New Linearized Digital Audio IP Reduces Area by 50% Over Class-A/AB with Same Performance

LISBON, Portugal, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIPS), a leading provider of industry-standard architectures, processors and analog IP for digital consumer, home networking, wireless communications and business applications, today introduced new Linearized Digital Audio IP for multimedia applications. The new Audio IP provides a high-quality, compact line driving solution for a wide range of applications including DVD players, digital photo frames, set-top boxes and iDTVs.

The new Linearized Digital Audio line driver is a significant addition to MIPS Technologies' Audio IP solutions. It replaces the traditional Class A/AB line driver, resulting in an area savings of approximately 50%, while keeping the same Hi-Fi performance. MIPS Technologies achieves this through an innovative technique in linearization of the pulse width modulation (PWM) output signal. The IP can be implemented standalone or as part of an audio subsystem across multiple process technologies in major foundries.

"It is increasingly common to incorporate analog audio functionality onto SoCs, especially for multimedia applications in mobile devices," said Nuno Ramalho, vice president of Audio and Power Solutions, Analog Business Group, MIPS Technologies. "Our new line driver technology is a breakthrough that significantly decreases area while keeping the same quality. To-date, MIPS Technologies is the only company supplying this innovative and valuable solution for next-generation SoCs."

MIPS Technologies' unique family of Class-D Audio and Linearized Audio DACs incorporates a complete, high-quality playback channel optimized for low power consumption and longer battery life for a wide array of consumer devices. High-order, over-sampling sigma delta technology is used together with drivers to achieve high efficiency. The channel filters are implemented digitally, embedded in the decimation and interpolation filters associated with the converters. Individual volume control schemes allow maximum flexibility in combining different playback functions. External component requirements are minimal, as no separate external references are required.

About MIPS Technologies, Inc.

MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NasdaqGS: MIPS) is the world's second largest semiconductor design IP company and the number one analog IP company worldwide. With more than 250 customers around the globe, MIPS Technologies is the only company that provides a combined portfolio of processors, analog IP and software tools for the embedded market. The company powers some of the world's most popular products for the digital entertainment, home networking, wireless, and portable media markets -- including broadband devices from Linksys, DTVs and digital consumer devices from Sony, DVD recordable devices from Pioneer, digital set-top boxes from Motorola, network routers from Cisco, 32-bit microcontrollers from Microchip Technology and laser printers from Hewlett-Packard. Founded in 1998, MIPS Technologies is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices worldwide. For more information, contact (650) 567-5000 or visit http://www.mips.com.

MIPS is a trademark or registered trademark in the United States and other countries of MIPS Technologies, Inc. Chipidea is a trademark or registered trademark in the United States and other countries of MIPSABG Chipidea, Lda. All other trademarks referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.

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