Ramtron and austriamicrosystems Collaborate

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, and Munich, Germany -- U.S. semiconductor maker Ramtron International Corp., a leading developer and supplier of ferroelectric-based low-power semiconductor products, and austriamicrosystems, a leading global designer and manufacturer of high-performance analog ICs, announced the availability of the MaxArias Wireless Memory kit, for evaluating third-generation, data-rich automatic identification applications. Ramtron's MaxArias Wireless Memory evaluation kit debuted today at Electronica 2010 trade fair in Munich, Germany.

Custom designed by Ramtron, the MaxArias evaluation kit has a board footprint of a standard business card and comprises austriamicrosystems' AS3992 UHF radio frequency identification (RFID) reader chip, associated firmware, and the MaxArias Wireless Memory device. The evaluation kit allows electronics system designers and value-added resellers to quickly test mobile systems for high-volume data-collection applications, such as manufacturing and maintenance history, high-value asset tracking, and smart utility metering, among others. The austriamicrosystems' AS3992 UHF Gen 2 Reader chip is an integrated analog frontend and provides protocol handling for global ISO18000-6b/c 900 MHz RFID reader systems.

"MaxArias high-speed portable data container chips remove the constraints of today's 128-bit tags, enabling system designers and manufacturing process engineers to implement higher performance and more efficient product features," said Dan Secrest, Ramtron's Marketing Manager for MaxArias products. "The combination of Ramtron's proven nonvolatile F-RAM memory technology and austriamicrosystems' leading-edge RFID reader technology enables developers to quickly move beyond commodity RFID products to third-generation data-collection systems for data-rich applications that require extended memory, faster read/write speed, and gamma stability."

"Ramtron's approach to data collection systems is unique and exciting for the automatic identification market," said Andrew Nathanson, Director of Auto ID & Transaction Research at VDC Research. "MaxArias Wireless Memory Solutions target significant application markets with a proven technology that can enhance productivity, lower costs, and improve operations."

Ramtron's MaxArias Wireless Memory Solutions are being demonstrated at Electronica 2010 trade fair, Munich, Germany, November 9–12, 2010, Hall A5, Booth 520.

About Ramtron's MaxArias Wireless Memory Solutions
Based on third-generation automatic identification semiconductor technology, Ramtron's MaxArias Wireless Memory Solutions enable high-volume, data-rich asset and information tracking systems for a variety of industries and applications, including utility smart metering, aircraft/industrial manufacturing, inventory control, maintenance history tracking, pharmaceutical and medical equipment tracking, building security, and product authentication. Unlike mainstream RFID tags that offer only a few kilobits of memory and exhibit inherently low performance, Ramtron's MaxArias Wireless Memory offers expanded memory and fast data storage and retrieval, enabled by proven, high-performance, nonvolatile F-RAM memory technology. MaxArias devices are also gamma-radiation stable and immune to magnetic fields. Ramtron's current MaxArias Wireless Memory Solutions conform to EPCglobal Class-1 Generation-2 UHF air interface protocol.

Ramtron's MaxArias Wireless Memory Solutions and evaluation kits are available now. More information, including a white paper and datasheets, is available on the company's Web site.

About Ramtron
Ramtron International Corp., headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, is a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops, and markets specialized semiconductor memory and integrated semiconductor solutions, used in a wide range of product applications and markets worldwide.

About austriamicrosystems
austriamicrosystems is a leading designer and manufacturer of standard and customized high-performance analog ICs, in the areas of power management, sensors and sensor interfaces, and mobile infotainment. Complemented by its full service foundry services, the company focuses on the communications, industrial, medical, and automotive markets. austriamicrosystems leverages almost 30 years of expertise in low power and high accuracy to provide industry-leading products.

The MaxArias logo is a trademark of Ramtron International Corp.