SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Tessera Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:TSRA), a provider of transformational technologies that enable innovation in next-generation electronics, today announced its new Product Launch Services, which will provide early access to its OptiML(TM) wafer-level camera (WLC) technology.

Through these Services, Tessera will deliver state-of-the-art imaging solutions directly to manufacturers, while accelerating the rate of adoption in the industry. The first product to be offered through these Services is the OptiML WL-VGA-1E single-element VGA lens.

Product Launch Services

Consumers continue to demand smaller, increasingly feature-rich products at lower costs. For consumer electronic manufacturers to successfully meet this demand, they must constantly introduce products that incorporate the latest, most innovative technologies available. Tessera's Product Launch Services will enable manufacturers to accelerate the introduction of products that integrate Tessera(R) technology-based solutions, while the supply chain ramps up for high-volume production. The new Services include access to the company's medium-volume manufacturing facility for both standard and customized lenses.

"With these Services, Tessera is providing proof points of the readiness of our OptiML wafer-level optics technologies, while bringing a new level of price over performance," said Michael Bereziuk, executive vice president, Imaging & Optics, Tessera. "Tessera's Product Launch Services also enable handset manufacturers to bring the latest features, products and technology to market faster, while providing the evolving supply chain with the enabling technology to deliver them in high volume."

New Single Element VGA Lens

The first product deployed under Tessera's Product Launch Services is the OptiML WL-VGA-1E, a single-element VGA lens for cell phone camera modules. The WL-VGA-1E is a reflow compatible, two-surface, lead-free lens designed to work with 2.2um pixel VGA image sensors. Its reflow compatibility enables camera modules built with this lens to go through high heat soldering without damage.

The OptiML WL-VGA-1E includes an integrated infra-red filter incorporated into the lens to reduce the number of components required by the camera module, further facilitating ultra-slim handsets. Thousands of WL-VGA-1E lenses can be manufactured simultaneously on a single wafer for a high-volume approach that is making the goal of a $1 VGA camera module a reality.

This new lens will support cell phone cameras, as well as applications such as PC cameras, gaming consoles and security cameras. TSR (Techno Systems Research Co.) forecasts that by 2012, approximately 800 million VGA and CIF camera modules will be manufactured for cell phone and "webcam" applications. The WL-VGA-1E is also suitable for video conferencing solutions.

In addition to offering the OptiML WL-VGA-1E lens as a standard product, Tessera will work with its customers on optical design and fabricate engineering samples before going into volume production of customized lenses. Samples of the WL-VGA-1E single-element lens are available for purchase now. Pricing of samples for qualified customers starts at $1/lens for quantities of a few thousand. In early 1Q09, the product will ship in quantities of 100,000 and more.

For more information regarding Tessera's Product Launch Services or the OptiML WL-VGA-1E lens, please go to www.tessera.com.