26.10.2004 – 14:14

Atmel Corporation

Atmel Introduces an Ultra Low Power MP3 Decoder for Mobile Phone Applications

Nantes, France (ots/PRNewswire)

- New Chip Provides Mobile Phone Manufacturers With More
Functionality While Reducing System Size and Cost

Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML), a global leader in the
development and fabrication of advanced semiconductor solutions,
announced today the availability of the AT89C51SND2C, a new MP3
decoder, which combines in a single package all features needed in a
mobile phone to play MP3 ring tones and to convert a cell phone into
a pen drive.

The AT89C51SND2C has been specially developed to handle the MP3
ring tones in mobile phones. Integrated in a mobile phone, the
AT89C51SND2C can easily replace sound generators, while offering
MMC/SD card reader capability, MP3 music decoding and USB connection
to PC. This provides mobile phone manufacturers with more
functionality while reducing the system size and costs.

Derived from the AT89C51SND1C, a fully integrated standalone
hardwired MPEGI/II Layer-3 decoder, with an 8-bit microcontroller
core, handling dataflow and MP3-player control, the AT89C51SND2C
offers 64 Kbytes of Flash memory, an embedded MP3 decoder, host
communication (serial, parallel, USB) and a Multi Media Card
interface. It also includes a high quality stereo DAC with a 50 mW
earphone power amplifier, and a 500 mW speaker power amplifier.

The AT89C51SND2C has versatile functionality apart from generating
MP3 tones. It can play MP3 music from the mobile phone Flash through
UART or SPI or from the Flash card (DataFlash(R), NAND Flash,
MultimediaCard, Xd-Picture Card, Secure Digital, CompactFlash). It
can also upload/download files into the mobile phone NAND Flash or
NOR Flash, upload files from the MMC to the mobile phone NAND or NOR
Flash.

"For just one dollar more, the AT89C51SND2C allows the mobile
phone manufacturers to get rid of the MIDI sound generator while
offering to the market a product with extended functionality," said
Bernard Bancelin, Marketing Manager of Audio Line at Atmel. "With its
compact package, and low power consumption down to 35 mA while
playing music at 2.7V, the AT89C51SND2C offers longer battery life
with optimized space," he added.

The AT89C51SND2C is available in a BGA100 (9x9mm) package in
industrial temperature. Pricing for 500,000-unit quantity per year is
US$6.00. A masked ROM version is available for low cost application
at US$4.50 for 500,000 units.

A complete development package is available to help designers
develop their new applications. It includes an emulator, a
development board (AT89DVK-04) and a remote MP3-reference design
(AT89RFD-08). All boards come with complete MP3-player firmware,
schematics and host drivers.

Footnote
    DAC: Digital -to-Analog Converter
    MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface
    MMC: MultimediaCard
    SD: Secure Digital

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of
microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory
and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's
broadest intellectual property (IP) portfolios, Atmel is able to
provide the electronics industry with complete system solutions.
Focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications, computing
and automotive markets, Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere You AreSM.

NOTE: Atmel(R), logo and combinations thereof and DataFlash(R),
are registered trademarks, and Everywhere You AreSM is the trademark
of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product
names may be the trademarks of others. MPEG Layer-3 coding technology
licensed from Fraunhofer IIS and Thomson Multimedia.

Information: Further information about Atmel's AT89C51SND2C
product may be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?PN=AT89C51SND2C

Atmel's Press Contacts:
    Philippe Faure, Marketing Communications Manager,
    Tel: +33-2-40-18-18-87, Email:  philippe.faure@nto.atmel.com
    Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe,
    Tel: +33-1-30-60-70-68, Email:  veronique.sablereau@atmel.com
    Clive Over, Director of Press Relations - USA and Asia,
    Tel: +1-408-451-2855, Email:  cliveover@atmel.com

Web site: http://www.atmel.com

Contact:

Philippe Faure, Marketing Communications Manager, +33-2-40-18-18-87,
or philippe.faure@nto.atmel.com, or Veronique Sablereau, Corporate
Communications Manager - Europe, +33-1-30-60-70-68, or
veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, or Clive Over, Director of Press
Relations - USA and Asia, +1-408-451-2855, or cliveover@atmel.com