NEXT WAVE OF PHILIPS SEMICONDUCTORS' COOLRUNNER CPLDS DELIVER HIGHER DENSITIES.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 1997--Philips Semiconductors today announced the two newest members of its CoolRunner family of complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs): the 64-macrocell PZ3064 and PZ5064. These 3.3V and 5V devices combine Philips' Fast Zero Power (FZP) design technique and eXtended Programmable Logic Array (XPLA) architecture to deliver higher density solutions to customers whose applications require high-performance and low-power operation concurrently. With a propagation delay of 10 nanoseconds, the PZ3064 is the world s fastest 3.3V 64- macrocell CPLD.

"Customer and industry response to Philips' FZP design technology and XPLA architecture continues to exceed expectations," stated Steve Kelley, general manager of Philips' Programmable Products Group. "The release of our 64- macrocell device further demonstrates that we are on track in delivering the density roadmap outlined last April, and reaffirms our commitment to provide our customers with innovative programmable logic solutions at both 3.3V and 5V."

The XPLA architecture uniquely combines the PAL and PLA architectures to provide designers with CPLDs that offer maximum effective density, higher performance for complex functions, and superior support for making design changes while maintaining a fixed pin-out. Featuring a high-speed dedicated path of five product terms for each macrocell, the XPLA architecture delivers an additional 32 product terms in each logic block that is equally and simultaneously accessible by all macrocells within the logic block. The additional delay incurred to access any or all of the 32 product terms is never more than 2.5 nanoseconds. As a result, the Philips' CoolRunner CPLDs feature the simplest timing model; offer 30 percent to 50 percent more logic resources than competing devices; and, have the most flexible product-term allocation solution in the marketplace.

The Philips' FZP design technique eliminates the use of sense amps to overcome capacitive loading in the product term array. Instead, Philips uses a chain of CMOS gates to implement the sum-of-products logic, eliminating the need for constant current required by sense amps. Philips refers to this transition from a bipolar design approach (sense amps) on a CMOS process to a CMOS design technique (CMOS gate chain) on a CMOS process as a TotalCMOS PLD implementation. With the Philips approach, static current is effectively zero (<0.1 mA) and dynamic current is dramatically reduced relative to the competition since the CoolRunner CPLDs only draw current when the CMOS gates switch. The PZ5064 requires approximately one-quarter the dynamic current required by the closest competitor's 64- macrocell device.

"Philips' FZP design technique offers low power with no impact on performance, while competing devices require designers to choose between high performance and low power. FZP delivers the ability to simultaneously achieve high- performance and low-power operation which enables designers to use CPLDs in applications where they were not feasible in the past," stated Kelley.

Pricing in volumes of 1000 units is $11.65 for the 5V PZ5064- 10, and $14.50 for the 3.3V PZ3064-10, both devices are in a 84-pin PLCC package. Production volumes are currently available. For pricing outside the United States, please contact your local Philips Semiconductors sales office or authorized Philips distributor.

Philips Semiconductors, a subsidiary of Philips Electronics North America Corporation and an affiliate of Philips Electronics NV, headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the eleventh largest semiconductor supplier in the world. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the consumer, multimedia, and wireless communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major markets around the world and are supported by regional customer application labs.

Additional information on Philips Semiconductors can be obtained by accessing the Philips Internet Home Page located at: http://www.semiconductors.philips.com

NOTE: Sales information may be obtained by accessing http://www.coolpld.com Please do NOT use the editor- contact or corporate telephone numbers for sales information.

PHOTO: A photo is available for downloading from: www.coolpld.com. Photo Caption: LARGE OR SMALL? BOTH! Philips adds more "juice" to its 3V and 5V CoolRunner CPLD family with larger 64-macrocell devices.

CONTACT: Lawrence Fogel Carolyn Mathas

Philips Semiconductors or Mathas Communications

408/991-3614 541/865-7737

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