The center will open following a five-year research program conducted jointly with INRIA, that was focused on developing technology that will optimize the performance of Java applications when running on cell phones and other portable and converged multimedia electronics. One of the primary goals of the Java competence center will be to drive the transition of the research results into business reality, thus enabling the large community of Java developers an accelerated application performance when they port their multimedia applications onto mobile terminals. During the initial research stage of the relationship, TI and INRIA focused on technology development that addresses the complexity of performance and power-hungry Java applications and optimizes their compatibility with the real-time constraints imposed by several multimedia applications running on the same mobile device. By combining INRIA's expertise in embedded systems software development with TI's wireless systems know-how, the two partners were able to solve the technical challenges of the research stage during which over 30 patents were being generated.The core team of the new TI competence center is comprised of the former INRIA engineers and researchers who worked with TI on the original joint program. The center will act as a key interface for TI's customers and partners in the Java application area and is located in Rennes to benefit from the close proximity to INRIA-Rennes for further joint research activities.