Wave Issue 0308 3/21/03 Article 5-01

***National Semiconductor Announces 7 New Handheld ASICS
(March 17)

National Semiconductor Corporation today introduced seven mixed-
signal power and lighting management application-specific
integrated circuits (ASICs) for the handheld market. Produced in
small, thin, thermally efficient packages, these products
integrate the building blocks, including power and charger, for
voice- and multimedia-centric mobile phones and other portable
devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs).

National's new ASICs also provide a spectrum of add-on display
and lighting solutions for color displays and handsets. The
lighting management systems (the LP3933 and LP3936) offer
programmability and flexibility with features such as 'fun
lighting' and camera 'flash' support. The programmable analog
power management systems (the LP3935, LP3938, LP3941, LP3945 and
LP3946) include Li-Ion and NiMH battery charging functions,
linear regulators, system startup and control along with serial
interfaces and display LED drivers all in leadless leadframe
(LLP) packages.

National's mixed-signal ASIC devices will first be offered in
small LLP and laminate chip-scale packages (CSP). They will then
move to Microfil packaging, a packaging technology that National
stated will produce size reductions ranging from 4 to 7 times
smaller than conventional packaging. The packages of 64 pins and
below will become available during the third quarter of 2003.
Higher pin counts will be made available in the fourth quarter.

The seven, new mixed-signal ASICs National Semiconductor
introduces today are the LP3933, LP3935, LP3936, LP3938, LP3941,
LP3945 and LP3946.

- The LP3933 is a lighting management system, designed to provide
display lighting control and drive for "clam-shell" or flip-phone
mobile phones that typically have a camera, one or two Red, Green
and Blue (RGB) indicator LEDs, a main display and a sub/CallerID
display. Integrating a boost regulator and pulse-width modulation
(PWM) lighting control functions, the LP3933 is able to drive up
to six white LEDs and two sets of RGB LEDs. It is controlled over
an SPI serial interface and is housed in a 32-pin Laminate CSP
plastic package. The LP3933 is priced at $1.30 each in 500K
quantities.

- The LP3936 has all the functions of the LP3933 with only one
RGB indicator LED driver function. Housed in a CSP 32-pin
package, the LP3936 is priced at $1.20 each in 500K quantities.

- An analog power management unit, the LP3935 includes seven
programmable, low drop-out linear regulators. The device also
includes a Li-Ion/NiMH battery charger, USB transceiver, I2C
serial interface and two LED drivers. It is housed in a thin 48-
pin LLP package. The LP3935 is priced at $1.75 each in 500K
quantities.

- Available in a 48-lead LLP package, the LP3938 is an upgraded
version of the LP3935 with an improved charger, one extra linear
regulator and a Tcxo buffer. Two of the seven regulators have an
idle mode. The LP3938 is priced at $1.90 each in 500K quantities.

- The LP3941 represents the highest level of integration among
the new products and combines 11 low drop-out regulators along
with an RGB LED driver, Li-Ion/NiMH battery charger, back-up
battery charger, RTC-LDO and two comparators with system
monitoring and control features. The LP3941 is priced at $2.25
each in 500K quantities.

- The LP3945 and LP3946 are Li-Ion/NiMH battery charging systems.
The LP3945 is programmable through an I2C interface, whereas the
LP3946 is pre-programmed at the factory. The LP3945 and LP3946
are offered in a 14-pin LLP and are priced at $0.98 each and
$0.90 each respectively in 500K quantities.

Availability

The LP3935, LP3936, LP3938, LP3941 and LP3945 are available for
sampling now. The LP3933 and LP3946 will be sampling during the
second quarter of 2003.

The LP3935 and LP3945 will release to production during the
second quarter of 2003. The LP3933, LP3936, LP3938, LP3941 and
LP3946 will release to production during the third quarter of
2003.

www.national.com