Contact: Megan Miller Director of Marketing millerm@dataio.com 425-867-6927
Redmond, Washington – September 27, 2005 - Data I/O Corporation (NASDAQ:DAIO), the leading supplier of device programming solutions, announced today at the ATExpo event in Chicago (September 27-29, 2005) the introduction of the ImageWriter-300, a new programming solution designed specifically for ICT integration. The ImageWriter-300 is a new configuration in the ImageWriter line of In-System Programming solutions.
The ImageWriter line by Data I/O is a flexible, modular in-system programming solution designed specifically for production. By enabling device programming inside a test fixture, ImageWriter helps electronics manufacturers accelerate production cycles and manage multiple product configurations for a target board or panel. The first configuration, ImageWriter-200, is a PC-driven programmer for manufacturing test environments with PC-based test programs. A command from Visual Basic, C++ or LabVIEW® can initiate device programming seamlessly within the test sequence.
“Manufacturers of industrial controls and consumer products have achieved rapid success in implementing the original PC-driven ImageWriter-200,” said Megan Miller, Director of Marketing for Data I/O. “Now our customers using traditional board test equipment can leverage the investment in existing test equipment with ImageWriter-300 ISP capability.”
Control Layer Provides Standalone Operation The Control Layer board, unique to the ImageWriter-300, provides a communication and control function for the programmer, allowing it to run stand-alone without a PC. This interface consists of optically-isolated Start, Reset, Pass, Fail and Job-select I/O. This approach allows fully embedded programming without a PC attached. The result is a fast efficient method for programming target boards in production volumes without requiring intervention by an Operator for programming.
Integrated ISP on Any In-Circuit Tester The ImageWriter-300 configuration enables the same degree of automation in an In-circuit test environment. Signals from any automated tester communicate with the programmer, which is connected directly to the test fixture and target board or panel. Current users of any in-circuit tester, such as Agilent, Teradyne, Genrad, and Seica, can now leverage their test investment by integrating ISP programming into the test process.
Broad Device Support for Popular Microcontrollers ImageWriter is targeted at the most popular serially programmable devices used in high volumes in appliances, automotive assemblies, industrial controls and consumer goods. Flash microcontrollers and serially programmable memory devices from Atmel, Microchip Technology, ST Microelectronics, and Texas Instruments are among supported device families.
Networked Control Boosts Productivity The control-layer also provides networking capability allowing multiple ImageWriters to be controlled in a networked arrangement. A network of ImageWriter programmers can connect to a PCB panel inside a test fixture, allowing synchronized programming of the entire panel through a single point of control.
Precision Programming Algorithms Deliver Rapid Success Device Programming during board test is not a new practice, but existing methods require significant effort by test engineers in writing vector code for programming, a labor-intensive, expensive approach. ImageWriter, by comparison, programs at high speed via direct pin contacts to the target device. Data I/O provides ready-to-run device programming algorithms for hundreds of serially programmable memory and microcontroller devices, taking weeks out of that process, and saving Test Engineers the time and cost of custom code development.
Price and Availability The ImageWriter-300 programmer and algorithms for a wide variety of serially programmable devices by Atmel, MCT, Philips, ST Micro and others are available now. The cost of a single programmer implementation, including software tools and device algorithm, is typically less than $2500. New support for devices serially programmable via SPI, I2C, RS232 or JTAG protocols can be requested through Data I/O representative channels, with typical lead times of 4-6 weeks.
About Data I/O Celebrating over 30 years of innovative leadership in the device programming industry, Data I/O Corporation® (NASDAQ:DAIO) provides manual and automated device programming systems that specifically address the requirements of engineering and manufacturing operations. FlashCORE is the architecture behind a family of Flash Programmers that deliver the highest throughput and lowest cost per programmed device. For Flash, Microcontroller and Logic device support, the MultiSyte and UniSite families provide universal support and versatility to address a wide variety of programming needs. Data I/O Corporation is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and has sales and service offices worldwide. For more information, see www.dataio.com or call 800-426-1045.
All company and product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purposes only. The matters discussed in this news release include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary significantly. These risks include market and competitive factors, and other risks described in the Company’s most recent annual report and/or in any of its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this release. Reference to the Company’s website above does not constitute incorporation of any of the information thereon into this press release.
