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PCI-SIG Delivers PCI Express Specification Extensions

Bridge and Mini Card Specifications Lay Foundation for PCI Express Delivery in Multiple Market Segments

Intel Developers Forum, San Jose, Calif. - February 19, 2003 - The PCI-SIG®, the Special Interest Group responsible for PCI Express™ Architecture, PCI Conventional™, and PCI-X™ industry-standard I/O technologies, announced today the delivery of the release candidate 1.0 PCI Express Bridge specification and release candidate 1.0 Mini PCI Express Card specification for member review. Early access to specifications, including the member review period, offers PCI-SIG members an advantage in early development of PCI Express solutions.

The PCI Express Bridge specification enables PCI-SIG members to deliver PCI Express products utilizing existing PCI technology, extending the investment in existing PCI technology while accelerating time to market for PCI Express solutions.

The MiniCard specification complements the PCI Express Card Electromechanical form factor and is expected to be implemented in a wide variety of wired and wireless communication peripherals meeting requirements of the Build-to-Order (BTO) and Configure-to-Order (CTO) business model for mobile computers. The specification provides an alternate solution to the existing Mini PCI form factor serving these markets. The MiniCard and Bridge specifications augment the 1.0 PCI Express specifications completed in July 2002.

"The completion of the Bridge and Mini specifications provide the industry standard blueprints for PCI Express designs," said Tony Pierce, PCI-SIG chairman. "The breadth of development of PCI Express specifications showcases the vast market opportunity for the new technology. We look forward to working with the industry in delivery of PCI Express solutions."

"The Mini PCI Express specification extends the benefits and value of this new form factor to our growing membership worldwide, and is evidence of the PCI Express architecture's flexibility and versatility for the multiple market segments we serve," said Al Yanes, president of the PCI-SIG. "We plan to leverage our best-in-class industry enabling and compliance programs to ensure that the entire industry will benefit from a plethora of compliant and interoperable products based on the Mini PCI Express specification."

"The PCI Express Bridge specification provides the industry a method to kick start development plans while mitigating risk in technology transition," said Ajay Bhatt, chair of the PCI Express Technical Working Group. "With the delivery of the two specifications, the PCI-SIG is continuing on its promise of extending the life of PCI technology to serial implementations."

Benefits of PCI-SIG Membership
All PCI-SIG members can participate in the review of the Bridge and Mini PCI Express specifications before they are released to the industry. If you are interested in becoming a member, please visit the PCI-SIG web site at www.pcisig.com. PCI-SIG members develop and maintain this and other PCI-SIG specifications and are actively involved in defining compliance criteria and checklists as well as other technical enabling collateral.

About the PCI-SIG

The PCI-SIG is the Special Interest Group that owns and manages PCI specifications as open industry standards. The organization defines and implements new industry standard I/O (Input/Output) specifications as the industry's local I/O needs evolve. The PCI Special Interest Group was formed in 1992, and the organization became a nonprofit corporation, officially named “PCI-SIG” in the year 2000. Currently, more than 860 industry-leading companies are active PCI-SIG members. The PCI-SIG's current directors are employed by the following PCI-SIG member companies worldwide: AMD, ATI, Broadcom, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, NVIDEA, and LSI Logic. For more information about the PCI -SIG, and PCI-SIG membership benefits, contact the PCI-SIG by phone, at (503) 291-2569, or by fax at (503) 297-1090, or visit the PCI -SIG web site at: http://www.pcisig.com.

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