people worldwide.

Infineon Technologies Corporation is the company's North American affiliate, with headquarters at 1730 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95112. For general information, contact 800/777-4363; 408/501-6000; or see http://www.infineon.com.

Note to Editors: CARMEL, CLIW, Infineon, the Infineon logo C166 and TriCore are trademarks of Infineon Technologies AG. EDE is a trademark of Tasking, Inc.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Any statements in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties; actual results may differ from the forward-looking statements. Infineon Technologies AG undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.