Comparison and Selection Tool for Power System Design Named Innovation of the Year

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 30 — (PRNewswire) — National Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: NSM) today announced its WEBENCH® Visualizer online design tool won top honors at the 20th Annual EDN Innovation Awards ceremony, where it was named Innovation of the Year for power system design.

WEBENCH Visualizer is a powerful comparison and selection tool that enables engineers to rapidly select an optimal power system design. WEBENCH Visualizer creates a graphical snapshot of options across multiple criteria, such as power efficiency, footprint and system bill of materials (BOM) cost. Drawing from 25 different switching power supply architectures and 21,000 components, engineers can navigate through billions of power supply design alternatives in seconds. Design criteria can be modified and the real-time effects observed, allowing engineers to select the best DC-DC power supply based on their unique needs. For more information, visit www.national.com/visualizer.

National's WEBENCH Visualizer online design tool was selected from among other finalists by EDN Magazine's worldwide audience of engineers and engineering managers, EDN's editorial advisory board and editorial staff. The Innovation Awards highlight developments in 30 different hardware and software categories, ranging from analog ICs to silicon intellectual property.

"We are honored that EDN Magazine has once again recognized National's WEBENCH design tools. With WEBENCH Visualizer, National provides an analysis tool that compares the best designs in seconds, far exceeding the skills of even the best power supply experts," said Phil Gibson, vice president of Technical Sales Tools at National Semiconductor. "Winning this prestigious award and the enthusiastic market reception of WEBENCH Visualizer validates that our design tool advancements have been well received by the analog engineering community."

About EDN and EDN.com

EDN serves the vital information needs of design engineers and engineering managers worldwide. EDN.com delivers a three-dimensional view of the electronic industry via news coverage, strategic business information, and in-depth technical content. ( www.edn.com). EDN is published by Reed Business Information ( www.reedbusiness.com/us), the largest business-to-business publisher in the United States and a member of the Reed Elsevier Group Plc (NYSE: RUK and ENL) – a world-leading publisher and information provider.

About National Semiconductor

National Semiconductor is a leader in analog power management technology. Its products include easy-to-use integrated circuits, PowerWise products that enable more energy-efficient systems, and SolarMagic products which improve the energy output of solar arrays. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary last May. Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., National reported sales of $1.46 billion for fiscal 2009. Additional information is available at www.national.com.

WEBENCH and PowerWise are registered trademarks, and SolarMagic is a trademark of National Semiconductor Corporation. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

SOURCE National Semiconductor Corp.

Contact:

National Semiconductor Corp. EDN Reed Elsevier Group Plc Media, Jonelle Hester Phone: +1-408-721-5663 Email Contact Reader Information, Design Support Group, 1-800-272-9959, both of National Semiconductor Corp. Web: http://www.national.com