Kilopass XPM Non-Volatile Memory IP Wins Design in SICMICRO Digital Set-Top Box System on Chip

SANTA CLARA, CA--(Marketwire - Apr 3, 2012) - Kilopass Technology Inc., a leading provider of semiconductor logic non-volatile memory (NVM) intellectual property (IP), today announced that its XPM (eXtra Permanent Memory) IP is integrated into a Set-Top Box (STB) SoC being designed by SICMICRO (Chongqing Silian Microelectronics Co., Ltd.) based in Beijing Zhongguancun Science Park, China. Because the memory will contain encryption key storage, the failure of passive, semi-invasive, and invasive tampering methods to hack XPM NVM IP contributed to winning the design. The ability to securely reprogram the memory in the field to enable, change, or rescind encryption keys was also a factor.

"We are developing our next generation of digital TV set-top box SoC system decoder chip that will provide complete two-way access systems for digital TV set-top boxes and cable television networks solutions," said Jingning Zhang, vice president of marketing at SICMICRO. "This new high-definition interactive multi-standard system-on-chip design will support a variety of triple play services. It demands secure tamper-proof storage for intellectual property rights of high-definition, multi-standard video from a variety of content providers. The Kilopass XPM non-volatile memory IP block provided the right solution."

"We are very pleased that SICMICRO chose our XPM IP for their set top box SoC," said Linh Hong, vice president of marketing at Kilopass Technology Inc. "China is an emerging market for consumer electronics, especially digital TV. Kilopass has broad and deep experience in this market. Our NVM IP has shipped in over 20 million set-top boxes and in excess of 50 million DVD chip sets providing secure storage of valuable digital rights management information. With the win at SICMICRO, our IP now has a total available market of over a hundred million."

About XPM Security
Due to the nature of the technology, it is difficult to determine the content of the memory. Passive techniques such as using current profiles to determine the word pattern are unsuccessful because the bitcell current for "0"s and "1"s are much smaller than the current required for sensing or to operate the peripheral circuits in order to read the memory. One cannot determine the pattern of the word being read. Invasive techniques such as backside attacks or scanning electron microscope (SEM) passive voltage contrast are unsuccessful because it is very difficult to isolate the bitcell since it is connected in a cross point array.

About SICMICRO
Chongqing Silian Microelectronics Co., Ltd. (SICMICRO) was established in February 2009, the state-owned integrated circuit design company jointly invested by China Silian Instrument Group Co., Ltd. and Chongqing High-tech Venture Capital Co., Ltd. SICMICRO develops proprietary, world-class digital audio and video signal processing integrated circuit chip (SoCs). These SoCs serve in high definition digital television terminal equipment as well as two-way cable network access system and core components. The company headquarters is located in China's three major state-level development zones -- the heart of the Two Rivers Area of Chongqing Municipality, one of R & D centers in Beijing Zhongguancun Science Park.

About Kilopass
Kilopass Technology, Inc., a leading supplier of embedded NVM intellectual property, leverages standard logic CMOS processes to deliver one-time programmable (OTP) and many-time programmable (MTP) memory. With 58 patents granted or pending and more than 800,000 wafers shipped from a dozen foundries and Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDM), Kilopass has more than 100 customers in applications ranging from storage of firmware and security codes to calibration data and other application-critical information. The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. For more information, visit www.kilopass.com or email info@kilopass.com. Follow Kilopass on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/KilopassTechnol.

Gusto, XPM and XPM Xtend are trademarks of Kilopass Technology Inc. All other tradenames and trademarks are the property of their respective holders.