SAN JOSE, Calif. – June 28th , 2011 – Nuvoton Technology Corp., a leading worldwide provider of semiconductors for consumer and computing applications, today introduced the ChipCorder® ISD2100, the industry’s first true single-chip digital audio-grade IC, enabling industrial and consumer product makers to quickly and economically brand their designs with audio-grade digital playback of voice and/or music. The highly integrated ISD2100 reduces overall product costs and conserves designs’ “real estate” through its ability to operate independently of a microcontroller, along with its built-in digital compression, flash storage for non-volatile audio playback of up to 60 seconds, a speaker driver, and digital audio signal paths. Additionally, the very-low-power (<1uA standby), easily programmable device features a vastly improved sampling rate (up to 32Khz) and a higher signal-to-noise ratio (60dB) than previous-generation digital-audio ICs.

Acoustic Branding

With its unprecedented blend of integration and programmability features, the ISD2100 enables designers a cost-effective solution to distinguish their products with high-quality digital playback of audio-grade sound alerts and corporate audio-logo clips. Such “acoustic branding” has already taken hold across a range of markets to reinforce brand identity – from telematics such as navigation, radar, automotive and hands-free systems to medical and industrial uses like personal-emergency-response and warning devices, instrumentation systems, and vending machines. These markets represent the growing need for ways to efficiently convey targeted messages, tapping into users’ powerful sense of sound and memory.

Additionally, the ISD2100 complements the emerging use of touch sensors in industrial and consumer products; the device can be activated immediately by touch sensors, thus providing alerts or other audio feedback while the full system is waking up.

"Since the inception of the ChipCorder family, Nuvoton has endeavored to expand designers’ imaginations as to what they can accomplish with voice/audio applications," said Mike Luh, director of product marketing at Nuvoton Technology Corporation America. "As the industry’s first true single-chip audio-grade IC, the ISD2100 expands our highly successful ChipCorder line with more programmability, greater playback clarity and an unmatched array of integrated features that enable cost-efficient products across multiple markets.”

Integrated Design Requires No Microcontroller

Nuvoton engineers developed the ISD2100 to assure designers have a true single-chip solution for digital-audio playback of up to 30 seconds in applications where traditional external devices -- microcontrollers, flash memory, digital-to-analog converter, digital filters and speaker drivers – are impractical. The device still can be used in conjunction with a host microcontroller, though once the ISD2100 is programmed, there’s no need for microcontroller intervention, and the ISD2100’s array of memory-management features make audio playback transparent to a host controller.

The ISD2100’s programmable general-purpose input/output (GPIO) flexibility allows designers to trigger several different combinations of script macros containing audio files, thus enabling user-initiated audio applications. Additionally, while the ISD2100 can be factory preprogrammed, it also may be programmed via its serial peripheral interface (SPI), in either the field or manufacturing.

The ISD2100, available in a 20-pin QFN green packaging, is in volume production,

For full technical details of the ISD2100 -- and other Nuvoton ChipCorder devices – go to www.nuvoton.com

About Nuvoton Technology

Nuvoton Technology Corp. was established as a spin-out of Winbond Electronics’ Logic business group, starting operation in July, 2008 and IPO in September , 2010. Nuvoton Technology focuses on the R&D and sales in logic ICs, and leads in global market shares of speech ICs and computer related application ICs. Nuvoton owns a six-inch wafer fab, featuring in special niche process. Besides in-house IC products, the wafer fab also provides part of its capacity for foundry services. Nuvoton Technology provides high cost performance products for its customers by means of flexible technology innovation capabilities, full product solutions and excellent integration of technology synergy. Nuvoton offers superior services based on existing solid foundation and continues to realize its vision: "Be an indispensable partner to industry leaders." Nuvoton values the long-term relationship with its partners and customers; the company has established subsidiaries in the USA, China and Israel to strengthen regional customer support and global management. For more information, please visit www.nuvoton.com .

*Note: Nuvoton and ChipCorder are trademarks of Nuvoton Technology Corporation. All other trademarks and copyrights mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

Product Contact: 
Erik Lin 
Senior Technology Manager
Audio Product Marketing Division 
Nuvoton Technology Corporation
E-mail: CPLIN@nuvoton.com
Tel : +886-3-5770066 ext.8027

Farid Noory
Senior Technical Marketing Manager
Marketing Division
Nuvoton Technology Corp. America
E-mail: fnoory@nuvoton.com
Tel: +1-408-544-1743

News Contact: 
Erin Chou 
Professional Assistant Manager 
Marcom 
Nuvoton Technology Corporation 
Email: chchou7@nuvoton.com
Tel: +886-3-5770066 ext.1086

Editorial Contact:
Jerry Steach
CommonGround Communications, for Nuvoton
Email: jsteach@commongroundcommunications.net
Tel: +1- 415-222-9996