EMBER BUYS WORLD-LEADING 802.15.4 RADIO TECHNOLOGY
29 March 2004 - Cambridge Consultants

These strategic moves enable Ember to offer radio, network and software in an integrated 802.15.4/'ZigBee' package that serves the rapidly emerging market for low-cost, low-power networking applications. The market for ZigBee chips is expected to reach half a billion units by 2008, according to analyst Kirsten West of West Technology Research Solutions. 'The potential size of these new wireless markets totally dwarfs anything we have seen so far with early consumer wireless standards,' West said.

The CCL deal gives Ember exclusive rights to CCL's 802.15.4 single-chip architecture, which supports low-power radio communications in demanding environments such as industrial facilities as well as license to use CCL's library of low-power radio components and a wide range of digital communications intellectual property. The deal also sees a further two years of CCL's integrated circuit development services to accelerate product development.

Paired with Ember's embedded mesh networking intelligence, CCL's radio technology will create a single-chip platform for mesh networking applications such as building security, heating, cooling, lighting and ventilation; inventory control; industrial controls; and transportation infrastructure safety monitoring. CCL is one of the world's top developers of wireless applications, integrated circuits and intellectual property for low-powered, embedded radio.

'This acquirement proves our commitment to the market and to consolidating key intellectual property, networking and radio, in one product,' said Ember CEO Jeff Grammer. 'Companies developing 802.15.4-based products need radio and networking technologies that interoperate seamlessly, instead of spending valuable development time stitching them together. Coupling our current partner-based development strategy via Chipcon with outstanding in-house expertise makes Ember the sound choice for these companies.'

The development team, now part of Ember, will be the core of an expanded European presence based at CCL's facilities in Cambridge, UK. Ember Europe now becomes the 'fabless' silicon arm of Ember Corporation. The subsidiary also includes Ember's existing UK sales and service staff and former CCL associate director Jim Schoenenberger, who takes the position of director of business development.

'Wireless technology's installed base is a tiny fraction of what's possible,' said Nick Horne, Ember Europe's director of semiconductor design. 'By the middle of next year, a perfect time for the market's volume ramp up, we expect to have the networking and radio functionality that application developers need on a single chip.'

Ember will also port its EmberNet mesh-networking platform to the CCL platform, and continue EmberNet development for next-generation products.

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