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HOUSTON, TX and RICHMOND, BC (Nov. 3, 1997) -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN) and HotHaus Technologies Inc. announced today that they are teaming to offer new DSP designers a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) solution for applications that require telecommunications features. HotHaus' HausWare telephony software will be distributed by Texas Instruments for use on its TMS320C2xx family of DSPs, reducing system-cost through integration and increasing ease-of-use for customers unfamiliar with DSPs.

This solution significantly reduces system cost by replacing up to five chips -- a microcontroller, two memory chips, a fax chip and a modem chip -- with two devices, the TI DSP and codec.

"The combined 'C2xx DSP and HausWare solution shortens the learning curve for product developers using DSPs for the first time," said Andrew Soukup, 'C2xx product manager at Texas Instruments. "Because the work of connecting the software to the hardware has been done for you, telephony features can be easily implemented at an API level without any knowledge of the underlying DSP architecture. In addition, engineers familiar with writing DSP algorithms can take advantage of the HausWare/TI DSP solution to get their products to market faster."

The flexibility of being able to select from a wide variety of 'C2xx algorithms enables a wide range of applications to benefit from this solution. Applications include point-of-sale terminals, remote metering and security, feature phones, multi-fax machines and computer telephony soft-PBXs.

The TI 'C2xx family of DSPs bring new levels of performance to developers of low-cost systems in many different applications. These 16-bit fixed-point processors provide up to 40 MIPS of performance. The 'C2xx generation includes the TMS320F206, the industry's first widely available fixed-point DSP with on-chip flash memory. The combination of performance and system-cost reduction offered by the 'C2xx means that engineers who previously have used microcontrollers can now afford to take advantage of the power of DSP.

HausWare algorithms are developed using an object-oriented methodology for signal processing that allows users to manipulate numerous algorithms independently. The algorithms operate within HausWare's software framework, a multi-tasking embedded software system optimized for signal processing in telecommunications applications.

"HausWare is changing the way developers field DSP-based products by buffering them from the underlying complexity of algorithms and multi-tasking," said Ross Mitchell, HotHaus' president and founder. "Our design wins within communications giants such as Lucent Technologies and Nortel are a clear indications of the value that it is bringing to the industry."

The base package of software includes all the algorithms necessary to control multiple PSTN lines, v.22bis modem, and an ADPCM(G.726) vocoder. When combined with a TMS320C203 DSP a designer has a complete processing solution for telecommunications applications. Optional additions to this base package for even higher performance include v.32bis modem and a T.30 fax. "We want to offer customers an easy way to incorporate advanced telephony features into their products without a large initial cost," said Soukup.

The HausSolutions Design Kit, which includes a TMS320C203 based telephony platform, and a wide range of algorithms for evaluating HausWare on the 'C2xx, will be available in December from Texas Instruments' authorized distributors and HotHaus Technology Inc. for $995. This kit allows users to evaluate HausWare algorithms and develop end applications for the DSP.