Agilent Technologies 93000 System-On-a-Chip Series Selected to Test China's First Embedded Digital Signal Processor

PALO ALTO, Calif.--March 17, 2004--Agilent Technologies Inc. today announced that the Agilent 93000 system-on-a-chip (SOC) Series has been selected to test China's first embedded digital signal processor (DSP), called CoStar. With features of low power consumption and flexible programmability, the CoStar DSP is widely used in high-end applications such as mobile communication and digital TV. Multiple CoStar DSPs have been used in the latest 3G mobile phones, for example, to enable features such as MP3 audio and digital video.

Developed by the Institute of Microelectronics of the China Academy of Science (IMECAS), the reconfigurable CoStar DSP is one of the semiconductor industry's highest performing DSP chips, with calculation capabilities exceeding 1 GigaMAC per second with power consumption a miniscule 0.15 mW/MMAC.

"The CoStar DSP is a complex device, and the Agilent 93000 SOC test system was able to meet heavy testing demands in a short time," said Chen Jie, director of the IC Design Department, IMECAS. "In addition to the quality and performance of the system, we were impressed with the professional, considerate service of Agilent China's semiconductor test customer support team and Application Development Center. With their help, we developed and executed an efficient test program that minimized test cycle time. We look forward to more collaboration with Agilent."

The CoStar DSP was designed at the SOC laboratory of the IMECAS with support from the National High-Tech Research and Development Program and the "Hundred Talent Program" (a program to attract talented returnees to China from institutions abroad). The CoStar DSP is one of the first devices to rely completely on local supply chain resources for design, manufacturing, packaging and testing.

"Agilent is committed to providing China with local test systems and support resources to advance the country's next-generation devices," said Qingsuo Yu, vice general manager, IDM Production Support, Agilent Semiconductor Test Asia. "The CoStar development team was able to rely on our local resources to develop and execute test programs and applications efficiently. Our local support and integration with other supply chain partners helped IMECAS minimize test cycles and speed product to market."

Agilent continues to partner with China's IC design and manufacturing industry to provide testing resources that support the rapid release of further innovations from China.

About the Agilent 93000 SOC Series

The Agilent 93000 SOC Series is the industry's fastest growing, lowest cost single, scalable platform with more than 600 installed systems worldwide. The Agilent 93000 SOC Series is designed to meet both the demanding performance and cost challenges of SOC testing. Models are configured to span the widest range of applications that may require ultra-high-speed digital data rates, up to 10 Gb/s, and the broadest range of mixed-signal and RF capabilities. With this range of capabilities, the 93000 SOC Series is the first choice for subcontract manufacturers and the preference for high-volume manufacturing. More information is available at www.agilent.com/see/soctest.

More information about Agilent's semiconductor test products is available at www.agilent.com/see/atenews.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 28,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $6.1 billion in fiscal year 2003. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

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