聯華電子今日 (23日) 與高速晶片介面的全球知名技術授權公司 Rambus 共同宣佈，Rambus 公司獲專利的 PCI Express PHY IP，現已擴展到聯華電子的 0.18 微米、0.15 微米、以及 90 奈米製程。此項結果為兩公司於 2004 年簽訂的 0.13 微米授權協議之擴充。

在此協議下，聯華電子的客戶可以採用 Rambus 公司廣泛的 PCI Express應用介面組合。Rambus PCI Express PHY IP 提供晶片研發者能將連結使用率、延遲、耗電與晶片面積最佳化的解決方案。此 PCI Express 介面標準被視為業界最成功的晶片對晶片介面之一，可運用範圍涵蓋了超級電腦、個人電腦與數位電視等系統應用。

目前已採用 Rambus PCI Express PHY IP 的聯華電子客戶，包含了個人電腦晶片組製造商宇力電子，以及電子與個人電腦繪圖製造商圖誠科技。而採用聯華電子製程的多種南北橋 IC 與通訊 IC 產品，也有客戶採用此項 IP 於其量產產品中。

“藉著與聯華電子合作，Rambus 公司將持續努力使先進的晶片介面技術可以更廣為業界採用，為客戶提供快速、經濟且更具效能的系統。”Rambus 公司平台解決方案事業群副總經理 Laura Stark 表示，“除此之外，這項合作協議將可協助晶片與系統開發者，在風險降低的情況下，將具有新技術能力的產品上市。”

“我們很高興擴展了與 Rambus 公司的授權協議，這可使經過驗證的 IP 解決方案在更廣泛的製程技術上被使用，包含了主流的 90 奈米製程，”聯華電子智財研發及設計支援部部長劉康懋表示，“此項協議使我們的客戶在針對 PCI Express 應用產品進行系統單晶片設計時，可以受益於 Rambus 涵蓋製程技術廣泛的可用 PCI Express PHY IP。”

Rambus PCI Express PHYs are complete serial communication cells optimized for implementing the physical layer of the PCI Express standard. The silicon-proven serial interfaces feature point-to-point, full duplex signaling and support up to a 3.2Gbps data rate. Rambus has also demonstrated its Turbo PCI Express platform with serial links operating at 5.0Gbps and 6.25Gbps data rates to meet future PCI Express requirements. Rambus PCI Express PHYs are listed on the PCI-SIG Integrators List, having passed PCI-SIG compliance and interoperability testing by Rambus PHY cell customers and digital controller partners. The PCI-SIG is the special interest group that owns and manages PCI specifications as open industry standards. The Rambus PCI Express PHY cells are supported by a comprehensive suite of digital controllers and support services to provide chip developers with a complete system solution. For more information on Rambus’s broad PCI Express offering, visit www.rambus.com/products/pciexpress

Rambus is one of the world's premier technology licensing companies specializing in the invention and design of high-speed chip interfaces. Since its founding in 1990, the company's innovations, breakthrough technologies and integration expertise have helped industry-leading chip and system companies solve their most challenging and complex I/O problems and bring their products to market. Rambus's interface solutions can be found in numerous computing, consumer, and communications products and applications. Rambus is headquartered in Los Altos, California, with regional offices in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Bangalore, India; Taipei, Taiwan; and Tokyo, Japan. Additional information is available at www.rambus.com.

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.

* PCI Express is a trademark of PCI-SIG; Rambus and the Rambus logo are registered trademarks of Rambus Inc. All other service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners.