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Soft touch connectorless probing technology

AGILENT Technologies has announced that its Pro Series soft touch connectorless logic analyser probe interface has been adopted by logic analyser vendors as the industry standard.

Adopted as the industry standard.
7 October 2004
The standard interface, based on Agilent's soft touch connectorless probing technology, is an array of probe pads arranged in a common footprint that can be probed by equipment from multiple vendors.Now engineers in the computer, semiconductor and communications industries can benefit from connectorless probing without having to choose between competing connectorless probe interfaces.

The new Agilent Pro Series soft touch connectorless logic analyser probes offer a 30 percent smaller footprint than its original soft touch probes.The Pro Series probes use the same proprietary micro spring-pin technology as previous models to provide the industry's most reliable performance.Agilent's micro spring-pin technology features a four-point crown tip that can pierce any contamination on the board and provide redundant contact to maximize reliability.

The new, easy-to-use top-mount retention module accommodates varying printed circuit board thicknesses.These probes are the only connectorless logic analyser probes compatible with lead-free finishes such as organic-coated copper that support the electronic industry's migration to lead-free products, as well as other frequently used finishes including gold, silver and hot-air surface level.Agilent's soft touch probes enable a direct connection from the probe to targets on a printed circuit board without the use of a connector.

This reduces capacitive loading and minimizes the effect of the probe on system performance, an important consideration for engineers developing products using today's high-speed technologies such as double data rate (DDR) and PCI Express.Eliminating the need to place a connector on the target, regardless of the speed of the signals being measured, simplifies the validation of designs that are tight on space or that require minimal disruption of signal routing.

Agilent’s connectorless probing supports its entire line of logic analysers. The E5404A soft touch probe measures single-ended data and clocks, and can be used with any Agilent logic analyser with a 40-pin cable connector.The E5405A probe supports differential data and clocks, and the E5406A supports single-ended data and differential clocks. Both probes can be used with any Agilent logic analyser with a 90-pin cable connector.

Integrated Constraint Entry System Aids PCB System Design

(March 28, 2005) WILSONVILLE, Ore. — Mentor Graphics has released its next-generation constraint editor system (CES) into its Expedition Series and Board Station RE PCB design flows. This system enables definition, adherence and verification of physical constraints throughout the whole design process for complex designs. CES integrates with the entire system's design flow—from schematic entry through physical layout.

CES provides an interface for design engineers and layout designers to specify and verify constraints, which can be entered in familiar terms through a common graphical user interface (GUI), and then automatically accessed by individual tools in their native formats. Features include automatic differential pair identification and constraint templates to facilitate entering complex constraints. Advanced automatic topology and an interactive tuning meter are enabled when CES is used in the design flow.

CES supports bi-directional cross probing, which highlights and selects between a spreadsheet-based constraint interface and the schematic capture and layout tools. Constraint values are fully synchronized during the forward and backward annotation process with intelligent handling of connectivity changes. Users can create hierarchical rule classes that ease the association of constraints to design objects. Nets can be constrained by one rule at the class level to reduce the number of constraints manually entered in the design. CES also supports user- and pre-defined automatic topologies, enabling quick assignment of pin ordering that is used throughout the design process.

Rockwell Collins Recognizes Merix Corporation with 2005 Printed Circuit Commodity Supplier of the Year Award

FOREST GROVE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 2005--Merix Corporation (NASDAQ:MERX), a leading manufacturer of high technology printed circuit boards, announced today that it was named the Printed Circuit Commodity Supplier of the Year 2005 by Rockwell Collins. The award was presented by Chairman, President and CEO Clay Jones during the Annual Supplier Conference.

The Supplier of the Year award is an acknowledgement of significant contributions made during the year by suppliers and is based upon quality, delivery, total cost of ownership, lead time and customer service.

Rockwell Collins is a leader in the design, production and support of communications and aviation electronics solutions for government and commercial customers worldwide. Additional information is available at www.rockwellcollins.com

Merix is a leading manufacturer of technologically advanced, multilayer, rigid printed circuit boards for use in sophisticated electronic equipment. Merix provides high-performance materials, quick-turn prototype, pre-production and volume board production to its customers. Principal markets served by Merix include data communications and wireless telecommunications, high-end computing, and test and measurement end markets in the electronics industry. Additional corporate information is available on the Internet at www.merix.com.

Contacts

Merix Corporation
Janie Brown, Chief Financial Officer
503-359-2653

ZiLOG Celebrates Embedded Systems Conference with Major Percent Savings on Its Most Popular Products

Visit ZiLOG @ Booth 1025, South Hall, to Take Advantage of These 'Show Only' Deals

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS CONFERENCE, SAN FRANCISCO, March 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ZiLOG(R), Inc. (Nasdaq: ZILG) is offering a number of fantastic deals on some of its most popular products exclusively for visitors to the Embedded Systems Conference, March 8-10, at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, Calif.

For visitors to the exhibition, ZiLOG is offering the following show only deals:

-- Development kits for the recently announced Z8 Encore!(R) XP 8-pin microcontroller will be available at the special show rate of $39.95, which includes a development board, USB smart cable, CD with full ZDS II IDE tool suite and documentation. This development kit also comes with a ZiLOG IrDA transceiver that allows you to build your own IrDA application.

-- Development kits for the award-winning eZ80 Acclaim!(TM)
microcontroller family will be on sale at half price, just $49.95.

-- CrimzonRC Bullet(TM) Development Kit Available at $49.95, versus the
regular price of $129.95

-- In addition, ZiLOG will be offering In-Circuit Emulators for its Z8 GP(TM) devices at $899.95, over 60 percent off the regular price. Plus, ZiLOG will include both the Z8 Encore! XP 8-pin and eZ80 Acclaim! development kits free.

ZiLOG will also unveil its latest low cost, small footprint addition to its award-winning Z8 Encore! XP family of 8-bit microcontrollers and showcase some of its applications. Nicknamed the 'tiny dynamo', the Z8 Encore! XP 8-pin brings all the features and functionality of its larger XP family members such as an onboard temperature sensor, Internal Precision Oscillator, ADC and UART, but takes up 80 percent less space on the printed circuit board.

On the ZiLOG stand, senior design fellow Steve Pope will demonstrate what is believed to be the world's first 8-pin IrDA application -- a fan/motor control that uses the Z8 Encore! XP 8-pin. The fan/motor control demonstration board includes a ZiLOG IrDA transceiver that allows control of the demo board with a PDA. The PDA sends wireless messages over the IrDA port to select the fan to control and provides speed control information.

ZiLOG, in conjunction with USA Technologies, will also demonstrate applications for their joint eZ-Authorization, Payment and Networking Module(TM) technology, which connects everyday devices to a network that provides access to critical data, authorizes use or access and accepts cashless/credit card payments, anytime, anywhere.

Demonstrations include:

-- A blood pressure machine, once networked using eZ-APN module, accepts debit/credit cards, controls and authorizes activation and can measure, print and file blood pressure history. Users can also assign information access to their physician who can monitor their health, via the web.

-- A golf swing analyzer highlighting the leisure opportunities the eZ-APN module affords. In this case it offers golf enthusiasts the opportunity to practice and hone their skills at various locations, such as a hotel, health club or the office, pay for it with a credit or debit card and electronically compare their drive or putt against course records online, worldwide, or with world class champion golfers.

For find out more about ZiLOG, please go to http://www.zilog.com or visit booth
#1025

About ZiLOG, Inc.
ZiLOG, Inc. founded in 1974, won international acclaim for designing one of the first architectures in the microprocessors and microcontrollers industry. Today, ZiLOG is a leading global supplier of 8-bit micro-logic devices. ZiLOG designs and markets a broad portfolio of devices for embedded control and communication applications used in consumer electronics, home appliances, security systems, point of sales terminals, personal computer peripherals, as well as industrial and automotive applications.

ZiLOG is headquartered in San Jose, California, and employs approximately 520 people worldwide with sales offices and design centers throughout Asia, Europe and North America. For more information about ZiLOG and its products, visit the Company's website at: http://www.ZiLOG.com.

NOTE: ZiLOG, Z8 Encore XP, Crimzon, and eZ80 Acclaim! are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZiLOG, Inc. in the United States and in other countries.

SOURCE ZiLOG Inc.
Web Site: http://www.zilog.com

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