New Infineon Single-Chip Voltage Regulator Simplifies Design of Active Antenna Systems for Car Radios and In-Car Infotainment Systems

Neubiberg, Germany – July 21, 2009 – Further expanding its product portfolio for automotive infotainment applications, Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) today introduced a world first single-chip linear voltage regulator with integrated diagnosis and car radio system protection functions. Designed for active antenna applications in automotive infotainment systems, the TLF 4277 low drop out (LDO) voltage regulator has adjustable output voltage to support the majority of standard active antennas, including FM/AM, DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast), and the XM and SIRIUS satellite radio bands. With its integrated current monitor and adjustable current limitation, the TLF 4277 enables reduction in the number of discrete components for active antenna applications by approximately 50 percent.

More than 95 percent of all cars now produced worldwide feature active antennas for radio program reception. Active antennas are small enough to easily fit into the windscreen, front bumper or the stub antenna on the car’s roof. According to current market researchers, about 52 to 55 million cars are expected to be produced globally in the year 2009. On average, cars are typically equipped with two active antennas and as a result with two active antenna voltage regulators.

Infineon is the first chip supplier in the world to produce a monolithic single-chip voltage regulator with integrated current monitor function for diagnosis and system protection as well as adjustable current limitation. The integration of the functions improves reliability of car radios. The monitor function of the TLF 4277 allows easy detection of failures and simple integration of a failure analysis function in an infotainment system. The AEC-Q100 qualified device is protected against failure situations, such as short-circuit of the output against ground or battery voltage, over-temperature and over-current.

According to the May 2009 report “Automotive Semiconductor Vendor Market Shares 2008” of the market research company Strategy Analytics, Infineon is one of the two world’s leading automotive semiconductor suppliers both with a global market share of 9.5 percent of the total US Dollar $18.3 billion automotive semiconductor market in the 2008 calendar year. In addition, Infineon is Europe’s largest provider of automotive semiconductors with a 14.3 percent market share.

Availability, packaging and pricing

Infineon’s TLF 4277 single-chip voltage regulator is available in high volumes. The device is RoHS compliant and comes in a SSOP-14 EP (exposed pad) package providing an enhanced thermal performance. Pricing starts at Euro 0.82 each (about US Dollar $1.11) in 1,000-unit quantities.

For more information about Infineon’s voltage regulators and automotive power product portfolio, please visit www.infineon.com/voltage-regulators and www.infineon.com/automotivepower

Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, communications, and security. In the 2008 fiscal year (ending September), the company reported sales of Euro 4.3 billion with approximately 29,100 employees worldwide. With a global presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the U.S. from Milpitas, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore, and in Japan from Tokyo. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY).