MIPS Technologies and Chartered Sign Agreement to Provide 32-Bit Embedded MIPS Microprocessor Cores to SOC Designers.

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 21, 1999--

Chartered Licenses MIPS Technologies' Cores for

Aluminum and Copper Processes

MIPS(R) Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:MIPS) and Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing have signed an agreement that gives SOC (System-On-Chip) designers unprecedented access to the popular MIPS(R) processor cores.

Chartered is the first dedicated foundry to offer MIPS(R) RISC cores directly to their customers for SOC applications. The MIPS Technologies and Chartered alliance gives SOC designers the essential elements for integrating MIPS(R) processor cores into their products and rapidly building integrated SOC solutions for a variety of markets. For MIPS Technologies, the agreement establishes Chartered as a value-added foundry channel for its processor cores, as well as a world-class manufacturing partner.

The agreement allows SOC designers to access the MIPS32(TM) 4K(TM) processor core family directly through Chartered, ported and optimized to Chartered's advanced manufacturing processes. By using the foundry model, designers retain control of their own IP and design flow, and they benefit from a lower cost of entry for systems on silicon.

Upon obtaining a license, a designer can immediately begin integrating the high-performance MIPS32(TM) 4Kc(TM) core for high-performance, low-power and advanced consumer applications including Microsoft(R) Windows(R) CE applications. For even lower power and size-sensitive applications, they can also choose the MIPS32(TM) 4Kp(TM) core. Both devices implement the MIPS32(TM) architecture, making them compatible with the R3000(R) and R4000(R) families of processors, which are de facto standards in the embedded systems market.

The MIPS32(TM) 4K(TM) processors will be made available in silicon in Chartered's high-density, low-power 0.25-micron and 0.18-micron aluminum and state-of-the-art copper manufacturing processes. In addition, the MIPS32(TM) 4K(TM) cores will work with other library cells, intellectual property cores, and tools offered by Chartered's existing network of partners.

Since all these elements are aligned to Chartered's baseline CMOS process technology, customers can "mix and match" the MIPS(R) cores with other supported elements offered at the same process level. Designers can embed the MIPS(R) processor into their existing chip designs without having to redesign their entire system. Re-proving elements would be unnecessary after they have been designed into Chartered's process.

"It is abundantly clear that system companies are embracing both ASIC and pure-play foundry semiconductor supply chains," said Tony Massimini, Chief of Technology at Semico Research Corporation. "The availability of industry-critical silicon intellectual property from the leading foundries is a vital catalyst to the success of design reuse, lower design costs and faster time to market. MIPS Technologies and Chartered are leading the charge in this exciting trend."

"MIPS(R) processor cores have generated strong interest among system OEM and fabless semiconductor companies," said Derek Meyer, vice-president of worldwide marketing & sales at MIPS Technologies.

"Companies have been quick to acknowledge the benefits of integrating a MIPS(R) core into SOC designs. With Chartered we have created a worldwide value-added distribution channel that will make our processor cores even more easily available. This alliance allows designers to manage COT (Customer-Own-Tooling) design flows, star IP sourcing, and foundry access, all through a common vendor. We help SOC designers improve their time to market from both a business as well as a technology perspective."

Ana Hunter, Chartered vice president of worldwide EDA services, said, "With the addition of MIPS(R) cores, we can provide designers the essential drop-in building blocks necessary to complete a system on silicon. When combined with Chartered's advanced manufacturing capabilities, this creates another industry-first. We'll continue to expand our partnership network with star IP offerings."

Kirk Gremillion, Windows CE Silicon Vendor Relations Manager at Microsoft Corp., said, "We are happy to see the development of new SOC channels for CPU IP. The MIPS(R) IP delivery mechanism will increase the expansion of deeply embedded Windows CE-based devices by enabling ASIC developers, fabless semiconductor companies and large system OEM companies to create a wide range of differentiated ASICs and SOCs designed specifically for those Windows CE segments."

Customer access to the MIPS(R) core will be facilitated through Chartered. Chartered will deliver the design information database for pre-tested hard core implementations which have been extensively verified using MIPS Technologies' test bench and a variety of operating system software. Each hard core implementation will be certified by MIPS Technologies before release to manufacturing. Chartered's network of design partners can provide support on SOC design and IP integration of MIPS(R) cores.

Chartered expects several new SOC designs to be enabled with powerful MIPS32(TM) processor cores through their foundry services. The relationship will offer new categories of customers the opportunity to design with MIPS-based(TM) cores to bring exciting new products to the digital consumer and embedded markets.

About MIPS Technologies, Inc.

MIPS Technologies, Inc. is the world's primary architect of embedded 32- and 64-bit RISC processors. The company drives a broad architectural alliance that is delivering 32- and 64-bit embedded RISC solutions. It is the only company that owns a 64-bit architecture in embedded processors that are currently being sold to digital consumer product manufacturers in high volume. The company licenses its MIPS32(TM) and MIPS64(TM) architectures, CPUs, cores and associated technology to semiconductor manufacturing companies, foundries, ASIC developers, and system OEMs. The MIPS(R) architecture is supported by over 170 hardware and software development tools.

Licensees currently include: Alchemy (Cadence); ATI Technologies, Inc.; Broadcom Corporation; Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing; CommQuest (IBM); Integrated Device Technology, Inc. (IDT); LSI Logic Corporation; Macronix; NEC Corporation; NKK Corporation; Philips Semiconductors; Quantum Effect Design, Inc. (QED); SiByte Inc.; Sony Corporation; Synova; Texas Instruments Incorporated, and Toshiba Corporation. Numerous companies utilize MIPS intellectual property. MIPS Technologies, Inc. is based in Mountain View, Calif., and can be reached at 650-567-5000 or http://www.mips.com.

About Chartered

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing (www.charteredsemi.com) is a leading dedicated foundry, offering advanced wafer manufacturing processes for a broad range of CMOS logic, memory and mixed-signal technologies. Through alliances with complementary service providers, Chartered helps customers gain access to best-in-class services ranging from design tcipient of Semiconductor International Magazine's Top Fab award. Headquartered in Singapore, the Company operates sales and service offices worldwide. Chartered is a member company of Singapore Technologies, a technology-based multinational conglomerate with 1998 revenues of S$5.8 billion / US $3.6 billion.

Chartered Baseline CMOS Process Technology

The capability to design systems on silicon depends upon two major factors: the design elements necessary to create systems on a single chip, and high-speed, low-power process technologies and materials capable of supporting the implementation in the manufacturing process.

Through licensing and development agreements with industry innovators Motorola and Lucent Technologies, Chartered can deliver 0.18-micron, 0.15-micron and smaller-geometry processes in high-density, low-power aluminum and copper technologies.

Through various agreements with EDA and IP companies, Chartered has built a portfolio of libraries, intellectual property cores, embedded memory blocks, and tools that allow designers to create systems on chips. Each partners' elements are proven in silicon through Chartered's test chip program. Once manufactured, characterized, verified This technology strategy from Chartered facilitates design reuse and systems-on-silicon enhancements from onee addition of the MIPS(R) core to Chartered-qualWeb via: http://www.mips.com/