For Release: March 8, 1999
Altera Achieves ISP Leadership in Programmable Logic Device Market
- Altera ISP Device Revenue Eclipsed Lattice ISP Sales in Q4 '98
- Jam Language is Most Commonly Used Device- and Platform-Independent Programming and Test Platform
- Altera ISP Solutions Provide Fast Time-To-Market, Flexible Device Support
San Jose, Calif., March 8, 1999--Altera Corporation (Nasdaq: ALTR) today announced that it has overtaken Lattice Semiconductor to become the world's leading provider of In-System Programmable (ISP) logic devices. Altera's fourth-quarter 1998 revenue of $39.5 million for the MAX® 7000A, MAX 7000S, and MAX 9000 product families compares to Lattice Semiconductor's announced revenue of $36.7 million for its ISP PLD products in the same period.
With this milestone behind it, Altera now maintains leadership in both ISP components and ISP programming tools. Altera's device- and vendor-independent Jam™ programming and test language provides developers with a single platform for programming designs into targeted programmable logic devices (PLDs).
"In-system programmability is a key requirement in many of today's designs, where fast time-to-market, upgradeability, and flexibility can make or break a product introduction," said Craig Leclair, Altera's director of component marketing. "Altera is committed to maintaining its position as the leading vendor of ISP solutions for the programmable logic market by supplying its customers with the tools and devices they need to meet their project and time-to-market requirements."
Source: Company Reports and Altera Estimates
In-System Programmable Devices
Using ISP-capable PLDs, developers can accelerate their time-to-market, simplify the manufacturing flow, reduce inventory costs, and improve system-level test capabilities. Designers can easily maintain and upgrade ISP-capable devices in the field to fix bugs, add new features, or make changes to conform to a new standard.
Altera's ISP-capable devices include the MAX 7000A, MAX 7000S, and MAX 9000 product families. The ISP feature in the MAX family is implemented through IEEE 1149.1 standard JTAG test ports. This interface allows developers to program devices and functionally test the printed circuit board in a single step, saving development and test time and assembly costs.
Altera's other major products - the FLEX® and upcoming APEX™ device families - are SRAM-based and are in-circuit reconfigurable using the Flash-based EPC2 configuration device. That configuration device is also in-system programmable using the JTAG interface.
ISP Tools
ISP tools permit PLD devices to be reprogrammed after they have been mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). One such tool is the Jam programming and test language, a vendor- and platform-independent language for programming devices via the JTAG interface. The Jam programming and test language supports ISP-capable PLDs from Altera, Cypress, Lattice, Vantis, and Xilinx, and is available for download at http://www.jamisp.com. The SVF2Jam utility supports vendor independence by allowing users to convert SVF files to Jam files.
Altera's other ISP tools include the Altera BitBlaster™ and ByteBlasterMV™ parallel port cables for prototyping. In addition, Altera's ISP-capable devices can be programmed via in-circuit testers in manufacturing, and embedded processors for in-field upgrades
MAX+PLUS II Design Software
In addition to Jam, Altera's MAX+PLUS® II development software plays a key role in ISP development by maintaining pin-outs when changes are made to device logic. By maintaining pin-outs, Altera's MAX+PLUS II software helps eliminate the need for PCB re-spins and allows the board to be manufactured early in the development cycle, reducing the overall time-to-market and design costs. MAX+PLUS II software offers automatic software support for generating Jam files and Serial Vector Files.
Safe Harbour Notice
This press release contains "forward looking statements" which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements are generally preceded by words such as "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "projects," or "intends." Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and uncertainty, including without limitation the risks that the Company's products will not satisfy customer demands and that planned products will not be introduced or planned. Please refer to the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, copies of which are available from the Company without charge, for further information.
About Altera
Altera Corporation, The Programmable Solutions Company™, was founded in 1983 and is a worldwide leader in high-performance, high-density programmable logic devices and associated computer aided engineering (CAE) logic development tools. Programmable logic devices are semiconductor chips that offer on-site programmability to customers. The chips are programmed using tools that run on personal computers or engineering work stations. User benefits include ease of use, lower risk, and fast time-to-market. The company offers the broadest line of CMOS programmable logic devices that address high-speed, high-density, and low-power applications. Altera products serve a broad range of markets, including telecommunications, data communications, computer peripherals, and industrial applications. Altera common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol ALTR.
|
Literature
> 
