1996-03-19 , IC-440

TPM749 Microcontroller Now Available for OEM Customers

Eindhoven -- March 19, 1996 -- Philips today announced the signing of a new licensing agreement with IBM that makes the IBM TrackPoint microcode widely available. The IBM/ agreement enables Philips to market TrackPoint software embedded within the TPM749 microcontroller as an OEM drop in solution.

"IBM chose Philips' TPM749 microcontroller because it is fully 80C51 compatible and offers high performance at an attractive price", said Ted Selker, IBM manager, User System Ergonomics Research. "Philips listened closely to our design criteria and responded with a solution to meet exact specifications for embedding TrackPoint microcode. The TPM749 is the highest quality, best performance, lowest cost solution around."

"TrackPoint microcode provides a precision, easy-to-use pointing solution", commented David Fair, Philips Semiconductors marketing manager, Microcontroller Product Group. "We're very pleased to help make this technology widely available to the market."

The IBM TrackPoint pointing device, which is used in the IBM award winning ThinkPad=81 notebook computers, eliminates the need for cumbersome mechanical pointing devices such as mice and trackballs, as well as touchpads, which are difficult for many to use. It revolutionizes keyboard design by providing a compact, easy to use, fingertip pointing solution located squarely in the center of the keyboard. "Computer users find the use of the TrackPoint feature a less tiring way to use their computers", said Ted Selker, "and their hands never have to leave the keyboard." In laboratory tests, the TrackPoint feature typically increases speed in tasks such as text-editing by 25% compared to other pointing devices.

The TPM749, a low cost ROM-coded 80C51 microcontroller, comes with the IBM TrackPoint pointing algorithms and control code already on-board. As a proven design with schematics, the TPM749 has a quick design cycle. All that is required to implement the TrackPoint solution is the Philips TPM749, an appropriate pointing stick (available from several manufacturers), and a few discrete components. The TPM749 is immediately available, priced at $7.95 in OEM quantities. For pricing and availability outside the United States, contact your local Philips Semiconductor Sales Office or Authorized Philips Distributor.

In addition to being a turnkey solution for companies looking to differentiate their PC products with a superior pointing device, the TrackPoint pointing device can be used in a variety of other applications such as PDAs, wheelchair controllers, game joysticks, industrial machinery, security cameras, and surgical equipment. Because of its small size, precision, ease-of-use, and FLEXibility, the TrackPoint pointing device can be used for control in many locations and applications.

The total world microcontroller market exceeded $8 billion in 1994. The largest portion of this market consists of 8-bit devices, representing just over 50 percent ($4.4 billion), and is growing at a rate of close to 15 percent a year. Philips Semiconductors is the leading supplier of the most popular 8-bit architecture, the 80C51. It offers over 50 derivatives and, in 1994, In-Stat, an independent semiconductor research firm, reported sales of $280 million. With the introduction of the XA-G3, Philips extends its 80C51 leadership to the 16-bit market.

Philips Semiconductors, a division of Philips Electronics NV headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, is the tenth largest semiconductor supplier in the world, according to a preliminary report on 1995 figures from Dataquest. Philips Semiconductors' innovations in digital audio, video, and mobile technology position the company as a leader in the consumer, multimedia, and wireless communications markets. Sales offices are located in all major markets around the world and are supported by regional customer application labs.