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Key Tensilica Configurable Processor Patent Beats US Legal Challenge, is Strengthened with Additional Claims

SANTA CLARA, CA, – May 22, 2006 – Tensilica, Inc. today announced that its US patent number 6,477,683, “Automated processor generation system for designing a configurable processor and method for the same,” issued in November 2002 and anonymously challenged in May 2003, has not only withstood the challenge without modification, but 102 additional claims were also accepted into the patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This broad patent has been confirmed against the best-known prior art, creating an unusually strong foundation for Tensilica’s Xtensa configurable processor product line.

“The challenge has largely backfired,” stated Tom Halfhill, senior analyst for In-Stat’s Microprocessor Report. “The anonymous challenge has almost certainly strengthened this key patent. Having survived a lengthy reexamination and emerging with almost twice as many claims, it is unlikely to be challenged again.”

“This is an immensely satisfying victory for Tensilica,” stated Chris Rowen, president and CEO of Tensilica. “This challenge has significantly strengthened one of our most important patents. The claims were upheld and the patent has been explicitly battle tested. Our strong position in patents is symbolic of our overall leadership in the configurable processor space.”

Patent 6,477,683 covers the concept of automatically generating processor hardware and software from a configuration specification. Tensilica is the only company with a fully automated approach that ensures that any changes made by designers to its Xtensa configurable processors are fully reflected in the corresponding automatically generated software, such as the compiler, linker, debugger, and instruction set simulator. This patent is fundamental in making configurable processors widely usable by the broad design community.

About Tensilica

Tensilica offers the broadest line of controller, CPU and specialty DSP processors on the market today, in both an off-the-shelf format via the Diamond Standard Series cores and with full designer configurability with the Xtensa processor family. Tensilica’s low-power, benchmark proven processors have been designed into high-volume products at industry leaders in the digital consumer, networking and telecommunications markets. All Tensilica processor cores are complete with a matching software development tool environment, portfolio of system simulation models, and hardware implementation tool support. For more information on Tensilica's patented approach to the creation of application-specific building blocks for SOC design, visit www.tensilica.com.

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Editors’ Notes:

• Tensilica and Xtensa are registered trademarks belonging to Tensilica Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
• Tensilica’s announced licensees include ALPS, AMCC (JNI Corporation), Aquantia, Astute Networks, Atheros, ATI, Avago Technologies, Avision, Bay Microsystems, Berkeley Wireless Research Center, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Conexant Systems, Cypress, Crimson Microsystems, ETRI, FUJIFILM Microdevices, Fujitsu Ltd., Hudson Soft, Hughes Network Systems, Ikanos Communications, LG Electronics, Lucid Information Technology, Marvell, MediaWorks, NEC Laboratories America, NEC Corporation, NetEffect, Neterion, Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT), NVIDIA, Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., sci-worx, Seiko Epson, Solid State Systems, Sony, STMicroelectronics, Stretch, TranSwitch Corporation, u-Nav Microelectronics and Victor Company of Japan (JVC).