Photron Technologies and AccelChip Implement Unique Digital Filter Design into FPGAs for Breakthrough Wireless Communications Technology

Next Generation Ultra Spectral Modulation Technique Achieves 25x Increase in Wireless Bandwidth

LOS ANGELES, June 16, 2005 - Photron Technologies Ltd. and AccelChip Inc. today redefined the next generation of wireless communications with the FPGA implementation of a patented digital filter that will be a vital part for wireless data transmission rates of 100bps/Hz.  The devices will be the core of a dynamic new technology known as Ultra Spectral Modulation (USM). Developed by Photron, USM™ technology provides superior wireless data transmission rates of 5Mbs through a narrow 50Kz channel.  Current technologies require channel bandwidths that are 25x larger.   

The key to achieving the FPGA hardware implementation solution in a short period of time was an extraordinary and revolutionary combination of software and hardware expertise. The design flow was comprised of MATLAB® simulation software and AccelChip Inc.’s AccelChip® DSP Synthesis and AccelWare® DSP IP Core Generators. These innovative software combinations, coupled with powerful FPGA development hardware and software, allowed the respective engineering teams to reduce the hardware development time to one-third the time of a traditional approach.

Completion of the FPGA implementation of the hardware confirmed the efficiency of the MATLAB simulation and now brings the reality of USM and T3 data rates on a wireless basis one-step closer to market. The final phase of design work will retarget the FPGA into an ASIC.   

Dale Kluesing, CTO, Photron Technologies stated, “AccelChip was an important contributing factor to the success of this FPGA implementation.  Our initial design was a very traditional textbook approach; however, with the AccelChip tools, we were able to explore many options and still complete the design in only a few short months.”    

“With the growing importance in getting products to market faster, anything a company can do to decrease its design time will have an impact on the bottom line,” said Vin Ratford, President and CEO, AccelChip Inc.  “Our products can improve design productivity up to 20x by shortening the time between algorithm development and silicon implementation.  We’re proud to have contributed to the success of this significant step forward in wireless communications.”

USM significantly increases spectral efficiency in wireless applications and provides for high-speed and high-capacity networks at substantially lower cost relative to existing wireless technologies. This core technology platform is designed to avoid bottlenecks by providing data transmission channels with higher quality and throughput rates than those of conventional modulation techniques.

About Photron Technologies Ltd.

Photron Technologies is a leading-edge wireless technology company specializing in the design, development and integration of next generation wireless transmission methods & techniques, as well as other wireless systems & devices; and is the developer and manufacturer of a proprietary ultra narrowband technology called Ultra Spectral Modulation (USM). Photron’s Web address is www.photron.com.sg
                                                                                                                                    
About AccelChip Inc.

AccelChip Inc. is the industry’s only provider of MATLAB-based algorithmic synthesis solutions, including DSP intellectual property (IP), for embedded DSP design.  The company develops and markets design tools, integrated verification flows, and parametric IP toolkits that combine to automate the development and implementation of DSP algorithms in FPGAs and ASICs.  AccelChip’s proven solution integrates the domain-specific DSP design environment (MATLAB) with industry-standard hardware design flows from Aldec, Altera, Cadence, Mentor Graphics, Synplicity, Synopsys, The MathWorks, and Xilinx.  Founded in 2000, AccelChip is located in Milpitas, California, and has design centers in Portland, Oregon, and Carlsbad, California. AccelChip’s Web address is www.accelchip.com.

Photron is a registered trademark and USM is a trademark of Photron Technologies Ltd.  AccelChip, AccelWare, and AccelView are registered trademarks of AccelChip Inc.  All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective companies.