(KAWASAKI, Japan, and HONG KONG – August 1, 2007) NEC Electronics Corporation, a leading provider of semiconductor solutions for mobile devices, and Solomon Systech Limited, a world leader in advanced display IC technology and a Contributor Member in the MIPI Alliance, today announced an agreement by the two companies to test the interoperability of liquid crystal display (LCD) driver ICs and bridge ICs for mobile phones based on the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) Display Serial Interface (DSI) specification. Verification of the ICs will enable mobile phone manufacturers to easily develop application-rich handsets in accordance with the MIPI DSI specification.

The companies will establish an agreed-upon platform and methodology to perform tests according to MIPI DSI specifications and interoperability. NEC Electronics will provide the LCD driver IC, while Solomon Systech will provide its MIPI master bridge chip. Both companies plan to bring MIPI DSI-compatible products to market before the end of the year.

With an integrated MIPI interface, the number of signal connections between the host processor and the LCD driver is significantly reduced to only four wires. Not only will the solution save on interconnect cost, it will also enhance electromagnetic interference (EMI) and reliability, enabling higher flexibility in the design of end products.

“This MOU will accelerate the progress of MIPI-DSI IOT between MIPI products from various companies. The co-operation between the two companies means a stronger force in proliferating MIPI displays to the industry, which will eventually enjoy the advantages of MIPI technologies,” said Mr. Percy Lam, President of Solomon Systech.

“As mobile content providers around the world offer increasingly advanced services such as video content, demand has grown enormously for ICs that can manage the high-volume communications between mobile phone handsets and displays,” said Susumu Nakakarumai, general manager, Display Systems Division, NEC Electronics. “MIPI DSI is expected to become very popular in the near future, and we are excited to have the opportunity to be among the first to enter this high-growth market.”

Recently, Solomon Systech introduced the world’s first MIPI total solution to the display market with a new SSD2218 TFT driver controller with an integrated MIPI interface and SSD2802 MIPI master bridge chip. Solomon Systech will continue its effort in developing display ICs with MIPI interface, which ultimately will benefit the mobile industry, customers and end users.

The Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) Alliance is a collaboration of mobile industry leaders with the objective to define and promote open standards for interfaces to mobile application processors. Through these open standards, the MIPI Alliance intends to speed deployment of new services to mobile users by establishing specifications for standard hardware and software interfaces to mobile application processors and encouraging the adoption of those standards throughout the industry value chain. The MIPI Alliance is intended to complement existing standards bodies with a focus on microprocessors, peripherals and software interfaces. 
www.mipi.org

NEC Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) specializes in semiconductor products encompassing advanced technology solutions for the high-end computing and broadband networking markets, system solutions for the mobile handset, PC peripherals, automotive and digital consumer markets, and platform solutions for a wide range of customer applications. NEC Electronics Corporation has 25 subsidiaries worldwide including NEC Electronics America, Inc. (www.am.necel.com) and NEC Electronics (Europe) GmbH (www.eu.necel.com). For additional information about NEC Electronics worldwide, visit www.necel.com.