Integrated Measurement Systems Introduces IMS-Waves, a Next-Generation Timing Analysis Tool for Characterizing High Speed SOC Devices.

BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 23, 1999--

In a move designed to help engineers quickly characterize their first silicon IC prototypes, shortening development time and speeding hand-off to production, Integrated Measurement Systems Inc., (Nasdaq:IMSC) today announced the introduction of IMS-Waves(TM).

IMS-Waves offers the IC designer a powerful waveform analysis engine which integrates the functions of viewing device timing, validating logic waveforms, analyzing waveform fidelity and viewing simulation data into a single, unified, graphic waveform display. IMS-Waves provides users of IMS' ATS(TM) , XTS(TM), Electra (TM) and ElectraMX (TM) IC Validation Systems with higher level, real time capabilities for validation and characterization of high speed IC designs.

As integrated circuits (ICs) and electronic devices increase in complexity, with higher performance and higher speed requirements, rapid device debug becomes more dependent upon analyzing true device waveform performance as compared to simulation. Speed of information flow between the device under test (DUT) and the engineer is becoming critical to ensure that devices are validated quickly, brought to market cost effectively and in a timely manner.

"IMS-Waves gives our customers the ability to quickly discern whether device failures are caused by functional, timing or device waveform fidelity. IMS-Waves offers the unique ability to analyze device timing in either the digital or analog domain and compare them with either actual acquired or simulated waveforms. This is a powerful, next-generation analysis tool for debugging and characterizing ASIC's with complex logic, timing and fast signal transitions." commented Jack Frost, IMS' Marketing Manager for Digital Products. " IMS-Waves further strengthens IMS' position as the leader in IC validation by giving engineers a powerful graphical waveform analysis tool for developing superior designs, enhancing engineering productivity, shortening development time and speeding products to market."

IMS-Waves Offers Powerful Waveform Viewing Modes.

IMS-Waves provides four standard display formats designed to simplify the task of debugging complex waveforms -- a digital timing diagram display, a three-state logic analyzer display of output signals, an analog view, and a simulation waveform view.

In Timing Diagram mode, detailed information is visually displayed about the formats, timing, strobes and functionality of signal busses, pins and vectors. State values can also be displayed along with waveform shapes.

When displaying data using the Logic Analyzer mode, IMS-Waves samples a number of pins in parallel, sweeping and building up the logic transitions over a range of vectors. A three-state logic display is generated showing high, tristate, and logic low levels. Logic Analyzer mode can be used to quickly locate actual device signal transitions. It can also be used for rapid device timing margin analysis. With visual pin margin analysis, the engineer is able to quickly see how much timing margin a passing device has with the current setup, and make adjustments accordingly.

Signals in Scope mode show actual analog waveform display, allowing the user to verify output voltage levels and troubleshoot waveform fidelity issues.

In Simulation mode waveforms can be displayed and compared to actual forcing, expected and acquired waveforms to determine if any errors occurred during the vector translation process. Simulation-based waveforms can be fed into IMS-Waves through interfaces to IMS' pattern processing tools such as APT, IMS-Link or IMS' Virtual Test products.

IMS-Waves' has the unique ability to display individual or bussed waveforms in any of the four modes, simultaneously viewed within a particular IMS-Waves session. With IMS-Waves' "stick" and overlay capability, simulated and actual device waveforms can be compared within the same screen. A transition counter allows the user to rapidly verify the total number of edge transitions acquired. Used in conjunction with the IMS-Screens interactive screen interface, IMS-Waves rapidly correlates failing vectors with missing or mistimed output transitions.

Availability.

IMS-Waves will be available in Q1, 2000 and currently supports the ATS Digital IC Validation System, the XTS High Pin Count IC Validation System and the Electra family of Mixed-Signal IC Validation Systems. IMS-Waves is bundled with IMS' Test Environment software package and is priced at $22,950. An upgrade is also available for existing users of IMS' IC validation systems.

About Integrated Measurement Systems, Inc. (IMS)

Headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., USA, IMS designs, manufactures, markets and services a family of versatile, high-performance engineering IC validation systems used to verify and characterize complex digital, memory and mixed-signal first silicon prototype devices. In addition, the company develops and markets a customer-proven line of Virtual Test(TM) Software products that allow IC test development and device debug without the tester and before first-silicon.

(TM) IMS-Waves, IMS-Screens, APT, IMS-Link, ATS, XTS, Electra, the IMS logo and name are trademarks of Integrated Measurement Systems. For additional company information, see the IMS Web sites at www.ims.com and www.virtualtest.com.