ExhibitⅡ
Journey to MPU Architecture Independence
Prologue
On June 13, 2010, the asteroid explorer “Hayabusa” succeeded in returning to the earth, and it brought a great joy to the people all over Japan.
The Opening of the LSI era
February 1966. In Philadelphia in the coldest season, and there was snow on the roadside.
Birth of Microprocessor
In the history of the progress of semiconductor technology, the development of microprocessor in 1971 is such a big event that is paralleled with the invention of transistor in 1947 and IC invention in 1958; one of the three major events.
Intel or Motorola?
Hitachi was ahead of other companies in the development and mass production of calculator LSIs in the early 1970’s, and we gained a market share of over 60% and rapidly improved the business performance.
Establishment of US Design Center
A large personnel and organizational change was made in Hitachi Semiconductor Division in December 1976.
Controversy over CMOS Strategy
Conflict within Allied Forces
The partnership with Motorola in the microprocessor business was strongly felt by both parties as “allied forces” in the beginning of 1977,
Commercialization of ZTAT Microprocessor
What is ZTAT Microprocessor?
One of the major factors in promoting semiconductor innovation is the continuous conflicts between old technology and new technology.
Breakdown of the Partnership
“Wind Down” of ZTAT microprocessor
The development of the ZTAT microprocessor was started in 1983 and it was completed in 1985.
Microprocessor Independence War
The year of 1989 was the year when the Japanese era name was changed from Showa to Heisei, and it was a year symbolizing a milestone when one era was over and a new era started.
SH Microprocessor Leading the Nomadic Era
The microprocessor trial with Motorola was completely settled in October 1990, and Hitachi’s microprocessor business secured a new degree of freedom without the constraint of the past circumstances, and new activities started in development, manufacturing and sales.
F-ZTAT Becoming Mainstream MPU
Breakthrough from Hitachi
The F-ZTAT microprocessor is a successor to the ZTAT microprocessor as described in detail in Chapter 7.
MGO: Microprocessor Grand Operation
Learning from “Operation Crush”
MGO (Microprocessor Grand Operation) was a consolidated strategy of sales and manufacturing for expanding revenue of Hitachi original microprocessors (H8 and SH).
Joint Project on Microsoft’s Windows CE
The product announcement of the SH microprocessor was made in November 1992, and in the next year, 1993, the sales promotion activities became vibrant and the name of SH gradually became known to the world.
Memories of Customers
No matter how good a microprocessor product is developed, it is meaningless unless the customer uses it and succeeds in the market. High throughput, low power consumption, features with many good functions ... they are only the part of necessary conditions, but not all.
END of ExhibitⅡ