Agilent Technologies’ New Electronic System-Level EDA Platform Helps Algorithm Developers, System Architects Cut Design Time in Half

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced SystemVue 2008, a new electronic design automation (EDA) platform for electronic system-level (ESL) design. The new platform cuts physical layer (PHY) design time in half for high-performance communications algorithms and system architectures, for both wireless and aerospace/defense applications.

The new SystemVue 2008 platform goes beyond previous Agilent EDA offerings for system-level design, representing a new category of design tool from Agilent for system architects and algorithm developers at the highest levels of the communications product design chain.

“In the absence of an ESL tool that also ’speaks RF,’ our wireless and aerospace/defense customers are getting by with general-purpose digital design environments, in-house software and math tools for system design,” said Jim McGillivary, vice president and general manager of Agilent’s EEsof EDA division. “SystemVue 2008 unifies this flow and creates a standard ESL toolset that’s fast and easy to use. System designers finally have a place where they can innovate on both sides of the A/D converter, instead of overcoming limitations of tools that were never intended for their task.”

The new Agilent SystemVue 2008 provides an easy-to-use environment with innovative simulator and modeling technologies, along with links to hardware implementation and test. It allows algorithm creation and prototyping for challenging communications system architectures at the physical layer. SystemVue bridges an important design flow gap between algorithm developers and the mainstream design community and lowers the cost of ownership by unifying a disjointed flow at an affordable price. SystemVue complements existing general-purpose EDA tools used to design field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and Analog/RF components.

SystemVue 2008 is ideally suited to system architects of high-performance PHYs as well as to algorithm developers for emerging wireless PHYs, such as 3GPP LTE. Aerospace/defense applications, such as software-defined radio (SDR), satellite communications and radar will also benefit from SystemVue 2008.

Key features of Agilent’s SystemVue 2008 include:

Advanced Simulation

* Dataflow simulator handles multirate and multicarrier signals with RF-true effects up to 10x faster than general-purpose simulators.
* RF architecture tools provide valuable analog insights.

Advanced modeling

* Richer set of accurate RF/Analog models allows effective system partitioning.
* Hundreds of extendable block libraries save time for communications, signal processing, RF, fixed-point and standards-compliant functions.
* Native polymorphism switches easily between language-based C++, m-code, Verilog/VHDL or GUI-based blocks, to work naturally with ESL design flows.

Native math language support

* This feature maintains compatibility with existing algorithms and processes.
* It also supports creation, simulation, debugging, TCP/IP instrument connectivity and scripting.

Easy-to-use environment

* The environment is built for fast-turnaround communication system design with convenient verification.
* VHDL/Verilog generation includes support for FPGA rapid-prototyping.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

Agilent SystemVue 2008 is expected to be available in November 2008, with prices starting at approximately $14,000.

For more information about SystemVue 2008, visit www.agilent.com/find/eesof-systemvue.

A high-resolution image of the SystemVue 2008 software is available at www.agilent.com/find/eesof-systemvue2008_images.

Through October 2008, Agilent is offering special incentives to eligible customers to receive the new SystemVue 2008 software as a product upgrade for older versions of the Eagleware-Elanix “SystemView” system design software. Eagleware-Elanix was acquired by Agilent Technologies in 2005.

For more information regarding Eagleware Heritage Promotion 1.055, visit www.agilent.com/find/eesof-systemvue-bts.

About Agilent EEsof EDA Software

Agilent EEsof EDA software is compatible with and is used to design the company’s test and measurement equipment. Additional information about all of Agilent’s EDA software offerings is available at www.agilent.com/find/eesof.
About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company’s 20,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $5.4 billion in fiscal 2007. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.