Ramtron to Supply FRAM Memory to Ampy Automation for Arizona Salt River Project Utility Meters.COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Ramtron International Corporation (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :RMTR RMTR Redesigned Missile Tracking Radar ), a leading developer and supplier of nonvolatile ferroelectric random access memory (storage) Ferroelectric Random Access Memory - (FRAM) A type of non-volatile read/write random access semiconductor memory. FRAM combines the advantages of SRAM - writing is roughly as fast as reading, and EPROM - non-volatility and in-circuit programmability. (FRAM (1) (Ferroelectric RAM) See FeRAM. (2) (Ferromagnetic RAM) A non-volatile memory that records microscopic bits on a magnetic surface. See MRAM. FRAM - Ferroelectric Random Access Memory ) and integrated semiconductor products, announced today that the company's FRAM memory products have been designed into Pay As You Go utility meters by Ampy Automation Ltd. for Salt River Project (SRP SRP - A data link layer protocol. ), based in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. At present, Ampy intends to deploy as many as 100,000 prepayment meters over the next 24 months for the SRP M-Power(R) program. The meters incorporate a two-way communication capability that offers enhanced functionality, including automatic meter reading Automatic meter reading, or AMR, is the technology of automatically collecting data from water meter or energy metering devices (water, gas, electric) and transferring that data to a central database for billing and/or analyzing. (AMR (1) (Adaptive Multi-Rate) A variable rate speech codec selected by the 3GPP for the 3G evolution of the GSM cellphone system (WCDMA). Using the Algebraic CELP (ACELP) compression technology, AMR provides toll quality sound at transmission rates from 4.75 to 12. ), on-line inquiries, remote connect/disconnect, and complex rate structures. The meters also enable customers to exercise more control over their energy consumption, leading to cost savings and more efficient energy distribution. "FRAM usage in Salt River Project meters is another example of FRAM's growing acceptance among advanced metering solution providers," said Ramtron CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Bill Staunton. "We are pleased that Ampy Automation continues to specify FRAM for its line of advanced metering products." FRAM's unique performance characteristics are ideally suited for advanced metering products since they require higher data collection rates than meters of the past. FRAM memory offers higher write speed and much higher write endurance than older nonvolatile memory technologies, such as flash and electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) A rewritable memory chip that holds its content without power. Although EEPROMs spawned flash memory, EEPROMs are byte addressable at the write level, whereas flash chips must erase a block of bytes before rewriting. ). Due to its leading-edge features, Ramtron's FRAM memory is being used worldwide in a multitude of advanced utility meter products, including the world's largest advanced meter management (AMM) project in Italy, with over 27 million connected electricity meters. About Pay As You Go Meters Ampy's Pay As You Go metering system has been designed to offer high levels of functionality to the utility, while providing an easy to use means of crediting and retrieving usage data for the consumer. Installation of the system into the consumer's premises requires no special training. Initially, the consumer's residence is fitted with the new Pay As You Go meter in the same way as a traditional meter is installed. A Customer Information Unit is then conveniently connected to any outlet inside the home. The Display Unit acts as the consumer's gateway to the meter allowing the transfer of credit and the retrieval of consumption information to allow easy budgeting of usage and purchases. All information exchanged between the devices is sent over the existing power cables using power line carrier communications. For more information about the SRP M-Power(R) program visit http://www.srpnet.com/payment/mpower/. About FRAM Memory Ramtron's FRAM memories are a new generation of semiconductor memory that combine high-performance and low-power operation with the ability to store data in the absence of power. Due to the product's unique advantages, FRAM memories can improve a variety of electronic consumer and industrial products. Applications for Ramtron's FRAM memory devices include electronic power meters, automobiles, copiers, printers, security systems, and many other systems that require reliable and high-speed data storage without an external power source. Ramtron is currently working to integrate FRAM with additional analog and mixed-signal circuits to provide high-value semiconductor solutions for its customers. About Ramtron Ramtron International Corporation, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado The City of Colorado Springs is the second most populous city (after Denver) in the state of Colorado and the 48th most populous city in the United States.[4] The city is the county seat of El Paso County. , is a fabless semiconductor company A fabless semiconductor company specializes in the design and sale of hardware devices implemented on semiconductor chips. It achieves an advantage by outsourcing the fabrication of the devices to a specialized semiconductor manufacturer called a semiconductor foundry or "fab. that designs, develops and markets specialized semiconductor memory and integrated semiconductor solutions used in a wide range of product applications and markets worldwide. For more information, visit www.ramtron.com. "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995: Statements herein that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" involving risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: the effect of global economic conditions, shifts in supply and demand, market acceptance, the impact of competitive products and pricing, product development, commercialization and technological difficulties, and capacity and supply constraints. Specific forward-looking statements include those regarding intended meter deployments and timeframes. Please refer to Ramtron's Securities and Exchange Commission filings for a discussion of such risks. |
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