September 16, 1996 -- Embedded Systems West Conference -- National Semiconductor Corporation today announced the first embedded implementation of JavaOS™ from Sun Microsystems Inc. running on National's NS486SXF evaluation board. This is the latest in a series of product announcements demonstrating that National's embedded 486 product line is the optimum platform for network computers, Web browsers, set top boxes, and other Internet related appliances.

The X86 is the only CPU architecture that fully leverages the installed base of software drivers, peripheral chips, networking and communication protocol stacks, and real time operating systems. Although JavaOS offers architectural transparency to the end user, it does not hide it from a system designer. The X86 architecture has the widest performance range of any 32-bit processor, allowing for a broad range of system implementations and cost targets. X86-based code inherently uses less memory than equivalent RISC- based code, meaning that less physical memory is required in an end system for the same application. It is also the most popular and most widely supported architecture in the industry.

"We're delighted to see Java reaching a broad new group of embedded systems designers through National Semiconductor's implementation of JavaOS," said Jim Mitchell, Sun Fellow, and vice president for technology and architecture, JavaSoft. "We expect to see Java become a ubiquitous feature of every architecture and National Semiconductor's work will go a long way towards reaching that goal."

Joe Salvador, marketing manager, stated "National's highly integrated 486 solution is the perfect hardware platform for customers looking for low-cost Java platforms. Our customers don't want to worry about which CPU is the current flavor of the month. By integrating peripherals around a 486 core, National provides the lowest cost solution while still retaining the benefits of X86 compatibility."

National Semiconductor's NS486 is the industry's only 486-based system on a chip. The NS486SXF-25 integrates a 25 MHz 486, DRAM controller, PCMCIA controller, ISA expansion bus, ECP parallel port, LCD controller, DMA controller, 16550 UART with IRDA infrared support, real time clock, interrupt controllers, timers, and other PC-compatible system service elements. All of these features come on a single chip.

"Our customers can prototype a Web browsing terminal simply by adding a VGA card, monitor, and a modem to our 486 evaluation kit. This truly represents the lowest cost off-the-shelf solution, allowing our customers to develop cost competitive solutions while beating their competitors to market," stated Mark Roberts, hardware applications manager for the NS486.

In addition to the Java port created by Sun and National, other Web browsing solutions are being demonstrated by a number of National's third party partners and customers. QNX demonstrated a Web browser on National's NS486 evaluation kit last spring based on their Neutrino Operating System and Photon GUI. They will be demonstrating the enhanced Spyglass Web browser running on National's board at the Embedded Systems Conference.

The National Semiconductor NS486SXF is the first 32-bit '486 microprocessor designed from scratch by National and optimized for embedded applications. The NS486SXF runs at 25 MHz and is provided in a 160-pin PQFP package. By leveraging its strength as the leading producer of PC I/O peripheral devices, National has been able to integrate a wide variety of necessary system elements, including two PC-compatible timers plus an additional protected watchdog timer, a high-performance DRAM controller, battery-backed real-time clock, and programmable interrupt controllers to create a true system-on-a-chip.

Additional peripherals have also been included, including PCMCIA and LCD-screen controllers, an industry-standard NS16550 UART with IrDA infrared communication support, an enhanced parallel port, and versatile chip select logic. A wide variety of ISA-compatible peripheral devices connect directly to the NS486SXF Bus-Interface Unit, simplifying system design and minimizing total system cost. The NS486SXF is now available through major distributors, and has been priced aggressively for embedded designs. A full-featured evaluation kit, including a complete system reference design, is also available for $486.

National Semiconductor produces analog and mixed-signal based silicon solutions for the information highway, communications, consumer and industrial markets. National Semiconductor is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has 19,000 employees worldwide. In fiscal 1996, the company reported sales of $2.6 billion. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.national.com.