(PRWEB) March 17, 2003
Contact
David Gillooly
Director of Marketing
Telephone: 408.542.1080
Email: [email protected]
Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc.
1250 Borregas Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Main: 408.542.1000
Fax: 408.542.1200
http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com
CATALYST DIGITAL POTS ADD MEMORY FOR MULTIPLE WIPER POSITION STORAGE
Sunnyvale, Calif. (March 18, 2003) — Catalyst Semiconductor (Nasdaq: CATS) today announced two new Digitally Programmable Potentiometer (DPP) integrated circuits. The linear-taper quad CAT5409 and dual CAT5419 are 64-tap nonvolatile digital potentiometers that are controlled over a 400 kHz 2-wire interface bus. Unlike most digital potentiometers, the CAT5409 and CAT5419 allow four wiper positions to be stored per potentiometer in nonvolatile, on-chip EEPROM memory. If an application does not require multiple wiper position storage, the non-volatile 6-bit storage registers can store system parameters or other system data.
“The CAT5409 and CAT5419 feature nonvolatile storage of multiple wiper positions per potentiometer and a write protection pin that secures stored wiper positions in the DPP IC, said Catalyst Product Marketing Manager Gary Craig. Our DPP ICs continue to be designed for low cost with added capability. We are passing our cost savings on to customers in the form of substantial price reductions when compared to competitive devices. Low price doesnt come with a performance sacrifice. For example, we designed a very reliable Power-On-Recall circuit that loads each pots stored wiper position when power is applied.
Digitally programmable potentiometers can be used to bias laser diodes in fiber optic transceiver modules, bias RF amplifiers, adjust display brightness and contrast, adjust sensors and trim power supply voltages.
CAT5409 and CAT5419 Performance Specifications
The CAT5409 and CAT5419 are offered with 2.5 kohm, 10 kohm, 50 kohm and 100 kohm resistance options. Saved wiper settings are automatically recalled during power-up. Wiper resistance is a low 150 ohms maximum, 80 ohm typical, at 5 volt operation and 300 ohms maximum at 3 volt operation.
Standby power is 5 microwatts maximum at 5 volts, ideal for battery powered equipment. The devices operate from a single power supply voltage range of 2.5 volts to 6.0 volts.
Price, Packages and Availability
The quad CAT5409 and dual CAT5419 digital potentiometers are available in a 24-lead SOIC package and TSSOP packages. A ball grid array package is also planned. Lead-free, halogen-free Green package options are also available. Commercial, 0 degree centigrade to 70 degree centigrade, and industrial, -40 degree centigrade to 85 degree centigrade, temperature range devices are offered. Prices start at $ 1.25 in 1,000 piece quantities. Devices are available for sampling now with production volume scheduled for the second quarter of 2003.
Data sheets are available at http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com.
About Catalyst Semiconductor
Founded in 1985, Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The Company is a developer and marketer of programmable products used in telecommunications, networking systems, computation, automotive, industrial and consumer markets. The Company designs and markets a broad range of programmable products including Flash Memories, Parallel and Serial EEPROMs with I2C, SPI and Microwire interfaces, NVRAMs, Digitally Programmable Potentiometers, Microcontroller Supervisory circuits and other programmable Mixed Signal products. Typical applications for the Companys products include optical networks, modems, wireless LANs, network cards, PC BIOS, DIMM modules, cellular telephones, digital satellite box receivers, set-top boxes and Internet routers. Catalyst’s Quality Management System is ISO 9001 certified. Additional information about Catalyst Semiconductor is available on the Companys web site at http://www.catalyst-semiconductor.com.
Except for those statements that report the Companys historical results, the statements being made are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained under the heading “Certain Factors That May Affect the Companys Future Results of Operations” listed from time to time in Catalysts SEC reports including but not limited to the report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2002, and to the reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended July 31, 2002, October 31, 2002, and January 31, 2003.
