Catalyst Semiconductor Launches Lower Power 8-Bit I2C/SMBus I/O Expander

Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:CATS), a supplier of analog, mixed-signal and non-volatile memory semiconductors, has expanded its line of bus products with the CAT9534, an 8-bit general purpose input/output (GPIO) expander for I2C and SMBus-based systems. The CAT9534 is pin-for-pin and functionally compatible with Catalyst’s industry-standard CAT9554, but operates at 100 times lower standby power, making it the perfect choice for battery-powered and "green” systems applications. With a low standby mode current supply of 1µA maximum, the CAT9534 offers a simple and cost-effective solution to add I/Os for functions such as LED indicators, control buttons, fans and sensors, while reducing power consumption in a broad range of end products, including white goods, digital cameras, cell phones, PDAs, routers, hubs and servers. The CAT9534 consists of eight ports, which power up as inputs and each port can be configured as an input or output by writing to a register. An internal power-on reset eliminates glitches on power-up. Each I/O port is 5V input tolerant, with a high current I/O drive sink of up to 25mA and an I/O source of up to 10mA, maximum. Additionally, each I/O port is compatible with logic thresholds of 2.5V, 3.3V and 5V. CAT9534 Product Features 400kHz I2C bus compatible 2.3V to 5.5V operation 8 I/O pins that default to inputs at power-up Industrial Operating Temperature: -40°C to +85°C Packaging: 16-pin SOIC, TSSOP and 16-pad 4x4 TQFN packages Price and Availability Pricing for the CAT9534 I/O bus expander is $0.83 each, in 10,000 piece quantities. Samples are available now. Projected lead-time for production quantities is currently 6 to 8 weeks ARO. About Catalyst Semiconductor Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Catalyst Semiconductor designs and markets analog, mixed-signal and non-volatile memory products, including Digitally Programmable Potentiometers (DPP™), white and color LED drivers, DC/DC converters, LDO regulators, voltage supervisors, bus expanders, serial and parallel EEPROMs, Flash and NVRAM. Many of Catalyst’s products incorporate the Company’s Quantum Charge Programmable™ technology, to deliver Adaptive Analog™ products, which offer a new level of customer flexibility, lower power and smaller die size. Catalyst products are used in telecommunications, computer, automotive, industrial and consumer markets. Typical applications include LCD displays, automotive lighting, optical networks, printers, modems, wireless LANs, network cards, DIMM modules, cellular telephones, navigation systems, set-top boxes and Internet routers. www.catsemi.com. Forward Looking Statements Statements in this press release may be forward looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, references to Catalyst Semiconductor’s CAT9534 bus product pricing, lead times and availability. Product availability, lead times, prices and margins can be affected by many factors, including interruptions in our manufacturing processes and those of our foundries and vendors, unpredictable customer demand, and semiconductor industry cycles. More information about factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained under the heading "Certain Factors That May Affect the Company’s Future Results of Operations” listed from time-to-time in reports Catalyst files with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, but not limited to, Catalyst’s Annual Report filed on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports filed on Form 10-Q. Catalyst disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement. Editor Notes: 1) Trademark notices: Adaptive Analog™, DPP™ and Quantum Charge Programmable™ are trademarks of Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. 2) I2C is a registered trademark of Philips Corporation. Catalyst Semiconductor is licensed by Philips Corporation to carry the I2C bus protocol.