Zensys Selects Berkeley Design Automation Analog FastSPICE(TM) for Wireless Transceiver Verification

Berkeley Design Automation Inc., provider of Precision Circuit Analysis(TM) technology for advanced analog and RF integrated circuits (ICs), today announced that Zensys, developer of the award-winning Z-Wave wireless home control standard and a family of low-cost, low-power integrated transceiver chips embedded with Z-Wave, has selected the company’s Analog FastSPICE(TM) circuit simulator for complex-block characterization and full-circuit performance simulation of its fully integrated RF communication module.

“Verifying our RF communication module requires extensive transistor-level simulation of a complete RF transceiver with the highest possible accuracy,” said Tony Shakib, Chief Executive Officer at Zensys. “Analog FastSPICE completed characterization of our RF transceiver, including a complex sigma-delta modulator, more than 5x faster than our traditional SPICE simulator with true SPICE accuracy. With Analog FastSPICE we will be able to tapeout with higher confidence and get our products to market faster.”

Berkeley Design Automation tools include Analog FastSPICE(TM) circuit simulation, Noise Analysis Option(TM) device noise analyzer, RF FastSPICE(TM) periodic analyzer, and PLL Noise Analyzer(TM). The company guarantees identical waveforms to the leading “golden” SPICE simulators down to noise floor (typically 0.1% or less) while delivering 5x-10x higher performance and 5x-10x higher capacity. It achieves this by using advanced algorithms and numerical analysis techniques to rapidly solve the full-circuit matrix and the original device equations without any shortcuts that could compromise accuracy.

Design teams from top-10 semiconductor companies to leading startups use Berkeley Design Automation tools to solve big analog/RF verification problems. Typical applications include characterizing complex blocks (e.g., PLLs, ADCs, DC:DC converters, PHYs, Tx/Rx chains) and running performance simulation of full circuits (e.g., wireless transceivers, wireline transceivers, high-speed I/O macros, memories, microcontrollers, data converters, and power converters).

“We are excited that Zensys selected Analog FastSPICE for the verification of their RF technology for interoperable home control devices,” said Ravi Subramanian, president and CEO of Berkeley Design Automation. “Effective design verification of complex analog/RF circuits for ultra-low power RF mesh networking products requires true SPICE accuracy to enable delivery of high-quality products to the consumer market. We are proud to help Zensys dramatically accelerate their analog/RF circuit verification.”

About Berkeley Design Automation

Berkeley Design Automation, Inc. is the recognized leader in advanced analog/RF verification. Its Precision Circuit Analysis technology combines the accuracy, performance, and capacity needed to verify GHz designs in nanometer-scale silicon. Berkeley Design Automation has received numerous awards including EDN Magazine’s 2006 Innovation of the Year, the 2006 Red Herring 100 North America, and the 2007 Red Herring Global 100 Finalist. Founded in 2003, the company is funded by Woodside Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., and NTT Corporation. For more information, see http://www.berkeley-da.com .

About Z-Wave

Z-Wave(R) is the first technology to bring affordable, reliable and easy-to-use wireless control to every aspect of daily life – the home, consumer electronics, healthcare, and energy use, to name a few. Z-Wave is an award-winning, proven and interoperable wireless mesh networking technology that allows a wide array of devices in and around the home to communicate including lighting, appliances, HVAC, entertainment centers, and security systems. Z-Wave brings many benefits to everyday life including remote home monitoring, home healthcare, safety and security, and energy conservation. Z-Wave certified products are currently available from leading consumer brands in more than 200 products. Z-Wave is the recipient of the Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award in the wireless category and the CNET “Best of CES Award” in the enabling technologies category. For more information about Z-Wave, please visit http://www.z-wave.com .

Analog FastSPICE, Noise Analysis Option , RF FastSPICE, PLL Noise Analyzer, WaveCrave, and Precision Circuit Analysis are trademarks and Berkeley Design is a registered trademark of Berkeley Design Automation, Inc. Z-Wave(R) is a registered trademark of Zensys, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.