Agilent Enters RF DFM Space with Xpedion Acquisition

By Ann Steffora Mutschler -- Electronic News, 7/28/2006

To drive innovation and solve the challenging problems faced by radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) designers, Palo Alto, Calif.-based Agilent Technologies Inc. said it will acquire privately-held, Milpitas, Calif.-based Xpedion Design Systems Inc.

Xpedion provides software for wireless and high-speed digital circuit and systems design in the communications industry that will become part of Agilent’s EEsof division to create an RF DFM toolset, according to Jim McGillivary, VP and general manager of EEsof.

As consumer-oriented RFICs have moved to RF CMOS technology with higher integration, requiring more complete verification methodologies, Agilent was very interested in the tools from Xpedion as they address the RF CMOS verification and DFM space, he explained.

EEsof already has its front end RF Design Environment (RFDE) tool for the microwave area that works in conjunction with others from Cadence Design Systems, McGillivary noted, to send in communication protocol waveforms to ensure correct circuit topology.

EEsof said RFDE can be used as a front end, with Xpedion’s Golden Gate tool used at the back end.

The company has noted that designers are finding that their high-performance RFIC designs are under-characterized, resulting in too many foundry turns and poor yield.

By adding Xpedion’s products to its portfolio, Agilent says this allows more focus on verification and DFM, giving customers a design flow covering RFIC design, verification and DFM, and eventually connecting that flow to the testing arena as well.

EEsof said it will offer jobs to Xpedion’s 36 employees, most of whom work at the company’s Milpitas, Calif.

The acquisition is expected to close at the end of next month.