K-Micro Adds SonicsMX Technology to its SoC IP Portfolio

Rapid Turnkey, Low-Power Wireless and Digital Consumer ASICs Simplified with Sonics' Technology

SAN JOSE, Calif. & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--Sept. 13, 2005--K-Micro, a leader in advanced yet affordable ASICs, and Sonics, Inc.(R), the premier supplier of system-on-chip (SoC) SMART Interconnects(TM), today announced that K-Micro has added the SonicsMX(TM) SMART Interconnect to its SoC IP portfolio for low-power, mobile and consumer applications.

The convergence of video streaming into mainstream cell phones and the transition of the consumer electronics industry to HDTV is facilitating a rapid shift to platform-centric SoC design methodologies so developers can meet the difficult challenges of achieving higher memory bandwidth utilization and increased system performance. The Sonics solution provides a configurable bus fabric and robust set of pre-verified data-flow services, such as QoS, variable data width management, error, interrupt, and security management. Utilizing this "off the shelf" and economical alternative to designing similar complex services for each SoC design has already proven effective for several Sonics customers.

By adopting SonicsMX, K-Micro has streamlined its SoC development methodology significantly to meet the advanced requirements of these markets moving forward. "The low-power, high performance, and small silicon area breakthroughs achieved in SonicsMX are impressive," said Sunil Baliga, vice president of marketing and business development at K-Micro. "We have already successfully executed designs using Sonics SMART Interconnects and are very comfortable with the technology. Therefore, adding Sonics' MX to our SoC IP portfolio was a natural choice for us as we look to satisfy the needs of customers designing low-power applications."

Today's announcement represents another public endorsement of SonicsMX from a world-class ASIC company. According to Phil Casini, vice president marketing for Sonics, "Sonics has always had a vision of SoC design companies leveraging SMART Interconnects to form the heart of their complex, leading-edge SoC platforms. I am pleased to say that K-Micro has helped make our vision a reality."

About K-Micro (Kawasaki Microelectronics)

K-Micro is a leader in advanced yet affordable ASIC technology. The company's innovative technologies and world-class design support are used in the consumer electronics, computer, office-automation, networking and storage markets. The company is an active participant in industry standards organizations, including the Wi-Fi Alliance, Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF), PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG), USB Implementers Forum, MPEG Industry Forum (MPEGIF), Mobile Computing Promotion Consortium (MCPC), the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG), SD Card Association (SDA) and OCP International Partnership (OCP-IP). K-Micro has design centers in Boston, San Jose, Taipei, and Tokyo. For more information, contact the company at 408-570-0555, or visit http://www.k-micro.us.

About Sonics

Sonics, Inc. is a leading provider of SMART Interconnects that deliver high SoC design predictability and increased design efficiency. Major semiconductor and systems companies including Broadcom, Samsung, Texas Instruments and Toshiba have applied Sonics SMART Interconnects in leading products in the wireless, digital multimedia and communications markets. Sonics is a privately-held company funded by Investar Capital, Smart Technology Ventures, TL Ventures, Easton Hunt Capital, JAFCO Ventures, and H&Q Asia-Pacific. For more information, see www.sonicsinc.com

Sonics is a registered trademark and SMART Interconnects and SonicsMX are trademarks of Sonics, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.