Texas Instruments (), better known in the electronics industry (and popularly) as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, USA, renowned for developing and commercializing semiconductor and computer technology. TI is the No. 3 manufacturer of semiconductors worldwide after Intel and Samsung, and is the top supplier of chips for cellular handsets, as well as the No. 1 producer of digital signal processors (DSPs) and analog semiconductors . Other focus areas include chips for broadband modems, PC peripherals, digital consumer devices, telecommunication infrastructure, and radio frequency identification (RFID). As of 2006, the company was listed at number 167 on the Fortune 500.^[1]

History

A sign indicating a Texas Instruments facility in Stafford, Texas.

Texas Instruments was founded by Cecil H. Green, J. Erik Jonsson, Eugene McDermott, and Patrick E. Haggerty. On December 6, 1941, they purchased Geophysical Service Incorporated (GSI), a pioneering provider of seismic exploration services to the petroleum industry. During World War II, GSI built electronics for the U.S. Army Signal Corps and the U.S. Navy. After the war, GSI continued to produce electronics, and in 1951 the company changed its name to Texas Instruments; GSI became a wholly owned subsidiary of the new company. An early success story for TI-GSI came in the 1950s when GSI was able (under a Top Secret government contract) to monitor the Soviet Union's underground nuclear weapons testing from outcrop bedrock found in Oklahoma.

Geophysical Service Incorporated

Texas Instruments also continued to manufacture equipment for use in the seismic industry, and GSI continued to provide seismic services. After selling (and repurchasing) GSI, TI finally sold the company to Halliburton in 1988, at which point GSI ceased to exist as a separate entity.

Defense electronics

TI was also active in the defense electronics market starting in 1942 with submarine detection equipment, building on the seismic exploration technology developed for the oil industry. This business was known over time as the Laboratory & Manufacturing Division, the Aperatus Division, the Equipment Group and the Defense Systems & Electronics Group (DSEG).

During the 1980s quality became a focus area in this business. During the early 80s a quality program was instituted. This included wide spread Juran training, as well as promoting Statistical process control, Taguchi methods and Design for Six Sigma. In the late 80s TI, along with Eastman Kodak and Allied Signal, began involvement with Motorola institutionalizing Motorola's Six Sigma methodology^[2]. Motorola, who originally develped the Six Sigma methodology, began this work in 1982. Note that TI's Six Sigma program began well before 1995 when GE started it's legendary Six Sigma policy. In 1992 the DSEG division of Texas Instruments' quality improvement efforts were rewarded by winning the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for manufacturing.

The following are some of the major programs of the former TI defense group:^[3]

Radar systems

TI went on to produce side-looking radar systems, the first terrain following radar and surveillance radar systems for both the military and FAA. In 1967 TI demonstrated the first solid-state radar ? Molecular Electronics for Radar Applications (MERA). In 1976 TI developed a microwave landing system prototype. In 1984 TI developed the first inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR). The first single-chip gallium arsenide radar module was developed. In 1991 the Military Microwave Integrated Circuit (MIMIC) program was initiated ? a joint effort with Raytheon.

Infrared systems

In 1956 TI began research on infrared technology that lead to several line scanner contracts and with the addition of a second scan mirror the invention of the first forward looking infrared (FLIR} in 1963 with production beginning in 1966. In 1972 TI invented the Common Module FLIR concept, greatly reducing cost and allowing reuse of common components.

Missiles

In 1961 TI won the guidance and control system contract for the defense suppression AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile. This lead later to the prime on the high-speed anti-radiation missile (AGM-88 HARM) development contact in 1974 and production in 1981. In 1969 TI won the (missile) Seeker contract. In 1986 TI won the Army FGM-148 Javelin fire-and-forget man portable anti-tank guided missile in a joint venture with Martin Marietta. In 1991 TI was awarded the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)

Military computers

Because of TI's dominance in military temperature range (silicon) transistors and integrated circuits (ICs), TI won contracts for the first IC-based computer for the U.S. Air Force in 1961 and for ICs for the Minuteman Missile the following year. In 1968 TI developed the data systems for Mariner Program. In 1991 TI won the F-22 Radar and Computer development contract.

Laser-guided bombs

In 1964 TI began development of the first laser guidance system for precision-guided munitions (PGM) leading to the Paveway series of laser-guided bombs (LGB)s. The first LGB was the BOLT-117

As the defense industry consolidated, TI sold its defense business to Raytheon in 1997. DSEG was known initially as Raytheon TI Systems (RTIS)http://www.ti.com/corp/docs/redirect/raytheon.htm. It is now fully integrated into Raytheon.

Semiconductors

Early in 1952 Texas Instruments purchased a patent license to produce (germainum) transistors from Western Electric Co., the manufacturing arm of AT&T, for $25 000. By the end of that year, it was already manufacturing and selling them. TI Vice President Patrick Haggerty was the visionary at TI who realized the future of this technology in the electronics industry. Later that year responding to an ad in the New York Times for a research director, Gordon K. Teal was hired by Haggerty. Teal who worked for Bell Labs at Murray Hill, NJ but was from Dallas desired to return to his native Texas.

Teal started at TI on 1 January 1953, bringing with him his expertise in growing semiconductor crystals. Haggerty had hired him to establish a team of scientists and engineers to keep TI at the leading edge of the new and rapidly expanding semiconductor industry. Teal's first assignment was to organize what became TI's Central Research Laboratories (CRL). Because of Teal's background, this new department was based on Bell Labs.

Among his new hires was Willis Adcock who joined TI early in 1953. Adcock, who like Teal was a physical chemist, began leading a small research group focused on the task of fabricating "grown-junction silicon single-crystal small-signal transistors.

First silicon transistor

In April 1954 TI created the first commericial silicon transistor and tested it on 14 April, 1954. On 10 May, 1954 at the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) National Conference on Airborne Electronics, in Dayton, Ohio, Teal revealed this achievement to the world when he announced, "Contrary to what my colleagues have told you about the bleak prospects for silicon transistors. I happen to have a few of them here in my pocket." Teal also presented a paper, "Some Recent Developments in Silicon and Germanium Materials and Devices," at this conference.http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/may04/3992 At this point TI stood alone as the first volume manufacturer of silicon transistors.

In 1954, Texas Instruments designed and manufactured the first transistor radio. The Regency TR1 used germanium transistors, as silicon transistors were much more expensive at the time. This was a effort by Haggerty to increase market demand for transistors.

First integrated circuit

Employee Jack Kilby while working at TI's Central Research Labs invented the integrated circuit in 1958.

Standard TTL

The 7400 series of transistor-transistor logic (TTL) chips, developed by Texas Instruments in the 1960s, popularized the use of integrated circuits in computer logic. Texas Instruments invented the hand-held calculator in 1967, the single-chip microcomputer in 1971 and was assigned the first patent on a single-chip microprocessor (invented by Gary Boone) in 1973.

TI had two interesting problems with engineering and product development after the introduction of the semiconductor and the microprocessor. Firstly, most of the chemicals, machinery and technologies needed to create semiconductors did not exist so TI had to "invent" them. Secondly, the market was small for TI electronic components in the early days so TI had to "invent" uses to create the markets. For example, TI created the first wall mounted, computer controlled, home set-back thermostat in the late '70s but nobody would buy it mostly because of its cost. TI started an Industrial Controls division which built automated process control computers used in the paint and soup industry and was very successful. This business was eventually sold to Siemens AG in 1991. TI turned to military and government uses and had many electro-mechanical devices used in the Apollo rocket and moon lander.

In 1969 several employees left TI to found Mostek. In 1988 Cyrix spunoff from Mostek.

Consumer electronics and computers

TI continued to be active in the consumer electronics market through the 1970s and 1980s. In 1978, Texas Instruments introduced the first single chip speech synthesizer and incorporated it in a product called the Speak & Spell, which was later immortalized in the movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Several spinoffs, such as the Speak & Read and Speak & Math, were introduced soon thereafter.

In June 1981, TI entered the home computer market with the TI99/4, a competitor to such entries as the Apple II, Tandy/RadioShack TRS-80 and the later Atari 400/800 series, Commodore VIC-20 and Commodore 64. It discontinued the TI-99/4A (1981), the sequel to the 99/4, in late 1983 amidst an intense price war versus Commodore, Atari, and others. At the 1983 Winter CES TI showed models 99/2 and the Compact Computer 40 (CC-40), the latter aimed at professional users. The TI Professional (1983) ultimately joined the ranks of the many unsuccessful DOS and x86-based?but non-compatible?competitors to the IBM PC. It was a watershed system in one way - it introduced the VGA to mainstream computing. (Ironically, the founders of Compaq all came from TI.) The company for years successfully made and sold PC-compatible laptops before withdrawing from the market and selling its product line to Acer in 1997.

Sensors and controls

Texas Instruments was a major OEM of sensor, control, protection, and RFID products for the automotive, appliance, aircraft, and other industries. The S&C division was headquartered in Attleboro, Massachusetts.

TI announced on Monday, January 9, 2006 that Bain Capital LLC, a private equity firm, would purchase the Sensors & Controls division for $3.0 billion in cash.^[4] The RFID portion of the division remained part of TI, transferring to the Application Specific Products business unit of the Semiconductor division. The sale was completed in the first half of 2006, with the newly formed independent company taking on the name Sensata Technologies. Sensata Technologies is now under management by a Malay Director, Datin Salina Binti Hj Ahmad.

Software

TI sold its software division (along with its main product, the IEF) to Sterling Software in 1997. It is now part of Computer Associates.

TI today

Today, TI is made up of two main divisions: Semiconductors (SC) and Educational Technology (ET).

Semiconductors

Semiconductor products account for approximately 96 percent of TI's revenues. TI has a market leading position in many different product areas, including digital signal processors in the TMS320 series, high speed digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters, power management solutions, and high performance analog circuits. Wireless communications has been a primary focus for TI, with around 50 percent of all cellular phones sold world-wide containing TI chips. TI also manufactures other semiconductor products, ranging from application-specific integrated circuits to microcontrollers.

Wireless Terminal Business Unit

The Wireless Terminal Business Unit (WTBU) of the Semiconductor division was, until 2007 when it was superseded by Qualcomm, the world's largest supplier of wireless chipsets. Mobile Connectivity Solutions (MCS), located in Israel (TIIL) is also part of WTBU, developing chips for Bluetooth and WLAN. WTBU does also have sites in Bangalore (TII), India, Nice (TIF), France and Aalborg, Denmark (TIDK) doing the reference design.

Mixed Signal Automotive

Mixed Signal Automotive is a business unit within High Volume Analog and Logic SBE that manufactures mixed signal and analog solutions for automotive applications.

Application Specific Products

Another business unit of the Semiconductor division called Application Specific Products (ASP) develops specific products that cater to a broad range of DSP applications, such as digital still cameras, cable modems, Voice over IP (VOIP), streaming media, speech compression and recognition, wireless LAN and gateway products (residential and central office), and RFID.

DLP

TI is the sole source for digital light processing micro-mirror components, a technology used in video projectors and televisions as well as movie theatres or cinemas. DLP Cinema.

Microcontrollers

• MSP430 - low cost, low power consumption, and general purpose MCU for use in embedded applications

• TMS320C2xxx - 16 and 32 bit MCU family optimized for real-time control applications.
  • C24X - 16 bit, fixed point, 20 to 40 MHz
  • C28X - 32 bit, fixed or floating point, 100 to 150 MHz

• TMS470 ARM7 based MCU designed for industrial and automotive applications

Digital signal processors

TI makes a broad range of digital signal processors and a suite of tools called eXpressDSP, used to develop applications on these chips.

Texas Instruments TMS320

See main article on Texas Instruments TMS320

• TMS320C2xxx - 16 and 32 bit dsps optimized for control applications.
• TMS320C5xxx - 16 bit fixed point, low power. 100 to 300 MHz
• TMS320C6xxx - family of High performance DSPs. 300 to 1000 MHz
  • Consists of the C62xx, C64xx and DM64x fixed point families and the floating point C67xx

Others

TMS320C33, TMS320C3x, TMS320C4x, TMS320C5x and TMS320C8x - multiprocessor dsp.

Most of the older DSPs are still available through TI's military dsp site

Multi-core processors

• OMAP microprocessors are designed for multimedia applications. Some contain C55, ARM7, ARM9, or ARM11 cores.
• DaVinci microprocessors contain a C64 series core, an ARM9 core, and specialized video processing peripherals.

Competitors

TI has always been among the Top 10 of the semiconductor sales leaders. In 2005, TI was number 3, after Intel and Samsung, and ahead of Toshiba and STMicroelectronics. For more information, refer to the Semiconductor sales leaders by year.

TI has the largest market share in the analog semiconductor industry which has an estimated market TAM exceeding US$37 Billion. TI is reported to have 14% of the market, leading ahead of competitors ST Microelectronics, Infineon and Philips according to latest reports^[5] from Gartner.

Educational technology

Texas Instruments is also notable for its calculator range, the TI-30 being one of the most popular early calculators. TI has also developed a line of graphing calculators, the first being the TI-81, and most popular being the TI-83 Plus (with the TI-84 Plus being an updated equivalent). TI is often seen as the competitor to Hewlett-Packard in this regard, with fierce loyalties often arising.

TI calculator community

In the 1990s, with the advent of TI's graphing calculator series, programming became popular among some students. The TI-8x series of calculators (beginning with the TI-81) came with a built-in BASIC interpreter, through which simple programs could be created. The TI-85 was the first TI calculator to allow assembly programming (via a shell called "ZShell"), and the TI-83 was the first in the series to receive native assembly. While the earlier BASIC programs were relatively simple applications or small games, the modern assembly-based programs rival what one might find on a Game Boy or PDA.

Around the same time that these programs were first being written, personal web pages were becoming popular (through services such as Angelfire and GeoCities), and programmers began creating websites to host their work, along with tutorials and other calculator-relevant information. This led to the formation of TI calculator webrings, and eventually a few large communities, including the now-defunct TI-Files, and active ticalc.org. Ticalc.org is now seen as the authoritative source for programming for TI calculators, and at the site, one can find thousands of applications (including games, educational programs, and even simple operating environments), programming tutorials, calculator news, and discussion forums, among other things.

TI graphing calculators generally fall into two distinct groups, those powered by the Zilog Z80 and those running on the Motorola 68000 series. Although a derivative of the Z80 was in the original Game Boy, the 68000 is far more powerful, and therefore better suited for gaming and processor intensive applications. The 68K calculators, which include the TI-89/Titanium, TI-92/Plus, and Voyage 200, are generally thought of more highly among TI community members than the Z80s. However, the newest of the Z80 series, the TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus Silver Edition, are becoming very popular with students new to the product line.

A recent development are the models of the TI-Nspire family, which reached the market in fall 2007. These models integrate seamlessly various mathematical software environments and are available as handhelds as well as software.

There is an ongoing debate among financial calculator fans as to whether the popular TI BA II Plus is superior to the iconic Hewlett Packard HP-12C from 1981. The TI BA II Plus continues to maintain popularity due to its simple and intuitive layout compared to the HP 12c (which uses reverse polish notation). The TI BA II Plus is the only calculator permissible in the Chartered Financial Analyst exams besides the HP-12C.

Industry recognition

In 2007, Texas Instruments was awarded the Manufacturer of the Year for Global Supply Chain Excellence by World Trade magazine. ^[6]

Acquisitions

• 1997 Amati Communications for $395 Million
• 2000 Telogy

Corporate governance

See also

• TI ASC
• TI-BASIC
• TI-990
• United-TI
• Calculators

Footnotes

1. ↑
2. ↑
3. ↑
4. ↑
5. ↑
6. ↑ "Manufacturer of the Year", World Trade, Vol. 20., No. 5, May 2007, p. 20.

External links

• Texas Instruments
• Texas Instruments calculator subdomain
• Texas Instruments stock performance chart
• DLP website
• TI Key Innovations
• www.datamath.org has a lot of information on ancient TI pocket calculators
• The most extensive TI calculator program/information archive
• USA Today Q&A with CEO Rich Templeton, May 2008.
• The Lost History of the Transistor

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