Microchip
Editorial Contact:
MIPS Editorial Contact
:
Eric Lawson Jen Bernier-Santarini
480-792-7182
408-530-5178
eric.lawson@microchip.com jenb@mips.com
Microchip Licenses MIPS32
®
M14K™ Cores for
Next-Generation 32-bit PIC32 Microcontrollers
M14K Cores Deliver Smaller Code Size, Increased Performance and Lower Cost While
Enabling 100% Code Compatibility With All PIC32 Microcontrollers
CHANDLER, Ariz., and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 28, 2010 — Microchip Technology Inc.
(NASDAQ: MCHP) and MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIPS) today announced that
Microchip is building on its successful 32-bit PIC32 microcontroller family, which is currently based
on the MIPS32
®
M4K
®
core, by licensing the MIPS32 M14K™ family of cores from MIPS.
Watch a video interview between Microchip and MIPS: http://www.microchip.com/get/E3QM
High-res Photo Available Through Flickr or Editorial Contact (feel free to publish):
http://www.microchip.com/get/M6US
The M14K cores will enable Microchip to further expand its presence in the competitive
32-bit microcontroller market by delivering uncompromised levels of performance and improved
code density—critical factors in embedded applications. Additionally, the M14K cores provide cost
and performance scalability, while maintaining 100% code compatibility with PIC32 MCUs based
on the M4K core.
The higher code density in the M14K core family was achieved through MIPS Technologies’
new microMIPS™ instruction set architecture (ISA). Executing the microMIPS ISA results in at
least a 30% code-size reduction with little or no compromise in performance. Additional features of
the M14K cores that will be beneficial in the next generation of PIC32 microcontrollers include
interrupt-latency improvements and low power consumption.
“Since the successful launch of the rapidly expanding PIC32 family, Microchip has
continued to strengthen its strategic partnership with MIPS Technologies,” said Sumit Mitra, vice
president of Microchip’s High Performance Microcontroller Division. “In fact, the microcontroller-
specific enhancements to the new M14K core were heavily influenced by Microchip’s extensive
experience in the embedded market and with the M4K core.”
“We were pleased to work closely with Microchip, our flagship MCU licensee, on the
definition of our M14K product line, which includes features and enhancements specifically for
MCUs. Because of its clear value proposition, the M14K core is rapidly gaining traction in the
market, with more than 17 licenses in the short six months that it has been generally available. We
are pleased that Microchip is reaffirming its commitment to the MIPS architecture, which offers
superior performance, lower power and more advanced features for MCUs than the competition,”
said Art Swift, vice president of marketing and business development, MIPS Technologies.
About the M14K Core Family
The MIPS32 M14K core family provides high levels of system performance for extremely cost-sensitive
embedded applications, such as 32-bit microcontrollers, home entertainment, personal entertainment and home
networking. The MIPS32 M14K core and M14Kc™ core with integrated cache-controller are the first MIPS32-compatible
cores that also execute the new microMIPS ISA, achieving high performance of 1.5 DMIPS/MHz with an advanced level
of code compression. The microMIPS ISA maintains 98% of MIPS32 performance while reducing code size by at least
30%, translating to significant silicon cost savings. With smaller code size and efficient use of the instruction cache to
lower the cost, the microMIPS ISA also helps to reduce system power consumption.
About MIPS Technologies, Inc.
MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIPS) is a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures
and cores that power some of the world’s most popular products for the home entertainment, communications,
networking and portable multimedia markets. These include 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 Sunnyvale, California, with offices worldwide. For more information,
contact (408) 530-5000 or visit http://www.microchip.com/get/SST0.
About Microchip Technology
Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontroller, analog and Flash-IP
solutions, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of
diverse customer applications worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical
support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at
http://www.microchip.com/get/R615.
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