NEXFLASH, LATTICE ANNOUNCE SPIFLASH MEMORY
SUPPORT FOR LATTICE FPGA DEVICES
- spiFlash Serial Flash Memories Provide Efficient Configuration
Solution for LatticeECP, LatticeEC FPGA Designs
SAN JOSE, Calif., USA - May 16, 2005
NexFlash Technologies, Inc., a pioneer in Serial Flash technology,
and Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: LSCC), a provider
of the industry's broadest range of field programmable gate
arrays (FPGAs) and programmable logic devices (PLDs), today
announced the qualification of NexFlash® spiFlash®
Serial Flash memories for use with the LatticeECP and
LatticeEC field-programmable gate array (FPGA) family.
Featuring the popular Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), the
spiFlash family offers Lattice FPGA users a pin-, space- and
cost-efficient alternative to ordinary FPGA configuration
solutions.
Prior to the introduction of the LatticeECP and LatticeEC
families, FPGA configuration at power-up was typically handled
by dedicated boot PROMs, which could account for more than
one-third of the total FPGA solution cost. To address this
issue, Lattice introduced the LatticeECP and LatticeEC FPGAs
with support for industry-standard Serial Flash, such as the
NexFlash spiFlash family. Using spiFlash memories for FPGA
configuration helps further reduce costs to effectively compete
in price-sensitive volume FPGA applications.
"As the low-cost and high-performance benefits of the LatticeECP
and LatticeEC FPGAs continue to create excitement among our
customers, we remain focused on helping customers realize
the most-efficient 'total FPGA' solution," said Stan Kopec,
Lattice vice president of corporate marketing. "The NexFlash
spiFlash family, with its industry-compatible interface, broad
density range, and low-cost SOIC packaging, is a good match
for our FPGAs."
"Our spiFlash family is a perfect complement to LatticeECP
and LatticeEC FPGAs," said Robin Jigour, vice president of
marketing at NexFlash. "With the spiFlash family fully qualified,
we look forward to supporting Lattice customers with their
Serial Flash memory needs."
Range of Densities, Space Saving Packages
SpiFlash memories interface with the LatticeECP and LatticeEC
FPGAs through the four-pin SPI interface, which can be clocked
at frequencies up to 50MHz. The spiFlash family offers a broad
range of densities, from one to 32 megabits (M-bits), exceeding
the configuration requirements of the FPGAs. Additional memory
can be used for cascading multiple FPGAs or storing user data,
such as look-up tables, parameters, text, waveforms, and voice
prompts, through the SPI interface.
NexFlash offers densities up to 16M-bits in space-saving eight-pin
SOIC packages, allowing an easy migration path across densities
and using less than 25 percent of the space required for Parallel
Flash. All spiFlash products meet industrial-temperature operation,
are available in Green "RoHS"-compliant packages and are supported
by popular third-party PROM programmers. A spiFlash memory-to-LatticeECP/EC
FPGA cross-reference guide is available at www.nexflash.com/lattice-ecp_ec.htm
Expanding Market for Serial Flash
The Serial Flash memory market is experiencing dramatic growth,
with a wide range of applications quickly converting from
Parallel to the more pin- and space-efficient Serial Flash
technology. Densities in Serial Flash memories, such as members
of the NexFlash spiFlash line, have climbed from one M-bit
up to 32M-bit. At the same time, the market for such memories
is rapidly expanding. According to leading industry analyst
Web-Feet, revenues for Serial Flash memories will grow from
$275 million in 2004 to $480 million this year, then exceed
$1 billion in 2007.
About NexFlash
NexFlash Technologies, Inc. is a developer and provider
of Serial Flash Memory products for today's emerging electronic
applications. The company's spiFlash memories are tailored
for serial code storage applications such as DVD/CD drives,
hard disk drives, wireless LANs, network cards, DSL modems,
printers, set-top boxes, FPGAs and more. NexFlash was founded
in October 1998 and is a partially owned subsidiary of Winbond
Electronics Corp. NexFlash holds numerous patents on its technology
and has established strategic alliances with Sharp Corporation
and Winbond Electronics. For more information please visit
the NexFlash Website at www.nexflash.com
About Lattice Semiconductor
Lattice
Semiconductor Corporation provides the industry's broadest
range of Field Programmable
Gate Arrays (FPGA) and Programmable Logic
Devices (PLD),
including Field Programmable
System Chips (FPSC), Complex Programmable
Logic Devices (CPLD), Programmable Mixed-Signal
Products (ispPAC®)
and Programmable Digital
Interconnect Devices (ispGDX®).
Lattice also offers industry leading SERDES products.
Lattice is "Bringing the Best Together" with comprehensive
solutions for system design, including an unequaled portfolio
of non-volatile
programmable devices that deliver instant-on operation, security
and "single chip solution" space savings. For more information
about Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, visit www.latticesemi.com |