Science & Technology
Science and Technology
Science and Technology
Tue, February 3, 2009 TRADE NEWS: Agilent Technologies Introduces Million-Bit-Per-Minute Channel Simulator for Signal Integrity
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today introduced a million-bit-per-minute [ signal integrity ] channel simulator for multigigabit chip-to-chip data link design. The [ Channel Simulator ] -- part of Agilent's [ Advanced Design System ] (ADS) EDA software platform -- allows an interactive eye measurement from channel simulations inside the ADS signal integrity design and analysis environment.
"With a throughput that's a thousand times faster than SPICE, it is now practical to make changes to the channel or the transmit-and-receive equalization and see eye measurement results instantaneously," said Colin Warwick, signal integrity product manager with Agilent's EEsof EDA division. "The Channel Simulator is unique because it allows our customers to build the model from regular ADS circuit- and physical-level components. They can access tuning, optimization and batch mode -- all from an intuitive user interface."
The most common applications for the ADS Channel Simulator are design and verification of chip-to-chip multigigabit/s serial links. These are found in almost all consumer and enterprise digital products produced today -- from laptop computers to data center servers to telecommunication switching centers to Internet routers. At the very high data rates at which these links operate, signal-integrity engineers must take into account physical phenomena such as impedance mismatch, reflections, electromagnetic coupling, crosstalk and microwave frequency attenuation due to the skin effect and dielectric loss tangent.
The ADS Channel Simulator allows signal integrity engineers to address these challenges by performing "what-if" design space exploration. To aid this workflow, ADS Channel Simulator uses impulse response analysis to automatically extract a fast, linear FIR model from any combination of ADS circuit-level and physical-level components. This results in simulation throughputs of more than a million bits per minute. Fast eye measurement lets signal-integrity engineers interactively produce the resulting eye measurements -- and optimize transmit and receive equalization -- in serial links such as PCI Express®, USB 3.0 and 10-gigabit Ethernet.
Agilent's [ Advanced Design System ] is a powerful electronic design automation platform. It offers complete integration to designers of multigigabit/s serial links; consumer and commercial wireless electronic products, such as mobile phones, wireless networking and GPS; and radar and satellite communications systems.
Additional information is available at [ www.agilent.com/find/eesof-ads2008_t-c-simulator ].
A high-resolution screen image of Agilent's Channel Simulator software is available at [ www.agilent.com/find/eesof-channel_simulator_images ].
See Agilent's Advanced Design System and Channel Simulator for signal integrity applications at [ DesignCon 2009 ], Booth 305.
U.S. Pricing and Availability
Agilent's Channel Simulator will be available as part of the Advanced Design System 2009 release, available in mid-February. The Channel Simulator is offered as part of both the legacy [ E8885 Convolution Simulator ] and its successor, the new W2302 Transient Convolution Element in Agilent's Advanced Design System. Prices start at approximately $26,000.
About Agilent EEsof EDA Software
Agilent EEsof EDA is an industry-leading provider of RF-mixed signal circuit and system-design software. The software is the result of more than 30 years of innovation by the world's premier RF design and software development engineers, who focus on understanding and solving designers' problems. Agilent EEsof EDA software is compatible with and is used to design the company's test and measurement equipment. Additional information 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 19,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $5.8 billion in fiscal 2008. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at [ www.agilent.com ].
"PCI-SIG" and the PCI SIG design marks are registered trademarks and/or service marks of PCI-SIG.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Further technology, corporate citizenship and executive news is available on the Agilent news site at [ www.agilent.com/go/news ].
