Applications Other Than Calculators
Home
 
Back
The Intel 4004 Microprocessor and the Silicon Gate Technology
A testimonial from Federico Faggin, designer of the 4004 and developer of its enabling technology
Quick Links:
The 4000 Family
Busicom
Applications Other Than Calculators
Hoff and Mazor, believed that the 4000 family, being ROM-based and having an awkward data memory addressing was good only for calculator and calculator-like applications. Faggin, who wanted to see the 4000 family offered to the general market, proved the possibility of different applications by using the 4004 as the controller of a production tester. Using this work as a springboard to convince Intel’s management, he vigorously campaigned inside Intel and then suggested to Bob Noyce (co-founder and CEO of Intel at that time) that the contract with Busicom be renegotiated by dropping the exclusivity in exchange for a price concession. The strategy worked and the 4000 family was introduced to the general market in November 1971 with the name MCS-4 (Micro Computer System 4-bit).