Atmel Launches Customizable Microcontroller-based SoC Platform

San Jose, California (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Low NRE CAP Products Bridge the Gap Between Standard MCUs and
ASICs

Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML), announced today the CAP
microcontroller-based system-on-chip (SoC) platform for complex
applications that require fast time-to-market. CAP features
high-speed local memory, a wide range of industry-standard
peripherals and interfaces, and a high-capacity metal programmable
(MP) block that allows the designer to add a significant amount of
custom logic on-chip. By leveraging the architecture of Atmel's
market-leading ARM(R) AT91SAM microcontrollers, the new CAP metal
programmable microcontroller platform enables application-specific
products to be developed in a fraction of the time and at a fraction
of the cost of a conventional standard-cell or gate array ASIC, but
at a unit price close to that of standard-cell devices. Stocks of CAP
platforms are held prior to metal layer fabrication, allowing
prototypes to be delivered rapidly, and accelerating volume
production.

CAP is based on Atmel's Metal Programmable Cell Fabric (MPCF) that
provides nearly identical routed gate densities to those of standard
cells in the same process.

Introducing the AT91CAP9S for ARM9-based Designs. The initial CAP
product introduction comprises the AT91CAP9S series, based on the
ARM926EJ-S(TM) processor.

The AT91CAP9S offers a 200 MHz ARM926EJ-S core with 16 KBytes each
of program and data cache, 32 KBytes of additional SRAM, 32 KBytes of
ROM, EBI with error correction code (ECC) for NAND
Flash/SmartMedia(R) and 250K or 500K metal programmable gates.
Peripherals include both a USB full-speed host and USB 2.0 high-speed
device, 10/100 Ethernet MAC, image sensor interface, 2.0A and 2.0B
CAN controller, LCD controller, MCI, SSC, PWM, LCD and AC97
controllers, SPI master and slave, two USARTs, three 16-bit timer
counters, an 8-channel, 10-bit analog to digital converter, and a
full complement of supervisory functions. Optional hardware AES/TDES
encryption/decryption engines are also included. The AT91CAP9S is
built around a multi-layered bus and a distributed DMA architecture
for the high internal data bandwidth required by deeply embedded
networked applications.

Dual-core architectures can be created by instantiating an
additional ARM(R) core, Atmel's proprietary AVR(R) processor or a DSP
core in the MP Block. Bus master controls are brought into the MP
Block, and DMA access can be provided to the system bus.

AT91CAP9-DK Development Board. The AT91CAP9-DK development board
implements the fixed portion of the CAP device as a microcontroller
standard product, tightly coupled to a high-density FPGA that
emulates the MP Block. The boards also include a range of memories
and physical interfaces/connectors representing external system
components. This configuration enables parallel hardware/software
testing of the application under development at close to operational
speed, with no penalty for hardware modifications. This enables
software development to proceed in parallel with hardware
development, and significantly reduces the design cycle time,
increasing confidence in a right-first-time system solution.

Development Tools and Operating System Support. Atmel's CAP
products are supported by the same third-party development tools as
Atmel's standard product AT91SAM ARM-based MCUs, including C/C++
compilers, in-circuit emulators and debuggers, from third party
suppliers. AT91CAP9S is able to host Microsoft(R) Windows(R) CE and
Linux(R), and a number of proprietary real-time operating systems.
This extensive software support network simplifies the task of
application development.

Availability and Pricing

CAP NRE starts at US$150K, to cover netlist
implementation/placement&routing in the Metal Programmable Block,
mask costs, fabrication, testing and delivery of prototypes.
AT91CAP9S is priced at US$13 in volumes of 100K units. AT91CAP9S
products and development boards are available now.

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of
microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory
and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's
broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is
able to provide the electronics industry with complete system
solutions focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications,
computing and automotive markets.

(C) 2007 Atmel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Atmel(R), logo
and combinations thereof, AVR(R) and others, are registered
trademarks, or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries.
ARM(R), ARM7TDMI(R) and others are registered trademarks or
trademarks of ARM Ltd. Windows(R) and others are registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the US and other
countries. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others.

Information:
Atmel's AT91CAP product information may be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/products/AT91CAP/
Press Contacts:
Barbara Bailey, Marketing Communications Manager - USA
Phone: +1-719-540-1895, Email: bbailey@cso.atmel.com
Peter Bishop, Communications Manager, Atmel Rousset, France
Phone: +33-(0)4-42-53-61-50, Email: peter.bishop@rfo.atmel.com
Helen Perlegos, Public Relations - USA and Asia Pacific Rim
Phone: +1-408-487-2963, Email: hperlegos@atmel.com
Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe
Phone: +33-1-30-60-70-68, Email: veronique.sablereau@atmel.com

Web site: http://www.atmel.com

ots Originaltext: Atmel Corporation
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Barbara Bailey, Marketing Communications Manager - USA,
+1-719-540-1895, bbailey@cso.atmel.com, or Peter Bishop,
Communications Manager, Atmel Rousset, France, +33(0)4-42-53-61-50,
peter.bishop@rfo.atmel.com, or Helen Perlegos, Public Relations - USA
and Asia Pacific Rim, +1-408-487-2963, hperlegos@atmel.com, or
Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe,
+33-1-30-60-70-68, veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, all of Atmel
Corporation