Zilog, the initial licensee of PLC's technology, has worked with PLC over the past year to create 8-bit processors that would match the needs of specific applications. During the 1990s, PLC founder and President David Fritz developed a proprietary description language called THISL (temporal hierarchical instruction set language) which generates soft cores and development toolsets. Fritz set up PLC in 1986 and developed THISL over the past 12 years, working primarily in the defense electronics sector.

Zilog will use the PLC technology throughout its customer base, said Zilog spokesman Jeff Weir. Earlier this fall, Zilog announced its network processor initiative, Cartesian, that will use a 32-bit configurable processor from Tensilica Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.) as the central processor, and PLC cores as the "edge" processors, Weir said.

Fritz will join Zilog as vice president of research and development for core processors, within Zilog's communications group.

Didier LeLannic, general manager of the communications group, said the use of "technology that automates the design-and-tools process enables Zilog to compete in emerging markets where product development cycles are being compressed from years to months."