聯華電子與半導體 IP 平台領導廠商 Virage Logic，今日 (7日) 共同宣佈，Virage Logic 獲專利的非揮發性電性可修改 (NOVeA) 嵌入式記憶體，已可於聯華電子 0.18 微米 CMOS 邏輯製程上提供生產。NOVeA 是業界第一個為商業用途所提供，無須任何額外光罩或製程步驟，而於標準的 0.18 微米 CMOS 邏輯製程所提供的系統嵌入式可改編非揮發性記憶體。聯華電子已完成 Virage Logic 非揮發性記憶體於聯華電子 0.18 微米製程上的驗證，以提供符合成本效益的嵌入式非揮發性記憶體，給需要安全、加密、產品識別、類比修整與矽修復等特性的客戶。

聯華電子將透過 Gold IP 方案提供 NOVeA，在 Gold IP 方案中，聯華電子依照對於個別 IP 的整合與經驗，將 IP 分類為銅至金等級。NOVeA 達到了目前現有最高等級的金級，代表了此 IP 已經於聯華電子進入量產。在 NOVeA 獲得金級評等之前，兩公司已建立了多年的合作關係，如 Virage Logic 的自我測試與修復 (STAR) 記憶體系統與區塊、速度與功率 (ASAP) 記憶體產品線，已經提供給採用聯華電子 0.13、0.15、與 0.18 微米製程的客戶使用。現在聯華電子將提供 NOVeA 給其晶圓專工客戶，以嵌入於客戶的系統單晶片上。NOVeA RAM 具有快速的 10 奈秒存取時間，與 10 年資料保存期。與傳統嵌入式快閃記憶體不同的是，NOVeA不需要額外製程步驟與光罩，因而降低了製造成本與交或時間。次微米 NOVeA 技術可協助聯華電子的客戶減少系統大小，降低耗電並提昇效能與安全性。

“設計與應用安全性、版權保護、數位權管理與射頻識別在標準 CMOS 邏輯製程上，皆需要小量的嵌入式非揮發性記憶體，”Virage Logic 公司 NOVeA 行銷副總裁 Jim Ensell 說明，“NOVeA 是今日唯一符合這些應用產品所有需求的技術－包括由編譯器生成的超低耗電、小體積、資料讀取快速、低成本、並且經過矽驗證的記憶體區塊。歸功於聯華電子嚴格的驗證與評等系統，使得我們得以向雙方的客戶保證 Virage Logic 的 IP 已可立即於聯華電子製程上生產。”

“聯華電子與 Virage Logic 提供的絕佳支援，再加上 Virage Logic 在創新嵌入式記憶體 IP 設計上的領導地位，使我們不但能降低整體的成本與縮小系統的尺寸，更可以幫助我們有效的加速產品的上市時程，” ViXS Systems 的工程部副總 Hugh Chow 表示，“我們選擇使用 NOVeA 嵌入式記憶體，是因為它所提供的許多安全性強化方法，例如關鍵加密儲存，對我們許多的視訊流應用產品來說是非常重要的。有了 NOVeA，我們現在就能以更有效且更節省成本的方式，來保護我們加密資訊的安全，這對我們來說非常重要，尤其是對一些我們打算開發的新興市場而言更是如此。”

“Virage Logic 的 NOVeA 記憶體針對聯華電子的製程技術，擴展了我們記憶體解決方案的組合，”聯華電子智財與設計支援部部長劉康懋表示，“我們很高興與 Virage Logic 的合作關係可以擴展至涵蓋 NOVeA 記憶體，並且透過我們的 Gold IP 方案將 NOVeA 提供給我們的客戶。Virage Logic 與聯華電子的研發團隊緊密合作，以提供一個通過驗證、可作商用的解決方案。”

Virage Logic 的 NOVeA 現已可提供給採用聯華電子 0.18 微米 CMOS 邏輯製程的客戶使用。單次使用價格自美金 125,000 起。客戶可透過  Virage Logic 網站 www.viragelogic.com 或聯華電子網站 www.umc.com，索取產品說明、驗證資料、以及其他相關資訊。

As the industry's only non-volatile, electrically alterable embedded memory solution that can be produced using a standard logic process with no additional mask or process steps, NOVeA is designed to be readily integrated into today's most advanced System-on-Chip (SoC) designs manufactured on leading edge deep submicron processes. NOVeA employs a patented single poly floating gate Fowler-Nordheim technology for both reading and writing. NOVeA includes a powerful controller and instruction set in an architecture that provides 100% cell redundancy. The result is an extremely reliable, high yielding embedded NVM that can be manufactured on standard CMOS logic processes with ultra low manufacturing cost and power consumption. NOVeA RAM can be reprogrammed in-system up to 10,000 times, has specified endurance of 10 years and is designed for integration into deep submicron SoCs. The use of NOVeA and associated development tools and views provide users with a secure design solution while reducing overall SoC mask costs, silicon costs, design risk and design time.

Founded in 1996, Virage Logic Corporation (Nasdaq:VIRL) quickly established itself as a technology and market leader in providing advanced embedded memory intellectual property (IP) for the design of complex integrated circuits. Virage Logic has evolved to become a global leader in semiconductor IP platforms comprising embedded memory, standard cells, and I/Os primarily for the consumer, communications and networking, handheld and portable, and computer and graphics markets. Virage Logic_s highly differentiated product portfolio provides foundries, integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) and fabless customers with key competitive advantages including higher performance, lower power, higher density and optimal yield. The company_s comprehensive quality efforts are validated in its FirstPass Silicon Characterization lab which ensures high quality, reliable IP across a wide range of foundries and process technologies. Headquartered in Fremont, California, Virage Logic has R&D, sales and support offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.viragelogic.com.

Statements made in this news release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, for example, statements relating to Virage Logic's business outlook, new products and new relationships. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which might cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include Virage Logic's ability to maintain and develop new relationships with third-party foundries, adoption of technologies by semiconductor companies and increases in the demand for their products, the company's ability to overcome the challenges associated with establishing licensing relationships with semiconductor companies, the company's ability to obtain royalty revenues from customers in addition to license fees, business and economic conditions generally and in the semiconductor industry in particular; competition in the market for embedded memories and other risks including those described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended September 30, 2002, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on December 16, 2002, and in Virage Logic's other periodic reports filed with the SEC, all of which are available from Virage Logic or from the SEC's website (www.sec.gov), and in press releases and other communications. Virage Logic disclaims any intention or duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release.

Some of the statements in the foregoing announcement are forward looking within the meaning of the U.S. Federal Securities laws, including statements about future outsourcing, wafer capacity, technologies, business relationships and market conditions. Investors are cautioned that actual events and results could differ materially from these statements as a result of a variety of factors, including conditions in the overall semiconductor market and economy; acceptance and demand for products from UMC; and technological and development risks.

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