CIRRUS LOGIC, INC.

Patil Systems, Inc., was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1981 by Suhas Patil, and in 1983 the company was reorganized by Patil, Kamran Elahian, and venture capitalist Fred Nazem, whose firm, Nazem and Company provided the company's initial round of financing.

Later the company was renamed Cirrus Logic when it moved to Silicon Valley in 1984 to focus on solutions for the growing PC components market. Michael Hackworth was named president and chief executive officer in January 1985, and was CEO until February 1999. The company joined the Nasdaq market listing in 1989 (symbol: CRUS). [ citation needed ]

Cirrus Logic acquired Crystal Semiconductor, a supplier of analog and mixed-signal converter ICs, in 1991. In the early 1990s, Cirrus Logic became a supplier of PC graphics chips, audio converters and chips for magnetic storage products. David D. French joined Cirrus Logic, Inc. as president and chief operating officer in June 1998 and was named chief executive officer in February 1999. Soon after joining the company, through an acquisition strategy French repositioned the company into a premier supplier of high-performance analog and digital processing chip solutions for consumer entertainment electronics, and soon afterwards, M. Yousuf Palla joined as Vice President of Operations and Manufacturing, contributing further to its success. The company announced in April 2000 that it had completed moving its headquarters to Austin, Texas. In June 2005, Cirrus Logic sold its video products operation to an investment firm, creating privately owned Magnum Semiconductor. After French resigned in March 2007, Jason Rhode, formerly the vice president and general manager of Cirrus Logic's Mixed Signal Audio Division, was named president and CEO in May 2007. In 2014, Cirrus Logic bought Wolfson Microelectronics for approximately $467 million. In 2021, Cirrus Logic acquired Lion Semiconductor for $335 million. It had a robotics partnership with the Ann Richards School, in which Cirrus Logic committed $10,000 a year for three years. In 2023, the robotics team was made up of 10 girls, which increased to 30 in 2024.

Ambient Technologies

Following a change in focus, Cirrus Logic spun off its PC Modem business unit as Ambient Technologies in early 1999.

In early 2000, Intel purchased Ambient Technologies, subsequently renaming it its "Modem Silicon Operation" division.

Timeline of key events

1981 – Patil Systems Inc. is founded in Salt Lake City by Dr. Suhas Patil. Company focuses on IC solutions for the growing PC components market.

1984 – Patil Systems Inc. renamed Cirrus Logic and moves headquarters to Silicon Valley.

1989 – Company goes public and is listed on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol CRUS.

1991 – Cirrus Logic acquires Crystal Semiconductor, a supplier of analog and mixed-signal converter ICs.

1992 – Cirrus Logic completes deal for Acumos Inc.

1994 – Cirrus Logic entered an expansion program at MiCRUS in a joint venture with IBM.

1995 – Cirrus Logic agreed on a $600 million joint manufacturing venture with AT&T Microelectronics.

1995 – A joint development agreement was signed between Cirrus Logic and Advanced Telecommunications Modules, Ltd.

1998 – Cirrus Logic exits from the PC graphics card business.

1998 – David D. French joins company as president and chief operating officer in June and becomes chief executive officer in February 1999. In the fall, company spins out its communication business unit.

1999 – Cirrus Logic teams up with Microsoft Corp. in a technology agreement for its Maverick TM chip line.

1999 – Cirrus Logic joined Rockwell International Corp. in a collaboration for system-on-a-chip ICs using RISC processor cores from ARM Ltd. for industrial automation.

1999 - Cirrus Logic purchases AudioLogic, receiving PWM, multi-bit converter, and DSP technology

2000 – Cirrus Logic moves its headquarters to Austin, Texas.

2001 - Cirrus Logic purchases Peak Audio, and becomes owner of CobraNet distributed audio

2001 – Cirrus Logic announces plan to begin exit from magnetic storage chip business.

2001 – Cirrus Logic acquires several start-up companies with technologies in video decoding, video encoding, wireless networking, and networked digital audio.

2003 – Cirrus Logic closes wireless networking operations.

2005 – Cirrus Logic sells video product assets to investment firm, creating Magnum Semiconductor (company maintains minority equity position).

2006 – Cirrus Logic developed a reference design for a High Definition mainstream audio/video reliever (HD-AVR) platform together with Genesis Microchip Inc..

2007 – Jason Rhode, formerly vice president and general manager of Cirrus' Mixed-Signal Audio division, is named president and chief executive officer, replacing French who resigned in March. In July, Cirrus Logic acquires Apex Microtechnology, a provider of high-power products for industrial and aerospace markets. Cirrus Logic acquires audio chip company Tripath after it went bankrupt.

2012 – Company sells its hybrid product line in Tucson, Arizona, to a group of investors, creating Apex Microtechnology as a stand-alone company once again. In November, the company announces that it is moving its remaining product line team in Tucson to its Austin headquarters. [ citation needed ]

2012 – Cirrus Logic awarded DigiKey with the Distributor Partnership Award.

2014 – Cirrus Logic acquires UK-based Wolfson Microelectronics, an audio IC company founded in 1984.

2018 – Cirrus Logic signed an agreement with Apple for an active noise reduction chip for the next-generation AirPods.

2019 – Cirrus Logic became a strategic partner with Silicon Catalyst.

2021 – Jason Rhode steps down as CEO to be replaced by John Forsyth who was previously chief strategy officer.

2021 – Cirrus Logic announced a collaboration with Elliptic Labs to optimize the CS35L45 smart boosted amplifier using the Elliptic Labs’ AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform.