ISS extends Multimedia ASVC product range for Image/Video Processing in ASIC, FPGA

Raft of DCT functions and RGB-YUV/YCrCb Color-Space Converters join Codec-Encoder-Decoder
solutions for Motion-JPEG in ISS' product portfolio of "shrink-wrapped" semiconductor IP cores

San Jose, California (Sep 18, 2000): Integrated Silicon Systems - The Multimedia ASVC Company^TM today announces the immediate availability of a family of ten semiconductor IP products specifically for real-time image processing and visual communications applications in consumer electronics and professional equipment. Today's seven new product releases extend the company's existing range of "6000" series Multimedia ASVCs for high-performance digital image and video processing. An "application-specific virtual component" (ASVC) is a designflow-friendly form of licensable semiconductor intellectual property (IP) for easy realization in sub-micron ASICs or high-density FPGAs. ISS offers its Multimedia ASVCs in both ASIC-optimized and FPGA-targeted formats for implementation in CMOS ICs from a wide range of semiconductor fabs and programmable logic vendors.

Optima^TM and Celerity^TM core solutions

Launched last June, the company's unique "6000" series forms part of an extensive range of Multimedia ASVCs. Multimedia ASVCs offer a rich source of highly-portable "Firm IP" core solutions for single-chip realization of complex systems incorporating image and speech compression, communications channel coding, and digital signal processing. These systems are conventionally implemented in silicon using a selection of discrete ASSPs devices from a variety of different semiconductor suppliers. For ASIC implementations fabricated using standard cell libraries, ISS offers its process-portable Optima^TM core solutions; "off-the-shelf" versions of Optima^TM cores are available for the leading wafer foundries. For FPGA users, ISS offers architecture-optimized Celerity^TM core solutions, versions of which are available for programmable logic device families from Altera and Xilinx.

CS61xx Motion-JPEG	CS63xx DCT & IDCT	CS64xx Color Space Converter

CS6100 M-JPEG Encoder core	CS6310 DCT core	CS6410 RGB-to-YUV core
CS6150 M-JPEG Decoder core	CS6350 Inverse DCT core	CS6411 YUV-to-RGB core
CS6190 M-JPEG Codec core	CS6390 Combined DCT-IDCT core	CS6420 RGB-to-YCrCb core
		CS6421 YCrCb-to-RGB core

Table 1: Integrated Silicon Systems' "6000" family Multimedia ASVC product lines.

"6000" series Multimedia ASVCs for Image Processing

Integrated Silicon Systems' "6000" series addresses the particular needs of integrated systems design engineers engaged in the timely implementation of SoC, ASIC and FPGA semiconductors for digital video (editing, set-top box, broadcast, video-conferencing), digital imaging (still camera, multi-function printers, medical) and other multimedia communications applications. There are now ten distinct products in the "6000" family for image processing (Table 1). The latest seven Multimedia ASVCs follow the product introduction roadmap paved by three cores for ISO-standard JPEG compression applications announced in June 2000, namely the CS6100 M-JPEG Encoder, CS6150 M-JPEG Decoder and CS6190 M-JPEG Codec. The CS6300 series DCT cores and the CS6400 series Color Space Converter cores complete the present "6000" line-up.

At processing rates of up to 125-MegaSamples/sec and 115- MegaSamples/sec respectively the CS6150 M-JPEG Decoder and CS6190 M-JPEG Codec represent exceptionally high performance solutions that are also ideal for low power, consumer products. Such a high degree of performance makes these unique products perfect for the most demanding frame-based video compression applications - without the need for host processor intervention. All three products in the 6100 line can process streaming frame-based images and are fully compliant with the ISO/IEC 10918-1/2 Baseline JPEG standards. Typical applications for the CS6150 Decoder include full-duplex interactive video (when used in conjunction with the CS6100 Encoder) and photo-printers. The CS6190 Codec is an ideal candidate for non-simultaneous "record-then-playback" or "store-then-retrieve" video systems such as digital cameras. Other target applications for the CS6100 Encoder include digital video editing, digital photocopiers, and security systems.

"Digital photography represents one of the main markets for the CS6100 ASVC," commented Jordan Selburn, Director of Product Marketing, ISS. "The design of megapixel digital still cameras for the consumer market demands powerful yet cost-effective image compression solutions in silicon. Our ASVCs offer that performance without the power consumption penalty associated with battery-hungry DSP or microprocessor based designs."

The DCT and inverse DCT (IDCT) ASVCs in the CS6300 series (Table 1) are key sub-systems for customers designing JPEG based image processing or other highly-specialized signal processing systems. The latest ASVCs in the CS6400 series (Table 1) implement real-time conversion of digital color video-image signals from/to display-standard RGB representation to/from the YUV or YCrCb formats, alternative industry-standard "color space" representations used for more efficient digital signal processing.

The Multimedia ASVC advantage

"An ASVC is a complete package and truly brings standard product, off-the-shelf accessibility to the world of multimedia IP. Any member of the CS6000 family represents a ready-to-use solution for system designers," commented Jordan Selburn, Director of Product Marketing, ISS. "These IP cores are delivered in targeted-netlist format, with comprehensive testbenches and in-depth technical documentation. ISS is setting the benchmark for ease of access and assurance of success. An ASVC is not a tool. It's a finished component ready for use by the system designer."

The "6000" series Multimedia ASVCs can be purchased directly from ISS or its sales representatives. Product datasheets are downloadable from http://www.iss-asvc.com/products.

About Integrated Silicon Systems

Integrated Silicon Systems Ltd. (ISS) is the leading supplier of application-specific virtual components (ASVCs) for multimedia and communications System-on-a-Chip (SoC) integrated circuits. ISS delivers video/image compression, audio compression, and channel coding solutions for consumer and communications applications. Using proprietary techniques for direct-mapped implementations of digital signal processing functions and algorithms in hardware, ISS develops and licenses IP cores that realize 10X to 1000X improvements in performance compared to conventional implementations using software-programmable DSP microprocessors. ISS is a privately-held company with corporate headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK and worldwide sales and marketing operations in San Jose, California. For more information, visit the ISS website at http://www.iss-asvc.com

Notes to Editors:

The ISS logo, "The Multimedia ASVC Company", "Optima" and "Celerity" are trademarks of Integrated Silicon Systems Ltd. All other brand names or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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