News & Events
Xicor® Premiers New Non-Volatile Digital-to-Analog Converter Products

-- Flexible 12-Bit DAC Family offers up to 16 bit Effective Performance

MILPITAS, California – October 1, 2003 – Xicor, Inc. (Nasdaq: XICO), a leading supplier of high performance analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits, today announced the introduction of a series of Digital- to-Analog Converters (DACs) targeted at the bias adjustment and calibration market. This family of products integrates a single channel, 12-bit non-volatile DAC, voltage reference with selectable gain and level shift, a configurable output buffer and general purpose EEPROM into a single chip solution. The flexibility of the X79000-series can achieve effective resolution of 14 to 16 bits by utilizing its programmability and non- volatile storage at a 12-bit DAC cost.

The X79000-series offer several advantages for bias and calibration applications such as data acquisition, sensor signal conditioning and power amplification bias. These devices provide several non-volatile registers whose values are restored during the power up of the device, making the device capable of operating independently of a microcontroller. The flexible DAC, or FlexDAC™, devices provide user configurability of the following functions :

• Non-volatile initial- value, DAC-register that restores the values during the power up
• “Push-Pot” style DAC control that allows for incrementing or decrementing from the initial DAC value in either one LSB or byte or word steps, making the device ideal for calibration or human interface
• Non-volatile selection of both the upper and lower DAC ladder voltages using a single internal voltage reference. A serial interface allows for on-the-fly selection of these values without any hardware changes using an internal variable gain and level shift circuits. This provides digital selection for course or fine voltage output span.
• Unbuffered Output or Buffered Output (configurable via external feedback) options.
• 64-Bytes of general purpose EEPROM to store manufacturing information, calibration coefficients and other important information such as curve- fit profiling, signal conditioning parameters and device or system identification.

“Xicor’s FlexDAC™ provides system designers with a device that is ideal for bias and calibration applications. The FlexDAC™ series has integrated several functions to allow design flexibility for either calibration or on-the- fly applications,” stated Tony Ochoa, marketing manager of Standard Linear Products. “For instance, the voltage span sub-ranging of the FlexDAC™ devices can optimize the DAC output range for optimum system adjustments and control. By matching the output voltage span of the DAC to the system required voltage range, the effective resolution of the DAC increases to 14 or even 16 bits in some instances. The sub-ranging capability and excellent linearity of the FlexDAC™ series provide a lower cost alternative to 14 or 16-bit solutions without missing codes. This digital flexibility can be achieved without any hardware changes.”

Summary of Features

• 12-Bit Resolution with 0.5 LSB max DNL
• Internal reference with digitally- selectable gain and level shift for the
• DAC output voltage span
• Optional external reference pins
• 64 Bytes of general purpose EEPROM
• Programmable non- volatile DAC initial value register
• Optional binary weighted “Push-Pot” Style UP/DOWN interface
• Guaranteed Monotonic Operation
• Power ready indicator to ensure proper operation with system host
• Feedback buffer output option for gain amplification
• Voltage reference output (1.21V) option
• Slave address hardwire pin identification allows control of up to 32 additional DACs using a single SPI serial interface
• VCC = 5V ±10%

The X79000, X79001 & X79002 in 20-lead TSSOP are available now, with 1k unit prices starting at $2.75 USD, $2.70 USD and $2.65 USD respectively.

Xicor Corporate Information
Xicor designs, develops and markets high performance analog mixed-signal integrated circuits used in communications, computing, networking and industrial applications. Xicor’s Mixed-Signal Products include data conversion products, power management integrated circuits, and application specific standard products and interface devices. Xicor’s programmable analog mixed-signal components regulate, control, convert and manage various voltages and currents through the use of a serial interface and internal EEPROM.

Xicor product, corporate and financial information are readily available on the World Wide Web at http://www.xicor.com

Safe Harbor Statement
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks may include the impact of competing products and pricing, timely design acceptance by our customers, timely ability to ramp new products into volume production, industry wide shifts in supply and demand for semiconductor products, and other risks detailed from time to time in Xicor's SEC filings. "Xicor" is a registered trademark and “XDCP” is a trademark belonging to Xicor, Inc.
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