VIRAGE LOGIC'S CUSTOM-TOUCH STAR COMPILER AVAILABLE IN UMC 0.18 MICRON PROCESS.

Virage Logic Corp. (Nasdaq: VIRL), a leader in embedded memory solutions, has announced the availability of its Custom-Touch (TM) Self-Test and Repair (STAR) compiler in UMC's (NYSE: UMC) 0.18 micron standard logic process and an agreement with UMC on a methodology for manufacturing and testing of the STAR embedded memories.

With the STAR compiler, UMC customers can take advantage of the industry's first embedded memory compiler to include redundancy that ensures high yield of SRAM memory blocks on system-on-chip (SoC) designs. Because the compiler is specifically designed for SoC applications that require a flexible way to assemble a number of memories totaling up to four megabits for a single instance, UMC customers do not need to sacrifice area, speed, or power while improving yield. In addition, Virage Logic and UMC are supporting a standard test and repair flow that leverages UMC's existing test and laser repair capability so that customers can take advantage of the redundancy and test features of the STAR memories.

"Our Custom-Touch STAR compiler is being adopted by system designers who require access to a large selection of high-quality memory cores that are complete and easy to integrate," said Krishna Balachandran, Virage Logic director of product marketing. "We are excited to extend our Custom-Touch UMC product line with the STAR product that offers a high-capacity, differentiated memory architecture to customers of UMC's 0.18 micron process."

"Through the partnership with Virage Logic, our customers now have access to high-capacity, reliable, embedded memory targeted to UMC's 0.18 micron process technology, which uses a 4.0-square-micron bit cell -- by far the smallest in the foundry industry," said Ed Wan, UMC vice president of worldwide field engineering. "We are seeing many new designs that require large amounts of memory, and we look forward to working with Virage Logic to ensure that UMC customers get their designs into volume."

The Custom-Touch STAR compiler is available off the shelf with pricing starting at $500,000 (U.S. list price). In addition to the STAR compiler, Virage Logic has the following compilers available in the UMC 0.18 micron process: 2 port register file, 1 port high-density SRAM and dual port high-density SRAM.