Cermetek Microelectronics, Inc. manufactures a broad line of Internet appliance modems, modem components and telephone line interfaces for the data communications industry. The company principally sells to the industrial OEM, through a comprehensive Rep and Distributor based sales force.

Cermetek's Internet products consist of a broad line of embeddable and freestanding industrial grade Internet appliance modems. Offered with these products is development software called iNetWizard, which facilitates design in. To support connectivity to the Internet, the company hosts a low cost Internet Service Provider (ISP).

The company's other component products fall into two categories: general purpose Modem Modules and Telephone Line Interface Circuits, utilizing where applicable the company's advanced solid state isolation technology. All standard compact products are modularized and are integrated circuit-like in terms of packaging and size. They also support a full range of data communication standards and speed, up through 56Kbps. The company's modem products are designed to international and domestic standards and for use over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

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Cermetek MicroElectronics, Inc.
2211 Fortune Drive, Ste B
San Jose, CA 95131

TEL: 408.942.2210
FAX: 408.942.1346

sales@Cermetek.com
Jobs@Cermetek.com

Cermetek, Inc. the predecessor of Cermetek Microelectronics, Inc., was founded in 1968 and chartered to manufacture custom thick film hybrid integrated circuits.
Over the ensuing years the charter evolved to include a combination of custom and standard products using the company's resident thick film technology. These standard products included a combination of interface chips and communication elements, including functional parts of the modem data pump. In 1980 the company made a commitment to consolidate its standard product effort around components for integrated modem design and has been pursuing this product direction ever since.

The company believes it was the first to develop all the components for producing a self-contained modem, thus pioneering the integral modem concept.
The integral modem concept allows designers to integrate a modem at the component level into an OEM product. This allows data communication to become more pervasive, utilizing the public switched telephone network.

The integral modem has become a more common and widely used subsystem in all types of technology-based products.
In addition to traditional computer and terminal based data communications, the built-in modem is being used for service and diagnostics. Using a modem for service and diagnostics allows the OEM to provide an unprecedented level of service performance and customer support. Significant cost and size reduction in modem technology has made this possible, allowing the modem to be integrated into everything from copiers to vending machines, including instrument and industrial controllers among others. The cost of a residential modem is less than a traditional service call.

As an OEM subsystem, the integral modem is analogous and relates well to the integral power supply found in all types of electronic equipment.
As with a power supply, a resident modem is a self-contained subsystem utility. It requires specialized testing and studied design knowledge to produce a quality design. Also, like a power supply, low cost, small size and specialized agency approval are essential. In the case of a built-in modem, FCC Part 68 and UL are required. The company believes its packaging technology and unique designs offer the OEM many advantages, among which are quick-to-market and risk-free product design.

Transformers have traditionally been used to isolate the telephone world from the computer world.
The company has developed a Solid State Isolation technology that allows it to make its products smaller, lower in profile, higher in performance and lighter in weight than conventional magnetic transformer technologies. This technology is employed in all its recent modem related products that are either Telephone Line Interfaces, also known as Data Access Arrangements (DAAs), or the company’s Standard Modem Modules or Custom Modem Assemblies. The Solid State Isolation technology provides better linearity, greater bandwidth and lower distortion than conventional magnetic isolation technologies, thus making it ideal for high performance data communication applications. Patents have been granted to protect this unique technology. The company continues development in this area.

Modems are finding their way into more and more machine based Internet applications.
The company believes that machine to machine Internet applications in the future will be as ubiquitous as human access to the Internet is today. To that end the company has developed a line of Internet appliance modems that are easy to embed in a host OEM product. They allow those products to send and receive emails and access the World Wide Web and offer the host the ability to use the Internet for communications and networking. They are self-contained and operate transparently to the host and are controlled with traditional "AT" like commands by the host's controller. The company has developed these products in two forms, the traditional modem module component form and the free standing box modem. All are designed to industrial grade standards. Available with these products is development software in the form of Cermetek's iNetWizard. This greatly facilitate the development process and speeds up the design time for the inclusion of large numbers of modems with Internet access. An ISP is required for Internet access; Cermetek has developed a unique ISP that has amenities and features specifically for machines. They include text to voice messaging, text to fax, polling capabilities for large number of field base machines, broadcast modes of operation, multiple routing of messages among other features. The Cermetek Press4Service ISP also offers the OEM very low cost monthly access as compared to other third party ISPs.

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Cermetek, Inc. the predecessor of Cermetek Microelectronics, Inc., was founded in 1968 and chartered to manufacture custom thick film hybrid integrated circuits. Over the ensuing years the charter evolved to include a combination of custom and standard products using the company's resident thick film technology. These standard products included a combination of interface chips and communication elements, including functional parts of the modem data pump. In 1980 the company made a commitment to consolidate its standard product effort around components for integrated modem design and has been pursuing this product direction ever since.

The company was the first to develop all the components for producing a self-contained modem, thus pioneering the embedded modem concept. The embedded modem concept allows designers to integrate a modem at the component level into an OEM product.  The use of a modem module reduces the engineering effort required to add a modem to a system. With FCC Part 68 Registration and UL recognition included, development costs and time to market are greatly reduced. This has allowed data communication, utilizing the public switched telephone network to become more pervasive.  Cermetek now offers a wide variety of modem modules for embedded systems.

Cermetek has used much of the same technology developed for embedded modems in a broad range of telephone line interface modules.  Telephone line interface modules, also called DAAs (Data Access Arrangements), provide the interface circuitry between the telephone line and subscriber equipment.  Among the technologies Cermetek has developed is Solid State Isolation technology to replace the traditional transformer in modem and DAA applications. 

Internet communications is now becoming pervasive even for machines.  To support these applications Cermetek developed a line of Internet modems. These modems allow those products to send and receive emails and access the World Wide Web. They also offer the host the ability to use the Internet for communications and networking. They are self-contained, operate transparently to the host, and are controlled with traditional "AT" like commands by the host's controller. The company has developed these products in two forms, the traditional modem module component form and the free standing units. All are designed to industrial grade standards. Available with these products is development software in the form of the Cermetek iNetWizard; iNetWizard greatly simplifies the development process and reduces the design time required to incorporate Internet access devices.

 Cermetek acquired Xecom, Incorporated in December 2007.  With that acquisition Cermetek expanded its modem and telephone line interface product lines and added a line of short haul wireless products.  Short haul wireless is a rapidly growing sector of the embedded communications markets. The wireless products operate on either the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz Industry, Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands.  These products are targeted at remote sensor applications. The patented SensorOnAir feature allows sensors connected directly to the wireless module to be read remotely with a single command.  Multiple power saving modes are also included to maximize battery life at the remote sensor node.

Cermetek has continued to evolve throughout its 40 year history.  That evolution will continue as our customers look for solutions to their 21st century problems.

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2002
Introduced the first low cost, low speed self contained 2400bps Internet appliance modem for embedded applicaitons

2001
Introduced the first Internet Service Provider (ISP) created exclusively for machines to access the Internet. Introduced the first free standing industrial grade Internet appliance modem.

2000
Introduced first self-contained component high speed modems for Internet Appliance applications.

1999
Received patent on integrated Opto-Isolation DAA technology.

1998
Received additional patent on Opto-Isolation technology.

1997
Introduction of the first Monolithic DAA technology.

1995
Received 2 patents on Opto-isolation Technology.

1994
Smallest embedded modem, approximately 1 square inch, full function with Send/Fax.

1993
Introduced first PCMCIA DAA, less than 5mm in height, fits in a Type II enclosure.

1992
First low profile, small size 4KV isolation DAA for international homologation using optical isolation.

1991
Introduced a low profile DAA. less than 0.3", using proprietary Solid State Isolation Transformer technology.

1990
Introduced the first fully self-contained V.32 modem/component module. Introduced the smallest self-contained modem.

1989
Introduced the first International Telephone Interface Component.

1987
Introduced modem component products, including full duplex 2400bps modules and line interfaces that meet international standards (U.S., Canada, Europe and the Far East).

1986
Introduced 9600bps V.32 modem

1985
Introduced a full line of internal PC modem cards for IBM PC compatible and Apple II series.

1984
Introduced the first security modem with password and callback protection.

1983
Introduced 300/1200bps full duplex modem in component form with FCC approved line interface and stand-alone 1200bps modem.

1982
Applied hybrid technology to develop the industry's first self-contained modem modules, designed as quick-to-market solutions for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM's).

1981
Entered data communications market with DAA's (Data Access Arrangements), telephone line interface products.

1968
Founded to manufacture custom hybrid integrated circuits, using thick-film technology.

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