MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--Rambus Inc. here today revealed plans to double the speed of its high-bandwidth memory technology to data transfer rates of 1.6 GHz during next year. Rambus' new technology roadmap also targets development of memory module bandwidth of 6.4 gigabits per second beyond 2000.
"These advances in Rambus technology will further lengthen our lead in high-bandwidth chip connections over competitive approaches," said Geoff Tate, chief executive officer of Rambus while disclosing the year 2000 roadmap. "Rambus will be able to provide system companies the performance improvements required as advanced applications are developed," he promised.
Rambus also said it has begun working with chip and system companies to apply its high-bandwidth technology to areas outside its initial focus of processor-to-memory bottlenecks. The Mountain View company said it is trying to address many other chip-to-chip data transfer bottlenecks that hinder costs and performance in computer, consumer and communications systems. Rambus said it expects to disclose the first results of these efforts in 2000.
Currently, Direct Rambus DRAMs and interface technology are primarily aimed at computers and some consumer electronics. Sony Corp., for example, is using Rambus technology in its PlayStation 2 system. PC and workstations have also been designed to use the chip-to-chip transfer technology by Dell, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and others.
Rambus disclosed its new roadmap after several delays in support for the current Direct Rambus format. At the Comdex computer show last month, Intel Corp. introduced its "Camino" 820 for Rambus memories in PCs after delaying the launch for eight weeks when a timing glitch was discovered in motherboards using three inline memory modules (RIMMs). A number of major memory makers adjusted their production mix this fall, believing that volume applications for Direct Rambus were being pushed back, but now some manufacturers are beginning to ramp volumes (see Dec. 6 story on Samsung Electronics' plans).
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