Intel has snapped up Los Angeles-based Trillium Digital Systems for $300 million in cash and Intel stock. The deal is aimed at bolstering Intel's backbone networking and telecommunications offerings. Trillium's software is typically used by suppliers of SS7, IP, ATM, Wireless and ISDN products.

Trillium will become part of Intel's Network Processing Group and its software will be incorporated in the Intel Internet Exchange (IX) architecture aimed at networking and telecommunications equipment manufacturers.

The IX architecture is a framework for designing networking and telecommunications equipment using reprogrammable silicon and software including the IXP network processors and embedded versions of the Pentium II, Pentium III and Celeron chips. ®