The MathWorks Adds Support for Signal Integrity Engineering to RF Toolbox.

New Version Helps Ensure Reliable Connection of High-Speed Semiconductor Devices

NATICK, Mass. -- The MathWorks today introduced RF Toolbox 2, which includes new functions that enable signal integrity engineers to design, model, analyze, and visualize networks of radio frequency (RF) components commonly found in high-speed digital electronics. Now engineers can better model the impedance differences and reflection effects compromising signal distortion that occur with high-speed semiconductor devices connected to backplanes and printed circuit boards. By combining the new modeling capabilities of RF Toolbox with the power of Model-Based Design in MATLAB[R] and Simulink[R], engineers can significantly reduce the time required to develop I/O circuitry for these devices used throughout the aerospace, defense, communications, and automotive industries.

RF Toolbox eliminates the need for manually building transmission line models from measured data to test I/O circuit designs. Instead, engineers can quickly model transmission lines as rational functions, a type of behavioral model that is faster, more accurate, and provides greater insight into transmission line characteristics than traditional alternatives like inverse fast Fourier transforms (IFFTs).

The added capabilities in RF Toolbox complement the product's existing support for designing, modeling, and analyzing networks of RF components in wireless communications and radar projects. Applying the same workflow, the new version helps engineers design for signal integrity by letting them use network parameters to specify RF filters, transmission lines, amplifiers, and mixers, either directly or by their physical properties. Network parameters can be generated from within MATLAB or read in from external data. When data describing the response of the backplane is imported into RF Toolbox, it generates a rational function model that can be exported as a test environment either into Simulink or directly into a Verilog-A-compatible circuit simulator from an electronic design automation (EDA) vendor. RF Toolbox also provides Smith[R] charts and rectangular and polar plots for visualizing data.

"RF Toolbox is based on the proven MATLAB environment and is flexible enough to fit into any company's signal integrity workflow," said Colin Warwick, technical marketing manager at The MathWorks. "Engineers can execute RF Toolbox functions from the MATLAB command line, the RF Toolbox GUI, or from their own MATLAB scripts and functions."

Pricing and Availability

RF Toolbox 2 is available immediately for the Microsoft Windows, UNIX, Linux, and Macintosh platforms. U.S. list prices start at $1,000. For further information, please visit the product page at www.mathworks.com/products/rftoolbox or view the archived Webinar, "Signal Integrity Engineering with MATLAB and RF Toolbox," available on the following site, www.mathworks.com/wbnr13500.

About The MathWorks

The MathWorks is the world's leading developer of technical computing and Model-Based Design software for engineers and scientists in industry, government, and education. With an extensive product set based on MATLAB and Simulink, The MathWorks provides software and services to solve challenging problems and accelerate innovation in automotive, aerospace, communications, financial services, biotechnology, electronics, instrumentation, process, and other industries.

The MathWorks was founded in 1984 and employs more than 1,500 people worldwide, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts. For additional information, visit www.mathworks.com.

MATLAB, Simulink, Stateflow, Handle Graphics, Real-Time Workshop, and xPC TargetBox are registered trademarks and SimBiology, SimEvents, and SimHydraulics are trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc. Other product or brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.