Agilent Technologies ships 2005 EDA software releases

Latest Advanced Design System, RF Design Environment versions speed circuit simulation for wireless communications design

PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 19, 2005

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced the availability of its 2005 releases of Advanced Design System (ADS) and RF Design Environment (RFDE). Both EDA software platforms contain Agilent's breakthrough simulation technologies, announced in March, that help designers of wireless communications products get products to market faster. The new simulation technologies are fully integrated into the software and are shipping now to customers worldwide.

"Our customers' applications have become more sophisticated, and circuits have grown in size and complexity," said Charles Plott, manager of product marketing at Agilent's EEsof EDA division. "Fast and accurate simulations can save many months and hundreds of thousands of dollars in development costs. ADS and RFDE 2005A were designed to help developers realize these savings."

Highlights of these software releases include:

• Faster, smarter and stronger simulation technology
  • DC and harmonic balance simulations run significantly faster (averaging five to eight times faster in benchmark tests).
  • Built-in intelligence chooses optimal simulation setup parameters automatically, reducing simulation setup time.
  • Very large circuits with thousands of transistors and more than 250 thousand parasitics simulate successfully.
• EM simulator improvements
  • The new, 64-bit computer support solves previously unsolvable problems and cuts EM verification time in half.
  • The addition of horizontal currents on side walls enables better thick-conductor modeling.
  • A new iterative solver that, like the Krylov solver in harmonic balance simulation, solves large problems faster.
• Support for most Cadence Spectre-style netlists and models
  • RFDE 2005A compatibility with Spectre netlists and models allows direct simulation with standard, foundry-created Spectre PDKs -- in many cases with no modifications. This allows support for both RFDE and Spectre usage with a standard process design kit.
• Ptolemy Sources and Measurements in Cadence AMS-Designer
  • ADS Ptolemy source and sink subcircuits (system test benches) are available for use in Cadence's Analog-Mixed Signal Simulator running under the Analog Design Environment (AMSD-ADE).

Agilent ADS offers a complete set of system and circuit simulation technology and instrument links for RF and microwave design in a single, integrated flow. Agilent RFDE is an RF EDA software environment that tightly integrates leading RF simulation technologies from Agilent ADS into the Cadence Design System industry-standard analog and mixed-signal design flow.

For More Information

To learn more about the new simulation breakthroughs and other enhancements to the ADS 2005A release, visit eesof.tm.agilent.com/products/ads2005a_demo.html and watch an eight-minute video. Viewers can enter a monthly drawing for a free, 20 GB iPod with leather case.

More information about Agilent's EDA solutions is available at www.agilent.com/find/eesof.

A high-resolution image of Agilent's EDA solutions is available at www.agilent.com/find/eesof-eda2005A.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

ADS and RFDE 2005A are available now with prices starting at approximately $8,400.

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 28,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $7.2 billion in fiscal year 2004. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

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Contact:

Janet Smith
+1 970 679 5397
janet_smith@agilent.com