Gemplus and O2Micro Team Together to Expand Smart Card Reader Technology to the Notebook PC Market

Business Wire, Jan 4, 2000

Business Editors/Technology Writers

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 2000

Gemplus, the world's leading provider of smart card-based solutions, today announced it will license its industry-leading GemCore(R) technology to O2Micro, a leading supplier of innovative ICs to notebook manufacturers. Based on GemCore, O2Micro will deliver an innovative new CardBus IC, SmartCardBus(TM), providing built-in reader technology for notebook computers. GemCore is a smart card reader solution that provides electronic equipment manufacturers with access to Gemplus' reader operating system, interface chips and engineering support.

By combining the capability of a smart card reader and a CardBus controller in a single chip, O2Micro's new SmartCardBus product line will eliminate the need and additional costs of supplying an add-on PCMCIA reader. Using O2Micro's patented SmartCardSensing(TM) technology, SmartCardBus can dynamically reconfigure itself to support either PC Cards or smart cards. SmartCardSensing technology senses whether a PC Card or a smart card is inserted into the notebook computer and automatically reconfigures its pins to provide the appropriate interface. SmartCardBus will be available in both single and dual slot versions that are fully PCMCIA compliant, Microsoft (MSFT) PC/SC compliant, and fully compatible to IEEE 7816 specifications and standard protocols including T=1, T=0.

"We believe that embedding the GemCore solution into notebook computers will further enable the quick and easy mass adoption and implementation of reader technology," said Gemplus' Thomas Hissam, vice president, IT Security. "By working with O2Micro, we are able to bring our mutual customers tremendous savings, ease-of-use and instant access to the inherent benefits of smart card technology."

"With this agreement, Gemplus is contributing to building a hardware infrastructure that will enable electronic commerce, network security and other PC-based smart card applications," said Alex Lorenzi, Corporate Hardware Director for Gemplus.

"We are very pleased to have a licensing agreement with Gemplus and look forward to incorporating their technology into our CardBus controllers," said Sterling Du, O2Micro's president and CEO. "Licensing the GemCore technology is consistent with our strategic plan to continually add important new functionality in our mobile devices that enhance the value of our customers' products."

About GemCore

The GemCore solution enables companies to develop low-cost smart card reader interfaces for high-volume use in a wide range of devices that include keyboards, computers, telephones, vending machines, and personal digital assistants.

About O2Micro

Founded in April 1995, O2Micro has quickly established itself as a leading supplier of innovative mixed-signal products to mobile computer and communications manufacturers worldwide. These products include AudioDJ(TM), CardBus Controller, CCFL Backlight Inverter, and Power Management ICs including the Smart Battery Charger and Smart Battery Selector.

O2Micro offers ACPI compliant products. The company designs products compliant with the System Management Bus (SMBus) and Smart Battery System (SBS) specifications, a subset of the ACPI specification (ACPI is a requirement for Microsoft's PC98 and 99). O2Micro maintains an extensive portfolio of intellectual property with 60 patent claims having already been granted, and over 70 more pending. The company maintains offices worldwide. Additional product information can be found on the O2Micro web site at www.o2micro.com.

About Gemplus

With sales of over US$648 million in 1998, Gemplus employs more than 4,300 people in ten manufacturing facilities, five R&D centers and 41 sales and marketing offices located in 27 countries around the world.

Founded in 1988, Gemplus has successfully implemented portable and secure smart card-based solutions to simplify applications such as public and wireless communications, financial transactions, loyalty, transportation, education, healthcare, identity, physical access control, pay TV, electronic commerce, Internet security, logical access control, and information technology.

Gemplus and GemCore is a registered trademark of Gemplus. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.