Smart Card Controller from Infineon Technologies Offers New Dimension of Flexibility to Wireless Network Providers

Cannes, France - February 20, 2001 - Infineon Technologies (FSE/NYSE: IFX), the world’s leading supplier of smart card integrated circuits (ICs), today introduced a 16-bit smart card controller specifically designed for advanced mobile communications applications. Manufactured using the most innovative 0.22 micron process technology within the smart card industry, the SLE66C640P features 64 Kbytes of Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM). The device’s memory capacity enables network providers to develop and offer a wide range of SIM (subscriber identification module) applications as well as extended services for GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) and the emerging UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) wireless communications technologies.

The memory capacity of the new smart card controller offers a new dimension of flexibility to providers of mobile communications services. The 64 Kbytes of EEPROM allows network providers to offer numerous services including: mobile banking and mobile-commerce functionality within their networks, a heavily enlarged user profile memorizing a significantly extended number of UMTS abbreviated dialing numbers, infotainment and entertainment services, as well as to easily and significantly extend these services even after distribution of the SIM cards.

The SLE66C640P can store network information for both GSM and UMTS access. This improves the ability to offer dual-mode phones as wireless services evolve from 2G and 2.5G to 3G phones offering significantly enhanced multimedia and commerce services. As a result, the SLE66C640P is the ideal component for the transition to 3G technology.

Technical details on the 16-bit smart card controller (SLE66C640P)

The controller is a member of Infineon’s leading-edge 66Plus series of 16-bit smart card controllers produced with state-of-the-art 0.22 micron CMOS process technology. It integrates extensive data security features which includes a true random number generator fully implemented in hardware. The controller offers a Memory Management and Protection Unit (MMU) to securely separate the applications from the operating system, a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) for higher internal clock frequency, a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) module for higher data security, two 16-bit auto-reload timers, and an interrupt logic for real-time execution of applications. In addition to the 64 Kbytes of EEPROM, the SLE66C640P provides 136 Kbytes of ROM and 4 Kbytes of RAM.

Availability

The SLE66C640P is available in volume quantities.
Further information at www.infineon.com/security_and_chipcard_ics

Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions for applications in the wired and wireless communications markets, for security systems and smartcards, for the automotive and industrial sectors, as well as memory products. With a global presence, Infineon operates in the US from San Jose, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore and in Japan from Tokyo. In the fiscal year 2000 (ending September), the company achieved sales of Euro 7.28 billion with about 29,000 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX). Further information is available at www.infineon.com.