Features - Storage Innovations:

TOSHIBA ANNOUNCES 128MB PSEUDO SRAM FAMILY

To meet the growing demand for higher density memory with low-power consumption for next-generation mobile systems, Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc (TAEC) with its parent company, Toshiba Corporation (Toshiba), have announced a family of 128 megabit (Mb) Pseudo Static Random Access Memories (PSRAM). Toshiba PSRAMs combine the most desirable features of SRAM and Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) to provide designers of wireless and portable communication products with an easy to use, low-power memory solution.

This latest generation of Toshiba PSRAMs is the highest density PSRAM available in the market with the lowest standby power consumption. The devices feature an 8-word page access mode, enabling high-speed access and performance improvement. The devices also support partial array refresh and are capable of further reducing standby power consumption.

"Toshiba offers the highest density PSRAMs available which makes them the perfect answer for memory-intensive, feature-rich mobile systems," said Paul Liu, senior manager of Communication Memory Products at TAEC. "The new design boosts performance while reducing power consumption and is rapidly making these features the most popular solution for next-generation wireless applications."

The 128Mb PSRAM device designated TC51WHM716AXBN operates using a single power supply with a voltage range of 2.6 volts (V) to 3.3V for both core and input/output (I/O), while the second 128Mb device, the TC51WKM716AXBN, supports 1.8V I/O. The devices have maximum standby current of 250 microamperes, and support a deep power down mode with maximum current of 3 microamperes.

The devices are packaged in 69-ball fine pitch ball grid array (FBGA), further reducing the board space requirements. In addition, Toshiba offers a space-saving stacked multi-chip package (MCP) which incorporates PSRAM with other memory product combinations including Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), NOR Flash and NAND Flash.

About PSRAM

Toshiba's PSRAM devices bridge the gap between SRAM and Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) by combining the most desirable features of each architecture to provide designers of wireless and portable communication products with high density, ease of use and low power. PSRAM's standard SRAM interface, self-refresh feature and 1-transistor DRAM-like memory cell make it an easy design-in for wireless applications, while providing a much lower cost than a traditional SRAM cell would at similar densities. Glue-logic, typically necessary for refresh operations with standard DRAM, is not required.

Pricing and Availability

Samples of the 128Mb PSRAM devices will be available in January 2003, priced at $41 each. Full production is scheduled for March 2003.

About TAEC

Combining quality and flexibility with design engineering expertise, TAEC brings a breadth of advanced, next-generation technologies to its customers. This broad offering includes semiconductors, flash memory-based storage solutions, optical communication devices, displays and rechargeable batteries for the computing, wireless, networking, automotive and digital consumer markets.

TAEC is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America Inc, a subsidiary of Toshiba, the second largest semiconductor company worldwide in terms of global sales for the year 2001 according to Gartner/Dataquest's Worldwide Semiconductor Market Share Ranking. Toshiba is a world leader in high-technology products with more than 300 major subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. For additional company and product information, please visit TAEC's Web site at chips.toshiba.com. For technical inquiries, please e-mail Tech.Questions@taec.toshiba.com .

Contact: Darrell Lynn, 949-455-2295, darrell.lynn@taec.toshiba.com.