Fuerstenfeldbruck, Germany: National Semiconductor Corp. (NSC) announced the acquisition of Xignal Technologies AG, a German-based developer of high-speed data converters. Terms of the deal have not yet been made public.
Xignal is a pioneer in the development of continuous-time, sigmadelta analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs), a technology that enables high-resolution (12bits and above) ADCs at megahertz speeds with reduced power levels compared to traditional pipeline solutions. The continuous-time architecture simplifies system design by making it possible to incorporate other signal path functions, such as on-board clocks, low-noise amplifiers, and external filters.
This investment by NSC in continuous- time, sigma-delta intellectual property (IP) augments its sigma-delta technology development. Initial products from the acquisition will be targeted at applications requiring a high level of signal-path integration and extremely low power, such as medical ultrasound imaging, and will expand over time to address test-and-measurement and communication applications.