Dialog Semiconductor and Flex Logix Establish Strategic Partnership for Mixed Signal Embedded Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (eFPGA)

Increasing configurability of Dialog’s Advanced Mixed Signal product offerings in target markets

London, United Kingdom and Mountain View, California – December 11, 2019 – Dialog Semiconductor plc (XETRA:DLG) and Flex Logix® Technologies, Inc. today announced a strategic agreement for Dialog to license Flex Logix’s EFLX Embedded Field-Programmable Gate Array (eFPGA) technology for use in high volume semiconductor Integrated Circuits (ICs), and the EFLX Compiler to program these embedded FPGAs.
EFLX is a low-power fully functional FPGA that is integrated into SoCs, microcontrollers and other standard or custom ICs, rather than serving as a standalone chip. EFLX cores can be used to upgrade I/O protocols, change encryption algorithms to improve security, enable elements of software-defined radio or accelerate data center algorithms. Additionally, EFLX can be leveraged by manufacturers or end-users to upgrade both new products and individual systems already installed in the field.

The EFLX arrays are programmed using Verilog or VHDL; and the EFLX Compiler takes the output of a synthesis tool such as Synopsys Synplify and handles packing, placement, routing, timing and bitstream generation. When loaded into the array, the bitstream programs it to implement the desired RTL function.

“Adding eFPGA functionality to our products will give our customers the flexibility to keep pace with rapidly changing market needs,” said Davin Lee, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Advanced Mixed Signal Business Group at Dialog Semiconductor. “By partnering with Flex Logix and leveraging its EFLX eFPGA, there is a massive opportunity to increase the configurability of future Dialog products within several of our target markets, such as IoT, computing, storage and mobile.”

“We are proud to partner with Dialog Semiconductor to deliver additional programmability and flexibility for their customers,” said Geoff Tate, CEO of Flex Logix. “This is just the beginning of a long-term relationship and innovative product roadmap for Dialog and Flex Logix.”

About Dialog Semiconductor

Dialog Semiconductor is a leading provider of integrated circuits (ICs) that power mobile devices and the Internet of Things. Dialog solutions are integral to some of today’s leading mobile devices and the enabling element for increasing performance and productivity on the go. From making smartphones more power efficient and shortening charging times, enabling home appliances to be controlled from anywhere, to connecting the next generation of wearable devices, Dialog’s decades of experience and world-class innovation help manufacturers get to what’s next.

Dialog operates a fabless business model and is a socially responsible employer pursuing many programs to benefit the employees, community, other stakeholders and the environment it operates in. Dialog Semiconductor plc is headquartered in London with a global sales, R&D and marketing organization. In 2018, it had approximately $1.44 billion in revenue and was one of the fastest growing European public semiconductor companies. It currently has approximately 2,100 employees worldwide. The company is listed on the Frankfurt (FWB: DLG) stock exchange (Regulated Market, Prime Standard, ISIN GB0059822006) and is a member of the German TecDax index.

About Flex Logix

Flex Logix provides solutions for making flexible chips and accelerating neural network inferencing. Its eFPGA platform enables chips to be flexible to handle changing protocols, standards, algorithms and customer needs and to implement reconfigurable accelerators that speed key workloads 30-100x processors. eFPGA is available for any array size on the most popular process nodes now with increasing customer adoption. Flex Logix’s second product line, nnMAX, utilizes its eFPGA and interconnect technology to provide modular, scalable neural inferencing from 1 to >100 TOPS using at higher throughput/$ and throughput/watt than other architectures. InferX X1 uses nnMAX in an Edge Inference Co-Processor chip which will be sampling as a chip on PCIe boards in Q1/2020. Flex Logix is headquartered in Mountain View, California.