News & Events
Xicor Announces Industry's Highest Density Secure Smart Card and Secure Memory Chip
--High-Density Smart Card Opens Up Wide Range of New Applications~--Smart Card Uses Xicor’s New 128-Kbit Secure Chip~--Plastic Smart Cards Represent New Business Opportunity For Xicor
MILPITAS, Calif., October 13, 1997 - XICOR, Inc. (NASDAQ: XICO) today announced its X76F128 Secure SerialFlash memory chip using Xicor's proven EEPROM technology. This new secure chip will be the heart of the industry's highest density secure smart card called X76F128Y.
In addition to manufacturing the new chip, Xicor will provide the new X76F128Y smart cards and services such as printing and labeling according to customer specifications. The new cards have the dimensions of a standard credit card.
The secure high-density 128-Kbit smart card and chip will open up many exciting new applications in telecommunications, transportation, healthcare, computers, security, customer membership programs, gaming cards, vending machines, electronic tickets and personal identification. Information is stored and retrieved from the card and chip via a 400 Kbps 2-Wire interface.
According to Gary Craig, Director, Product Marketing, "Smart cards are an emerging business for Xicor. Our Smart Cards are utilizing many years of experience in producing nonvolatile memory chips which are ideally suited for smart cards. We offer our customers a complete solution, and believe they will benefit from the overall economy of scale related to our volume production of security and memory chips.
"It's the silicon chip in the smart card that counts. The dual architeracture of the chip allows both manufacturer and user to partition the chip to independently store factory and user information and secure them through password access. Xicor's innovative architecture has demonstrated a complete secure solution at far lower price than microcontroller-based cards", concluded Mr. Craig.
Dual Memory Architecture
The card and chip both feature a dual-memory architecture which includes a 128- Kbit and a separate 512-bit serial EEPROM memory array. The 128-Kbit array is the main memory used to store the primary data, and the 512-bit array is an independent memory used to store auxiliary information such as serial numbers and ID codes separate from the primary data.
Five Way Security
The chip and smart card use five different passwords to protect its memory. The 128-Kbit memory is protected with a password that guards read access and a second password that guards write access. The 512-bit array is also protected with a password that guards read access and another password that guards write access. A fifth password restores operation to the chip if it is erased by its tamper resistant circuit.
Each 64-bit password, when combined with its 10-millisecond verification period, will require more than five billion years to defeat. For added protection, the device has a tamper resistant circuit that will erase both memory arrays after eight incorrect password attempts. The card and chip transfer data and commands over a popular 400 Kbps twowire serial link. The connection link to the card uses the ISO smart card standard.
Chip Applications
The new chip can be used by OEMs in the design of products that offer very secure protection of embedded data. For instance, the new chip could be used to design a cellular phone that locks up its billing ID number to prevent unauthorized cloning of the cell phone.
The smart card can be used by OEMs and VARs to design new products and systems. For example, a doctor's office or emergency room could be designed to run faster and at a lower cost with personal medical cards that carry information such as a patient's medical records and insurance coverage.
Unlike paper records, if a medical smart card is reported lost, it can be deactivated the next time it is used in a card reader. Also, unlike paper, the card's security protection keeps users from transferring, abusing or exceeding their authorization level.
Potential Secure Smart Card Applications
- Healthcare
Store confidential medical history, medication requirements, blood type and insurance information for more accurate and efficient patient services. - Customer Membership Programs
Store personalized customer information, buying history, bonus points, frequent buyer programs or special payment coupons for continued service and customer satisfaction. - Cellular Telephones
Secure calling, billing and personal phone number data in smart cards for convenience and for protection from theft and unauthorized access. - Gaming Cards
Eliminate the handling of coins and currency in casino games for customer convenience and lower operating cost. Provide better customer security of funds, record play patterns and insure confidentiality. - Vending Machine Cards
Offer an ideal solution for vending machine transactions, reduce the cost of collections and the handling of currency. Provide better security for the customer and reduce theft. - Electronic Tickets
Provide easy prepayment electronic ticket systems for public transportation, tolls and parking, and add the ability to gather travel and frequency of use patterns for providing better customer service and security. - Personal Identification
Enhance personal identification badges and cards, drivers licenses, student ID cards with the addition of more secure electronically stored information. - Computer and other Access Keys
Limit and control access to computers, offices, files, electronic systems and commercial buildings and homes. - Set Top Boxes
Provide enhanced pay TV systems with electronic security, pay per view movies, games, video shopping and personal data communications with a service provider.
The chip and smart card are sampling now with production quantities later this quarter. The X76F128Y smart card is priced at $5.95 each in quantities of 10,000. The X76F128 chip is priced at $4.95 each in a 48-pin TQFP (Thin Small Surface Outline Package) at 10,000 quantities. Die in waffle packs and in wafer form will also be available.
Reader Contact
Gary Craig, Director, Product Marketing, Xicor, Inc., 1511 Buckeye Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035. Telephone: (408) 432-8888, X3549 E-mail: gcraig@xicor.com; Web site: www.xicor.com
Company Background
Xicor develops and manufactures a broad line of in-the-system programmable semiconductor integrated circuits which retain information even when system power is lost or turned off. In-the-system programmability enables telecommunications, consumer, computer, industrial, automotive and military products to be adapted to changing software and operating environments and to be personalized by the user. Many of Xicor's products consume little power and operate well from a battery powered source, making them ideal for hand-held and portable applications.
Xicor products are used by manufacturers of electronic products worldwide, with approximately half of Xicor's sales coming from exports. Xicor products are supported by regional technical sales offices located in the USA, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea, and by independent sales representatives and electronic component distributors.
Xicor emphasizes the development of differentiated products incorporating its programmable technology which enables customers to rapidly bring to market products with improved features, efficiency and maintainability. To address the large market for undifferentiated EEPROMs, Xicor is also redesigning certain key popular products for cost reduction through smaller chip sizes. Xicor is a leading supplier of EEPROM and SerialFlash(TM) memory products and EEPOT (R) digitally controlled potentiometers.
Xicor's headquarters and principal manufacturing facilities are located in Milpitas, California. Xicor has received the Underwriters Laboratories Certification of Compliance with the ISO 9001 quality standard and the joint automotive QS 9000 quality standard.
Xicor's product, corporate and financial information is readily accessible on the World Wide Web at http://www.xicor.com
