Integrated Systems' MATRIXx 5.0 Design Tools Now Offer Complete Fixed-Point Simulation, Analysis, Software Generation, and Real-Time Testing; Give Users Unparalleled Flexibility and Advantages for High-Volume, Low-Cost Production.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 9, 1995--Integrated Systems, Inc. today announced the addition of fixed-point enhancements to the newly released MATRIXx(R) 5.0 family of powerful visual design and development tools. Automotive and aerospace engineers designing for high-volume, low-cost microprocessors can now use MATRIXx 5.0 fixed-point tools to generate fixed-point code, significantly simplifying and reducing the design cycle time traditionally spent modifying a fixed-point design.

MATRIXx 5.0 is the first toolset to provide users with both complete floating-point and fixed-point design environments for modeling, simulation, analysis, code generation, and real-time testing capabilities.

Tamara Artim, Integrated Systems' manager MATRIXx marketing states: "Users now can choose the best environment for their needs. Users can take advantage of the fixed-point analysis tools for quick detection of design problems and fine tuning of their designs. With fixed-point users reporting time savings of seven weeks and more, we are very pleased with the performance and flexibility that the MATRIXx 5.0 fixed-point features provide."

A fixed-point microprocessor performs mathematical calculations using integers. Fixed-point datatype support in the MATRIXx tools allows users to build, simulate and generate code for models with 8-, 16-, and 32-bit, signed or unsigned datatypes and binary scale factors. In floating-point calculations, real numbers are expressed as decimal numbers.

Intrinsic Datatypes Make It Simple

Intrinsic fixed-point datatypes in the MATRIXx 5.0 simulation and modeling environment simplify design effort by allowing users to define fixed-point datatypes within standard blocks. Users can build a floating-point discrete controller, get it working, revisit the blocks, change their datatypes to fixed-point types and rerun the simulation. By toggling a global switch, users check for quantization effects by comparing floating-point versus fixed-point simulation results.

Analysis Tools Save Time

New fixed-point analysis tools accelerate the fixed-point design process. One tool logs the minimum and maximum values and overflows for the simulation, and detects their associated times and model locations. The second tool provides users with a centralized data dictionary for defining, revising and updating user specified global datatypes. The combination of these tools with the fixed-point capability results in a powerful design environment.

Code Generation With Flexibility

Automatic code generation is supported for both C and Ada fixed-point code. The C fixed-point math operations are implemented using a library of functions and macros. The user can easily modify or replace the library to optimize the math operations for a specific target. The Ada fixed-point code is implemented using Ada supported fixed-point datatypes.

Blocks with Fixed-Point Support

Many predefined building blocks are available, including basic math operations, gain blocks, general algebraic expression blocks, piece-wise linear blocks (such as absolute saturation), the delay block, interpolation blocks, and basic logical and relational blocks support fixed-point datatypes.

Availability

The MATRIXx 5.0 product family will be available in early 1996, priced from $4995 for SystemBuild with fixed-point software and $5,000 for the AutoCode fixed-point extension.

The MATRIXx 5.0 Product Family, used for control and embedded system product design, includes SystemBuild(TM) -- the industry's leading modeling and simulation environment, Xmath(TM) -- the first object oriented mathematical analysis and visualization tool, AutoCode(R) -- the first and most sophisticated automatic code generator, DocumentIt(TM) -- the first automatic documentation generator, and the RealSim(TM) Series of rapid prototyping computers for real-time simulation, and hardware- and processor-in-the-loop testing.

MATRIXx 5.0 tools are available for leading UNIX and VMS workstations and for Windows NT- and Windows 95-based personal computers.

Integrated Systems, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., Integrated Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:INTS) is a leading worldwide provider of software development tools -- MATRIXx and pSOSystem -- for the communications, automotive, multimedia/entertainment, office/retail automation, aerospace and process control industries. Its software helps manufacturers bring reliable, more fully-featured products to market faster. Sales and service offices are located across Asia, Europe and the United States. -0-

Note to Editors: MATRIXx, SystemBuild, AutoCode, RealSim, Xmath, DocumentIt, and pSOSystem are trademarks or registered trademarks of Integrated Systems, Inc. All other names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Integrated Systems, Inc.

Wanda Cavanaugh, 408/980-1500 ext. 529

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