LeCroy expands its solutions for UWB Development and Testing

LeCroy Corporation, a worldwide leader for serial data test solutions, announced today its UWBTracer™ system, the industry’s most advanced protocol analyzer for radio-based traffic for WiMedia™ Alliance’s Ultra Wideband (UWB) common radio platform and certified Wireless USB (WUSB) from the USB-IF standards. Additionally, LeCroy announced that it also would provide the UWBTrainer traffic generation system. Current USB customers will also be able to upgrade the capabilities of their USB protocol analyzers to include wire line adapter decode support. The announcement of these products comes after the successful introduction of the first UWB protocol analyzer, the UWBTracer MPI system, which is currently utilized for the early stages of UWB development by design engineers integrating their MAC and PHY chipsets.

The UWBTracer protocol analyzer was developed by LeCroy’s Protocol Solutions Group (formerly Computer Access Technology [CATC]), the market leader in USB and Bluetooth protocol analysis tools. CATC was the first company to introduce commercially available USB and Bluetooth protocol test equipment, and based upon experience in both technologies, is able to present the most advanced product options for those designing and developing UWB.

The UWBTracer analyzer is capable of capturing and decoding WiMedia and Certified Wireless USB traffic exchanged over the air. The system also provides full capture and analysis of MAC and PHY interface traffic between modules or chipsets. The combination of radio-based analysis as well as MPI recording makes the UWBTracer analyzer useful at every stage of the product development lifecycle. Beginning with the initial debug of the MAC PHY communication path, to eventual interoperability testing between different WiMedia-based devices, the UWBTracer analyzer is designed to reduce time to market for Certified WUSB chipsets, devices and software. And, it will include support for multiple association models as well as encryption.

The UWBTracer features the CATC Trace™ software that logically organizes and displays the protocol hierarchically all the way from WiMedia-based frames up to WUSB transfer. The analysis and control software, which has become the de facto industry standard, includes the features that LeCroy and CATC customers would expect, including powerful triggering and filtering, and pop up tooltips that explain the protocol in context of the captured traffic. Additionally, the user can isolate specific MPI and WUSB events using the comprehensive search function. Real-time statistics provide additional insight into the product’s operation and performance.

“With more than 10 and 6 years working with USB and Bluetooth respectively, and by working closely with the WiMedia Alliance and WUSB community, we understand the requirements that design and verification teams have with this new exciting technology,” said James Wright, Director of Marketing, Protocol Solutions Group, LeCroy. “Our commitment to this initiative is profound, evidenced by our early entry with the analyzer for the MAC-PHY interface, updating our line of USB analyzers to support wire line adapter decodes, and the introduction of the new UWBTracer analyzer and UWBTrainer traffic generator.”

"LeCroy has brought their years of experience to the UWBTracer product to simplify the analysis of over-the-air UWB traffic using the MPI interface." Said Eric Broockman, CEO of Alereon "The UWBTracer protocol analyzer’s ability to easily parse Certified Wireless USB and WiMedia packets makes it an ideal tool to accelerate customer's time to market with products compliant to the WiMedia-based MPI interface such as Alereon's 480Mbps EVB-4400."

“LeCroy’s UWBTracer analyzer and Staccato’s Ripcord family of WiMedia-based Ultra-wideband single-chip solutions are a winning combination for customers who want to bring Certified Wireless USB products to market in a timely manner,” said Jason Ellis, senior manager of business development and marketing for Staccato Communications. “True standards-based products based on WiMedia and USB-IF specifications are key to achieving industry-wide compliance and interoperability, a critical phase in winning the race to widespread commercialization. Staccato and its customers rely on high-quality test and measurement products to get them across the finish line.”

The UWBTracer analyzer will begin shipping in the first quarter of 2006, with the UWBTrainer traffic generator following soon after. Wire Line Adapter Decode support for USB customers will become available in Q4’05. For additional information, contact LeCroy at 1-800-4LeCroy (1-800-453-2769) or visit the LeCroy web site (www.lecroy.com).


LeCroy Corporation is a worldwide leader in serial data test solutions, creating advanced instruments that drive product innovation by quickly measuring, analyzing, and verifying complex electronic signals. The Company offers high-performance oscilloscopes, serial data analyzers, and global communications protocol test solutions used by design engineers in the computer and semiconductor, data storage device, automotive and industrial, and military and aerospace markets. LeCroy’s 40-year heritage of technical innovation is the foundation for its recognized leadership in “WaveShape Analysis”—capturing, viewing, and measuring the high-speed signals that drive today's information and communications technologies. LeCroy is headquartered in Chestnut Ridge, New York. Company information is available at http://www.lecroy.com.


© 2005 by LeCroy Corporation. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.