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SAN JOSE, Calif.—June 7, 2004 – Following the recent roll out of the ZirDA IrDA protocol stack for use with its eZ80 Acclaim!™ family of microcontrollers, ZiLOG, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZILG), creator of the Z80 microprocessor and a leading innovator of integrated 8-bit microcontroller solutions, today announced that it has introduced the UltraSlim ZHX1403 IrDA transceiver, bringing ‘always-on’, always power-efficient infrared connectivity to most compact portable electronics systems.  The move positions ZiLOG as a single source for all major components required for an IrDA communication system, making implementing IrDA solutions much easier. 

With the increased popularity of infrared control, design engineers are enabling a number of new industrial control and diagnostics and medical devices (such as glucometers, calorie counting products, digital thermometers, etc.), as well as the more traditional mobile phones and PDAs.  The ZHX1403 is specifically designed for these devices and others, for example, portable printers and handheld computers. 

The extremely low-power nature and compactness of the ZHX1403 allows the production of smaller mobile devices that provide longer usage periods between recharges - features with an obvious attraction for manufacturers and, ultimately, end users. 

The ZHX1403 uses ZiLOG's ‘always-on’ technology, which keeps the transceiver idle (or 'listen') power consumption so low that leaving it has a negligible effect on battery life. End users can enable the IrDA function on their handheld device or portable system when they turn it on, and have the IrDA port systems permanently active - making infrared connectivity more efficient and totally convenient.  They no longer have to manually navigate multiple menus to enable IrDA each time they wish to activate the IrDA port.

The ZHX1403 operates at voltages of 2.4V to 3.6V, with a low typical listen current of 6 µA.  Even in full-on receive mode, the device only draws tiny typical levels of current, just 100 µA, a fraction of the current required by the next most efficient devices on the market.   In addition, the ZHX1403’s dimensions - 7.3 mm by 2.8 mm, with a 1.9mm height profile - make it the smallest SIR transceiver providing a one-meter link distance.

"The ZHX1403 is the smallest SIR transceiver available in its class, and its incredibly low typical listen current is at least 12 times lower than the competition's," said Mike Perlman, vice president of ZiLOG's standard products business line. "As a result, the transceiver not only saves space on the PCB, but it also uses power so efficiently that designers no longer have to worry about enabling and disabling the infrared ports on their systems in order to save on battery life.”

“The ZHX1403 is only one of the IrDA devices from ZiLOG that works well with the system,” Perlman continued. “The ZHX1810/20, ZHX1201 and ZHX1203 also are excellent choices for the designer, depending on their particular needs.  All of these devices are fully compliant to IrDA specifications and meet ZiLOG’s rigorous quality standards.”

Pricing and availability

The ZHX1403 is available now, priced $1.97 per unit ordered in 10,000 unit quantities.

ZHX1403 features

About ZiLOG, Inc.

ZiLOG, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZILG) is a global supplier of 8-bit micro logic devices. It designs, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of devices for embedded control and communication applications used in consumer electronics, home appliances, security systems, point of sales terminals, personal computer peripherals, as well as industrial and automotive applications. ZiLOG is headquartered in San Jose, California, and employs approximately 670 people worldwide with sales offices throughout Asia, Europe and North America.

ZiLOG, and eZ80 Acclaim! are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZiLOG, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. Other product and or service names mentioned herein may be trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.