Microchip Technology launches QuickASIC family for low-cost, fast-turn FPGA/CPLD conversions.

CHANDLER, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 1996--Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHP), a leading supplier of 8-bit microcontrollers and specialty nonvolatile memory products for high-volume embedded control applications, today introduced the QuickASIC(TM) gate array family which can replace standard FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) and CPLDs (complex programmable logic devices) with a masked ASIC at a substantially reduced price per unit compared to programmable logic devices and no non-recurring engineering (NRE) charges.

Microchip's debut in the gate array conversion market follows its June acquisition of ASIC Technical Solutions Inc., of San Jose, Calif.

Microchip's QuickASIC family offers turnkey digital design conversion of any FPGA/CPLD device by transforming its net list into a masked ASIC -- with very fast lead times of less than four weeks from design signoff to prototypes.

QuickASIC devices provide: drop-in functional pin-for-pin replacement of FPGAs/CPLDs; seven array sizes ranging from 2,000 to 84,000 gates; 84-304 pads offering completely user-definable pin-outs; fewer than 7 nanoseconds typical (from input through a flip-flop to output); and 2.7 to 5.5 volt operation.

The company's Zero-NRE(TM) program eliminates the large NRE costs charged by traditional ASIC manufacturers and includes one free design turn.

"Microchip's QuickASIC devices offload the engineering effort for the conversion from the user to a highly experienced Microchip engineering team. They provide the user a direct replacement of the existing FPGA/CPLD device offering a very cost-effective, risk- free solution with quick time-to-revenue," said Kash Johal, Director of Microchip's ASIC Products Division.

"Microchip is initially leveraging its newly acquired QuickASIC gate array conversion technology for two phases of strategic product development, starting today by attacking the FPGA/CPLD conversion market," said Bryan Liddiard, Marketing Manager for the ASIC Products Division. "Companies like Xilinx, Altera and Actel provide a superior FPGA prototyping service.

"However, when a design is ready for volume production, converting a user's FPGA to a QuickASIC solution becomes very attractive as per-unit costs can be cut by up to 80 percent, and there is no NRE. In phase two, Microchip plans to merge its powerful RISC-based PIC16/17 microcontroller core with configurable gate arrays, providing a much wider range of flexibility, power ranges and custom functionality."

User programmable logic devices, such as FPGAs and CPLDs, allow custom logic functions to be designed and tested in-house, sharply reducing new product development cycle times and permitting the user total control over the prototyping process. Modifications and reprogrammability can also be addressed quickly and easily.

However, because of on-board programming and testing circuitry required, programmable devices demand a larger die size than the equivalent-density masked ASIC, making them significantly more expensive on a per-unit basis. Once the chip design is stable and the user enjoys increased sales, reducing product manufacturing costs becomes paramount.

The user can easily replace these high-cost programmable devices with a masked ASIC solution, allowing a lower-per-unit cost with the same functionality, package and footprint.

By providing a simple, low-risk, low-cost method of converting to a masked ASIC in a few weeks, QuickASIC devices can be used for any application prototyping with FPGAs/CPLDs, including multimedia, data communications, telecommunications and computer peripherals.

Microchip's current QuickASIC gate array conversion customers include Analog Devices, Hewlett-Packard and Xerox. Microchip's worldwide ASIC Design Centers located in San Jose, Calif., Chandler and Bourne End, England, provide highly experienced design engineers for fast-turn FPGA/CPLD net-list conversions.

QuickASIC will support all popular packaging types, including: SOIC, PLCC, PDIP, PQFP, TQFP and VQFP. Available today in 5,000- piece minimum quantities, pricing for QuickASIC ranges from $4-6 per device for 2,000 gates (compared to $15-25 for a comparable FPGA device) to $20-28 per device for 84,000 gates (compared to more than $800 for a comparable FPGA device).

For more information, contact any Microchip sales representative or authorized worldwide distributor.

Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading supplier of field-programmable 8-bit microcontrollers, complementary ASSPs, serial EEPROMs and related specialty memory products and KEELOQ(R) code hopping devices for high-volume embedded control applications in the consumer, automotive, office automation, communications and industrial markets.

The company focuses on high volume applications that feature the industry's most economical OTP (one-time-programmable) as well as EEPROM and ROM memory capability. The company is headquartered near Phoenix in Chandler, and operates wafer fabrication facilities in Chandler and Tempe, Ariz. Assembly and test operations are performed in Taiwan, Thailand and other locations.

Microchip employs more than 1,600 people worldwide and has sales offices throughout Asia, Europe, Japan and North America. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: The Microchip name and logo and KEELOQ are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. in the USA and other countries. QuickASIC and Zero-NRE are trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. in the USA and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Visit Microchip on the web: http://www.microchip.com.

Product photo available.

CONTACT: Microchip Technology Inc., Chandler

Bryan Liddiard, 602/786-7910

Eric Sells, 602/786-7478

For Literature Inquiries, 602/786-7668