12.04.2005 – 23:25

Atmel Corporation

Atmel Supports Growing Wireless Game Controller Market With Complete ISM Reference Design

Heilbronn, Germany (ots/PRNewswire)

- Drastically Reduces Time-to-Market and Development Cost

Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML), a global leader in the
development and fabrication of advanced semiconductor solutions,
announced today a complete reference design for wireless gaming
applications.

The new reference design combines Atmel's low-cost 2.4-GHz Smart
RF transceiver and AVR(R) Flash Microcontroller series
ATmega48/88/168. With this, system engineers can reduce development
time with an application-specific tool for gaming products.

The reference design meets low cost requirements while providing
excellent RF performance. End users will enjoy link ranges beyond 10
meters, allowing them to freely move and ignore radio-specific
limitations such as link range, line of sight or battery power drain.
The design measures only 17 mm x 28 mm and is based on standard
low-cost two-layer board material. Both the ATR2406
Industrial/Scientific/Medical Frequency Band (ISM) transceiver IC and
the ATmega48/88/168 are clocked from a single crystal and operate at
the same supply voltage, thus further reducing system costs. Various
components such as antenna, balun and filters are printed elements to
ensure lowest bill of materials. The proprietary Smart RF firmware
implements an adaptive frequency hopping scheme, allowing robust and
reliable data transmission even in a crowded RF environment. The data
rate enables throughput of up to 704 kbps, while the over-the air
data-rate is 1.152 Mbps. The burst-mode operation reduces the current
drain of the batteries, thus enabling extended gaming sessions
without the need to recharge or change batteries.

The reference design is part of the Smart RF Transceiver ATR2406
evaluation kit, which is available now for US$299. Samples and kits
can be ordered via Atmel sales offices or Atmel distributors (see
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/general/contact.asp). Both the ATR2406 and
the ATmega48/88/168 are manufactured in high-volume production, and
are available in QFN packages as well as wafer.

Footnote
    ISM = Industrial/Scientific/Medical Frequency Band
    WDCT = Wireless Data Control Transmission
    WLAN = Wireless Local Area Network

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) technology 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 Are(SM).

(C) Atmel Corporation 2005. All rights reserved.

Atmel(R), logo and combinations thereof, and AVR(R) are registered
trademarks, and Everywhere You Are(SM) is the trademark of Atmel
Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be
trademarks of others.

Information

Atmel's 2.4-GHz ISM transceiver IC ATR2406 product information may
be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=3413
Atmel's AVR(R) Flash Microcontroller series ATmega 48/88/168 product
information may be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=3301
(ATmega48)
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=3302
(ATmega88)
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=3303
(ATmega168)

    Atmel Press Contacts:
    Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Manager Communications and Automotive
    Products
    Phone: +49-7131-67-2081, Email:  susanne.van-clewe@hno.atmel.com
    Ford Kanzler, Manager of Corporate Press Relations - USA and Asia
    Phone: +1-408-436-4343, Email:  fkanzler@atmel.com
    Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe
    Phone: +33-1-30-60-70-68, Fax: +49-7131-67-2423, Email:
     veronique.sablereau@atmel.com
    Web site: http://www.atmel.com/dyn/general/contact.asp

Contact:

Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Manager Communications and Automotive
Products,
+49-7131-67-2081, susanne.van-clewe@hno.atmel.com, or Ford Kanzler,
Manager of Corporate Press Relations - USA and Asia, +1-408-436-4343,
fkanzler@atmel.com, or Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications
Manager - Europe, +33-1-30-60-70-68, or fax, + 49-7131-67-2423,
veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, all of Atmel Corporation