Semiconductor Industry Veteran Joe Parkinson Joins Photobit Board of Directors.

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 22, 1999--

The distinguished lawyer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Joe Parkinson has joined the board of directors of Photobit Corporation, the CMOS image sensor leader, effective October 1999.

Mr. Parkinson was chairman and CEO of multimedia communication firm 8x8, Inc., from 1995 to 1998, but is chiefly known as co-founder in 1978 of Idaho-based computer hardware giant Micron Technology, a company he served as president and then as chairman and CEO until his retirement in 1994.

"We are thrilled to have Joe on our team," said Dr. Eric Fossum, chief scientist and chairman, Photobit. "He is a leader and a visionary, with the track record of having built a high-volume semiconductor company. His knowledge of the semiconductor industry, especially in the area of intellectual property, will be a great asset."

A lawyer by training, Mr. Parkinson worked as a partner in the Boise, Idaho-based law firm of Parkinson, Lojek & Penlan, until 1984, and earlier as a consultant to New York-based Baker & McKenzie. He was also a visiting assistant professor at New York University School of Law, an assistant professor at Tulane School of Law, and a law clerk of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

In addition to his work at Micron and 8x8, Mr. Parkinson's business ventures led him to co-found and serve on the board of Sematech, an association of major semiconductor manufacturers and the U.S. Federal Government.

Mr. Parkinson has a strong record of public service, notably in his residence state of Idaho. His board memberships have included the Boise Philharmonic Association, the American Red Cross of Idaho, the Idaho Diabetes Association, and the Idaho State Board of Education. He has additionally served as board member and chairman of the Semiconductor Industry Association and the Idaho Health Facilities Authority.

Mr. Parkinson holds a Master of Law degree in Taxation from New York University School of Law, a Doctorate in Jurisprudence from Tulane School of Law, and a B.A. from Columbia College, where he graduated in 1967. He is married with four children.

CMOS' Advantages Over CCDs

CCDs, or charge-coupled devices, were the prevailing technology in image capture for thirty (30) years. By the late 1990s, however, they began to be replaced in key applications by CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) image sensors. There were several reasons for the shift. First, CMOS sensors draw much less power than CCDs. This allows end products to run longer on batteries, which is a major advantage in hand-held applications such as personal data assistant's (PDAs) and video cellphones. Second, CMOS sensors use the same manufacturing platform as most microprocessors and memory chips, making them easier to produce and more cost-effective. Third, by combining all camera functions on-chip--from the capture of photons to the output of digital bits--CMOS image sensors reduce the part-count in end products, which in turn enhances reliability, facilitates miniaturization, and allows on-chip programming of frame size, windowing, exposure, and other camera parameters.

Recent Photobit News

Photobit Corporation, which holds the broad patent for the "CMOS Active-Pixel Sensor Type Imaging System On a Chip," has, since fall 1998, launched a progression of off-the-shelf sensors to commercialize this technology. New chips include: the CIF-size PB-0100, for Internet cameras and video cellular phones; the VGA-format PB-0300, for high-end Internet cameras and small-format digital still photography; and the 500 frames-per-second megapixel PB-1024, which is the world's fastest CMOS image sensor. Last April, Photobit's founders were recognized for their efforts when the U.S. Space Foundation inducted them, together with Photobit's core technology, into the Space Technology Hall of Fame. In September, the German machine-vision firm Basler AG formed a long-term strategic alliance with Photobit.

About Photobit Corporation

Photobit is the leading fabless supplier of CMOS image sensors ("cameras-on-a-chip"). These devices are used in Internet cameras, digital still cameras, video cellphones, machine vision, biometrics, broadcast television, hand-held scanners, interactive children's products, lap-top computers, portable business tools, and other applications. Based in Pasadena, California, the firm owns the rights to high-performance image-capture technology invented at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Photobit has further developed this technology to make it viable in the marketplace -- resulting in several patent awards and a product line that consistently delivers superior price/performance. Being the industry pioneer, the company has designed over thirty (30) off-the-shelf and custom CMOS image sensors since its founding in 1995. It has a current staff of 75 and sales offices in 132 countries. Photobit's customers include Eastman Kodak, Eaton, Gentex, Lucent Technologies, and Schick Technologies. The firm also performs U.S. Government research and development. Details at www.photobit.com.