SANYO Selects Teradyne`s IP750 as CCD Image Sensor Test System

KUMAMOTO, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 5, 2001--Teradyne, Inc. Japan Division (JD) announced today that SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. Semiconductor Company has purchased the IP750 Image Sensor Test System to test CCD image sensor devices installed in cellular phones and digital cameras. SANYO has targeted CCDs with superior sensitivity and image quality over CMOS image sensors, which currently dominate the mobile phone camera market. SANYO is the first company to develop a low-power CCD-based camera module.

Teradyne's IP750 is the first image sensor test system to adopt a complete parallel architecture, providing multi-site testing (multi-device parallel measurement of up to four devices simultaneously). The IP750 utilizes a high-speed PC-based software processing system for image data processing (instead of dedicated hardware), which determines the throughput of an image sensor test system. The results are expanded capability with high-speed parallel processing and flexibility. SANYO's selection of the IP750 recognizes the contribution this advanced architecture has made to reduce the stubbornly high cost of CCD testing.

"The multi-site functionality of Teradyne's IP750 for the testing of image sensors has greatly contributed to our mass production ability," said Mr. Minoru Hamada, General Manager, CCD Development Department, System LSI Divisions, Semiconductor Company, SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. "Also, the proprietary IG-XL software has reduced the need for applications support, and we anticipate it will meet our requirements for reducing time-to-market."

"SANYO's choice of the IP750 expands their long time use of Teradyne's A563HS, the existing image sensor test system. This expansion means Teradyne's record of performance is appreciated by SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.," commented Tsunehisa Yamashita, General Manager, Japan Division of Teradyne. "We will meet the future testing demands of SANYO as they continue to play an active role with their advanced technology in the image sensor device industry. The demands are increasing even in the current semiconductor industry downturn, and Teradyne's IP750 has the technology and quality to meet those demands"

About IP750

IP750, based on the INTEGRA J750 test system, features 100MHz digital drive and has the latest architecture for the complex testing needs of CCD/CMOS image sensor devices. The IP750 reduces test cost with fast, parallel measurement of four devices, and its test capability extends from high speed CCD devices over 10M pixels to CMOS image sensor devices requiring the digitize pixel capture function. For test development, the system features IG-XL software, the semiconductor ATE industry's first test development suite combining the power and performance of the latest PC technology and Windows NT(R) operating system with the familiarity of standard Windows productivity tools, like Microsoft Excel(TM) and Visual Basic(TM).

Teradyne's Japan Division (JD) has the world's largest shipment volume and installed base in the image sensor device test market. Image sensor testing requires a set of test techniques and know-how, which is completely different from other semiconductor test techniques. The Japan Division has more than fifteen years of experience in this area, and because of its experienced engineering staff JD can provide total support for the volume production of the customer's new devices.

About SANYO Semiconductor Company

The SANYO Semiconductor Company is one of the five principal companies of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. The Company offers semiconductor devices, flat panel displays and system solutions for leading applications in the electronic industry such as mobile communications equipment, PC/PC related products and analog/digital AV equipment. Manufacturing fabs include three wafer fabs and five assembly facilities in Japan and six assembly plants in the Asia-Pacific region. Sales offices are located in North America, Europe, Asia and Japan. In the fiscal year 2000 (ending March 31, 2001), the Company achieved 407.5 billion yen sales with approximately 15,000 employees including its subsidiaries. Further information is available at http://www.semic.sanyo.co.jp/index_e.htm.

About Teradyne

Teradyne (NYSE:TER) is the world's largest supplier of automatic test equipment and is also a leading supplier of high performance interconnection systems. Teradyne's test products are used by manufacturers of semiconductors, circuit assemblies and voice and broadband telephone networks. Teradyne's backplane assemblies and high-density connectors are used by manufacturers of communications and computing systems central to building networking infrastructure. The company had sales of $3 billion in 2000 and currently employs about 8000 people worldwide. For more information visit www.teradyne.com.

IG-XL is a trademark of Teradyne, Inc..

“We will meet the future testing demands of SANYO as they continue to play an active role with their advanced technology in the image sensor device industry. The demands are increasing even in the current semiconductor industry downturn, and Teradyne's IP750 has the technology and quality to meet those demands”