Tektronix Provides Industry-First Oscilloscope Software for Ultra Wideband (UWB) and WiMedia UWB Applications


TDSUWB software utility provides easy to use, comprehensive analysis with software down-conversion to TDS6000C Series real-time oscilloscopes

BEAVERTON, Ore., Nov. 9 -- Tektronix, Inc. (NYSE:TEK), a leading worldwide provider of test, measurement and monitoring instrumentation, announced a new oscilloscope software application for validating all types of UWB devices from new generations of secure communications to consumer electronics. Known as TDSUWB, the software utility extends the debug and analysis capabilities of the Tektronix TDS6000C Series --- the industry's highest performance real time oscilloscopes -- to include real-time analysis of Ultra Wideband RF and electrical signals. The software utility is available for a limited time at no cost.

UWB is a wireless radio technology that uses pulses or waveforms compressed in time, allowing frequency energy to be spread over a very wide bandwidth to very low levels enabling UWB radios to share spectrum with existing narrowband transmissions without causing undue interference. Due to the infancy of the marketplace, performance and interoperability debugging and regulatory compliance measurements for UWB transmissions are often difficult, expensive, and time-consuming. TDSUWB assists the design and debug of UWB signals in real-time for defense electronics, industrial, consumer, and computer applications. Extensions for the WiMedia Alliances' UWB Common Radio Platform offer single-button tests such as automatic bandgroup detection (patent pending) and Power Spectral Density (PSD) mask tests.

"UWB presents a particular challenge for test and measurement equipment," said Marv LaVoie, Tektronix Fellow, Performance Scope Product Line, Tektronix. "The high-frequency bandwidth required to test UWB places it beyond the capabilities of spectrum analyzers and virtually all oscilloscopes. However, Tektronix is able to leverage our fastest in the industry real-time oscilloscopes, leadership in single-shot timing resolution, superior record length, and analysis techniques from our Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers (RTSA) to create a unique UWB solution. By bringing spectrum analysis through software to the TDS6000C -- instruments with sufficient bandwidth to evaluate and debug UWB communication and radar in real time -- TDSUWB provides UWB design engineers with essential debug and compliance testing capabilities."

The software is available as TDSUWB and TDSUWB+WiMedia. TDSUWB adds wideband spectral analysis capabilities to the TDS6000C oscilloscopes for evaluating and debugging UWB communications and radar in real time. Analyzing changes in frequency with time is also applicable to a wide variety of electrical and optical signals. The TDSUWB+WiMedia software provides additional capabilities focusing on testing WiMedia radio bandgroups. TDSUWB+WiMedia software automatically identifies Time Frequency Code (TFC) -- frequency of operation and hopping sequence -- selects the correct PSD mask for that TFC, performs the PSD mask test, and measures channel power.

"Tektronix' TDSUWB+WiMedia software will help accelerate the development of products based on Certified Wireless USB and the WiMedia Alliance Common Radio Platform," said Jeff Ravencraft, Intel technology strategist and chairman of USB-IF. "We are pleased that Tektronix' has chosen to have TDSUWB+WiMedia real-time analysis as part of its new software utility. It is a significant part of debug and test tools used in Intel's interoperability lab for Certified Wireless USB and WiMedia Alliance Common Radio Platform."

"Aggressive development of high-performance analysis tools from Tektronix illustrates the company's value within the WiMedia UWB ecosystem. With this component, we are one step closer to WiMedia products," said Stephen R. Wood, president of the WiMedia Alliance. "As the market begins to ramp through 2006, the Tektronix TDSUWB+WiMedia software will become increasingly more important to UWB developers."

About Tektronix

Tektronix, Inc. is a test, measurement, and monitoring company providing measurement solutions to the communications, computer, and semiconductor industries worldwide. With more than 55 years of experience, Tektronix enables its customers to design, build, deploy, and manage next-generation global communications networks and advanced technologies. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix has operations in 19 countries worldwide. Tektronix' Web address is www.tektronix.com.

Source: Tektronix, Inc.

CONTACT: Amy Higgins of Tektronix, Inc., +1-503-627-6497, or Amy.L.Higgins@tektronix.com

Web site: www.tektronix.com/

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