SGS-Thomson delivers automotive system-on-chip technology.SAINT GENIS POUILLY, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 1997-- Smart Power Chip Integrates Microcontroller and Power Functions Producing More Reliability and Cost Savings SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :STM (Scanning Tunneling Microscope) A microscope that can image down to the atomic level. An STM uses a piezoelectric tube with a tiny sharp tip at the end that is moved within nanometers of the object being sampled. ) has introduced the super smart power doorlock (L9942), which is an integrated circuit integrated circuit (IC), electronic circuit built on a semiconductor substrate, usually one of single-crystal silicon. The circuit, often called a chip, is packaged in a hermetically sealed case or a nonhermetic plastic capsule, with leads extending from it for that combines on one chip all of the functions needed to control and drive an automotive doorlock actuator. By incorporating all necessary functions, the super smart power doorlock offers car makers reduced system cost, greater functionality and significantly increased reliability. "The super smart power doorlock is a good example of the new `mechatronics' approach of the automotive industry The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and sale of motor vehicles. In 2006, more than 69 million motor vehicles, including cars and commercial vehicles were produced worldwide. where failure-prone, low technology parts like connectors and printed circuit boards (PCB's) are eliminated by building smartness directly into the actuator. This is significant because any control application in a car can benefit from building smartness into a actuator, including electric sun roof movement, window movement, seat control, and airbag deployment applications among others," said Fabio Gualandris, Manager of SGS-THOMSON's dedicated automotive IC business unit. Studies have shown that 60% of the cost of an automotive system today is actually in the connectors, boards and passive components yet these are the cause of most of the failures. By redesigning systems to minimize these parts, car makers can reduce costs and increase reliability. In the past it was difficult to integrate the robust power circuits needed to power actuators and intelligent control circuits on the same chip using BCD-2 technology. SGS-THOMSON solved this problem with the introduction of its proprietary third-generation bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) The storage of numbers in which each decimal digit is converted into binary and is stored in a single character or byte. For example, a 12-digit number would take 12 bytes. See binary numbers. 3) technology. SGS-THOMSON invented BCD technology in the mid-1980s. The Company has maintained market share leadership, and developed more than 200 circuits using these technologies. "We are ahead of our competition in this field," said Mr. Gualandris. "Several companies are now offering circuits that combine a microcontroller with some power circuits, but the functionality of these circuits is limited by the silicon technology. SGS SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SGS Symantec Gateway Security (appliance) SGS School of Graduate Studies SGS Subgrid Scale SGS Singapore Government Securities SGS Shell Global Solutions THOMSON's technology is smarter and capable of handling more power, providing users with greater functionality than competitors' products." In the $1.2 billion market for special automotive ICs, which grew 32% last year, SGS-THOMSON is the world's leading supplier, with a dominant market share of 27%, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Dataquest. The compound annual growth rate in the automotive semiconductors market overall is forecast by Dataquest to be 16% between 1996 and 2000, while the average content per vehicle will rise to $275 in 2000 from $150 in 1995 and $55 in 1990. Incorporating an on-board microcontroller, the functionality of the super smart power doorlock can be fine-tuned simply by changing the software, giving more flexibility and reducing the time required to make changes. For prototyping, a version with reprogrammable non-volatile memory Refers to memory chips that hold their content without power being applied. It may refer to chips that are not changeable, such as ROMs and PROMs, or to chips that can be rewritten many times such as flash memory. can be used so that new software can be loaded into parts in just a few minutes. When volume production starts this is replaced by less expensive mask-programmed memory. SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics is a global independent semiconductor company listed on the New York Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) World's largest marketplace for securities. The exchange began as an informal meeting of 24 men in 1792 on what is now Wall Street in New York City. (NYSE: STM) and on the Bourse bourse (b  rs), term applied to a European stock exchange. The first international bourse was established in Antwerp in the 16th cent. de Paris. The company designs, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of semiconductor integrated circuits Integrated circuitsMiniature electronic circuits produced within and upon a single semiconductor crystal, usually silicon. Integrated circuits range in complexity from simple logic circuits and amplifiers, about 1/20 in. (1. (ICs) and discrete devices used in a wide variety of microelectronics applications, including telecommunications systems, computer systems, consumer products, automotive products and industrial automation and control systems. For the year ended December 31, 1996, the Company had revenues of $4.12 billion and net earnings of $625 million. CONTACT: Press Relations Simon Loe Tel: 011.33.4.50.40.25.58 -or- Morgen-Walke Europe Nancy Teitelbaum/Caroline Bruel Press: Madeleine Resener Tel: 011.33.1.47.03.68.10 -or- Morgen-Walke Associates, Inc. Michele Katz/Jessica Davis Press: Brian Maddox/Estelle Bieber Tel: 212-850-5600 |
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