Library tools speed development of 60GHz video nets

Agilent Technologies Inc. has introduced a WVAN Wireless Library that helps prevent unnecessary wafer spins, thus accelerating deployment of next-generation 60GHz wireless video area networks (WVAN) for high-volume consumer video equipment. The library is for use with Agilent's Advanced Design System (ADS) EDA software.

The Agilent WVAN Wireless Library is of particular interest to members of the WirelessHD consortium because the library includes portions of Version 1.0 PHY as simulation blocks, allowing WirelessHD consortium members to begin verifying transceiver RFIC designs months in advance of prototype circuits or commercial measurement personalities. The library also provides an external algorithmic verification reference, for early comparison and waveform generation. By verifying key algorithms and silicon early in the design process, unnecessary wafer spins can be avoided, thus accelerating time-to-market and lower design costs for WVAN designers.

The library is an option to the Agilent ADS 2008 software. It consists of transmit- and receive-oriented baseband coding blocks, as well as test benches to verify spectral masks, complementary cumulative distribution function and other physical layer measurements, and reference documentation.

"Agilent is committed to a 'Be First' strategy in both the simulation and test environments," said Jim McGillivary, vice president and general manager with Agilent's EEs of EDA division. "Customers value early access to and interpretation of emerging standards, which we now continue with WVAN, our 17th library for an emerging standard."

Updates to the library are expected to provide channel coding blocks, receive functions, verification templates, documentation and other Layer 1 capabilities for the new standard.

The Agilent WVAN Wireless Library is available now for purchase with Agilent's ADS 2008. For a yearly, time-based license, wireless-library pricing starts at below $10,000.