Who We Are Path of Challenge (development achievements)

Grasp the Present, Pioneer for the Future

Since its founding in 1990, MegaChips has continuously produced market-leading cutting-edge technology and products using its proprietary technology.
Let us introduce our progress in product development spanning 30 years.

All Started in 1990

Dawn of the system LSI era

MegaChips was founded as Japan’s first fabless system LSI manufacturer

when the industrial paradigm was changing from production capacity to development capability

Global Activities

  • 1993Digitalization of Japanese cell phone
  • 1995Release of Windows 95 / Spread of the Internet

MegaChips’ Activities

  • 1990Establishment
  • 1991Started customer specific LSI business
  • 1995Started MegaChips-brand application specific LSI business / Systems products business
  • 1998Tokyo sales office opened
  • 1998Public stock offering

1990 when emphasizing in-house production capacity with large-scale production facilities was mainstream in the semiconductor industry. MegaChips was founded as a fabless system LSIs manufacturer using a new model that defied the conventional wisdom of that time, namely specializing in R&D and outsourcing all production. In the new field known as system LSIs, MegaChips has developed various ASIC products (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) that are tailored to meet customers’ needs, such as for gaming device and facsimile image processing. In 1995, MegaChips started supplying its own branded ASSP products (Application-specific standard product) for, among others, television use. In addition, from its experience with the Great Hanshin earthquake disaster, MegaChips developed a device that records and transmits images of the situation of remote locations using MegaChips’ proprietary video compression technology as its core. This device has been widely adopted and used in such places as factories, power stations, buildings and elevators.

Main Development Achievements

  • LSI for game consoles (ASIC)
  • LSI for facsimile image processing (ASIC)
  • LSI for wide TV window control (ASSP)
  • Miniature, lightweight video transmission server (System device)
  • The first 7 employees in a meeting when MegaChips started
  • LSI for wide TV window control
  • Miniature, lightweight video transmission server

2000-

In the era of broadbandization and digitalization,

MegaChips expanded business fields focused on the B to C market by capturing the digitalization trends

Global Activities

  • 2000Start of broadband services
  • 2001Start of 3G cell phone services
  • 2006Start of digital TV broadcasts
  • 2007Release of iPhone / Increased spread of smartphones globally
  • 2011Start of 4G cell phone services

MegaChips’ Activities

  • 2000Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange Section 1
  • 2004Obtained ISO14001 certification
  • 2006Obtained ISO9001 certification

The 2000s evolution of the broadbandization of communication lines and the digitalization of devices in one fell swoop. Having predicted the growth of the coming broadband society, MegaChips has heightened the sense of presence in the industry and developed and supplied system LSIs that support the high functionality of the most advanced digital devices, such as LSIs that realize a high-quality digital camera and high-resolution image processing as well as LSIs for 3G cell phones that process multimedia information, such as videos, images, voices, and music.

Main Development Achievements

  • JPEG2000 LSI (World’s first in 2004)
  • Multimedia processing LSIs for 3G cell phones (ASSP)
  • LSI for single-lens reflex digital cameras (ASSP, ASIC)
  • LSI for digital terrestrial broadcasting reception (ASSP)
  • Network cameras (System device)
  • Digital image transmission servers (System device)
  • Digital video recorders (System device)
  • Wireless intercom (world’s first wireless LAN in 2007)
  • JPEG XR IP (World’s first in 2009)
  • Multimedia processing LSIs for 3G cell phones
  • LSI for single-lens reflex digital cameras
  • LSI for 1seg
  • Module for 1seg
  • Network cameras
  • Digital image transmission servers

2013-

Dawn of the IoT era. Age of system LSIs expansion of application fields

Expansion to Global Market Focusing on IoT

Global Activities

  • 2013“Industry 4.0”, German domestic organization implementation accord
  • 2014Start of driverless car on public road tests in U.S.
  • 2016Announcement of Japanese government’s “Society 5.0” policy

MegaChips’ Activities

  • 2013Management integration with Kawasaki Microelectronics
  • 2013MegaChips Taiwan Corporation was established as regional headquarters

With the merger of Kawasaki Microelectronics, Inc., in April 2013, MegaChips took its first step toward globalization. Although MegaChips had consistently made efforts to produce products for its Japanese customers by expanding the business, prior to the merger, using Kawasaki Microelectronics’ global network gave a boost to the globalization of MegaChips’ sales, marketing and development. In addition, by fusing the digital and analog technologies which were strong points of both companies and adding competitive ASSP products to the product portfolio through, among other things, global M&A, MegaChips responded quickly to the burgeoning demand for IoT and expanded its business and global customer base.

Synergies through Consolidation with Kawasaki Microelectronics
MegaChips Kawasaki Microelectronics
Technology areas Strong in
digital
Strong in
analog
Development process Strong in
upper design
Strong in
physical design
Development base Japan / China / Taiwan Japan / China / India / U.S.

Main Development Achievements

  • Timing controller LSI for liquid crystal panels
  • Intelligent sensor hub LSI
  • Full digital video recording and transmission systems
  • Intellectual property core and LSI for optical communications
  • Analog front-end LSI
  • LSI for wired (coaxial and power line) multi-hop communications
  • LSI for office equipment
  • LSIs for liquid crystal panels
  • LSI for industrial communications
  • LSI for home networking
  • February 2014

    Acquired DisplayPort business from STMicroelectronics

  • November 2014

    Acquired SiTime corporation as a wholly owned subsidiary. Entered into the timing devices business

2017-

   

Business Expansion Focused on Industrial Equipment

Global Activities

  • 2020Start of commercial operations of 5G services

MegaChips’ Activities

  • 2017Developed high-speed wired communication LSI for in-vehicle applications
  • 2019Announced the world’s first communication technology LON HD-PLC bridge with Gesytec GmbH
  • 2020MegaChips LSI USA Corporation started a business activity as a sales base of North America
  • 2021CVC fund established by MegaChips LSI USA Corporation

In anticipation of the evolution of digital technology and the increase in volume of data communications, MegaChips has enhanced its high-speed wired technology required for large capacity and high-speed communications. We regard the industrial equipment field as future growing area with increasing “smartification”, and provide system LSIs that contribute to creating the next generation leveraging our proprietary technology.

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