Joomla Slide Menu by DART Creations
Objective Interface and Zeligsoft Team to Offer Integrated Communications Middleware and Development

GARDEN GROVE, CA - November 14, 2005 - Today, at the SDR Forum 2005 Technical Conference, Objective Interface Systems, Inc., the premier provider of high-performance, real-time and embedded communications middleware, and Zeligsoft, Inc., a leading vendor of market-specific embedded software development tools, announced that they have teamed to streamline the design process for Software Defined Radios (SDR) conforming to the Software Communications Architecture (SCA) standard. As a result of this collaboration, and the middleware–development tool integration resulting from it, developers will gain advantages in time-to-market, cost savings and risk reduction as they create next-generation SDRs

With radio often providing the only means of communication in a high-risk environment, such as a military engagement or humanitarian rescue operation, the SDR market presents a market opportunity exceeding $100 billion in 2005, according to technology analyst Jim Gunn. In light of this trend, Objective Interface and Zeligsoft are integrating their best-in-class solutions for this market.

ORBexpress™ from Objective Interface is the industry's most widely deployed object request broker (ORB) for SDR design. Zeligsoft Component Enabler™ (CE) is proven to accelerate SCA development. While the products have been successfully designed into many SDR environments for more than a decade, Objective Interface and Zeligsoft are now further enhancing the ways in which their respective products are used together. The companies' collaboration pairs Zeligsoft's SCA domain knowledge, understanding of component architectures, and expertise in component-based software development with Objective Interface Systems' expertise in communications middleware and real-time ORB technology. The integrated solution supports automatic SCA code generation conforming to ORB express for a seamless tool integration. In addition, the two companies' technical support groups will maintain a close relationship to offer joint technical support, training and professional services to the marketplace.

SCA-based Software Defined Radios are distributed component-based systems dependent on two middleware run-time technologies: a CORBA ORB and an SCA Core Framework. These two middleware layers both share the responsibility for deploying and configuring the radio application, and for managing the radio application on the platform. The real-time operating system (RTOS) and radio hardware are also key elements of the solution. Software development tools with domain-specific features (e.g., built-in standards validation and artifact generation) abstract complex standards away from designers to save them time. Please see the press briefing diagram below.

To ensure customers complete flexibility when designing their SDR, the Zeligsoft-Objective solution is compatible with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) SCA Core Frameworks, RTOS and hardware from a wide range of vendors.

“There are many benefits of integrating ORBexpress with Zeligsoft's comprehensive toolset for SDR systems,” said Joe Jacob , Senior Vice President, Objective Interface Systems. “First, we can now more easily provide a complementary solution for SDR design to our customers, offering the combination of our field-proven technology with Zeligsoft's to our customer base. Next, we can offer customers a higher degree of flexibility in their selection of SCA Core Frameworks. Finally, by formalizing a technical support arrangement between our two companies, we can assure our customers that their technical issues will be addressed by our two companies in a seamless manner.”

Mr. Jacobs added: “ORBexpress is a high-performance, small-footprint ORB, perfectly suited for embedded systems such as SDR. By offering built-in coding patterns for ORBexpress in Zeligsoft CE, and by allowing our customers to resolve technical questions through either Objective Interface or Zeligsoft, we deliver a unique advantage to those who select our products for SDR development.”

“We know components; Objective Interface knows middleware. Together we offer a best-in-class solution for the development of complex, mission-critical component-based SDR systems,” said Kamal Krishnapillai , Vice President Sales and Marketing, Zeligsoft. “Our combined expertise and professional services offerings can support the most challenging SDR developments.”

Press Briefing Diagram

zeligsoft_clip_image001.jpg

Simplified Diagram Representing Elements of an SCA-compliant SDR

What is Software Defined Radio?
Software Defined Radio (SDR) is a collection of hardware and software technologies that enable reconfigurable system architectures for wireless networks and user terminals. SDR provides an efficient and comparatively inexpensive solution to the problem of building multi-mode, multi-band, multi-functional wireless devices that can be enhanced using software upgrades. As such, SDR can be considered an enabling technology that is applicable across a wide range of areas within the wireless infrastructure, both military and commercial.

With demand for SDR increasing steadily, future growth looks promising. Technology analyst Jim Gunn commented on market growth for SDR:

“The market potential for SDR in defense applications appears on-track to achieve tens of billions of dollars of opportunity. On the commercial cellular terminal and infrastructure side—clearly the largest SDR potential market—SDR technology represents a nearly $150 billon market opportunity in 2005. Adding opportunities for Public Safety, telematics, WLAN, WiMAX, etc., the indicators for SDR clearly point to solid sustained future growth opportunities.”

About ORBexpress from Objective Interface
ORBexpress is the world's fastest and smallest full-featured real-time ORB. Thousands of customers worldwide have used ORBexpress to build a better communications infrastructure in hundreds of products. Available in C++, Ada and Java, ORB express conforms to the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) standard that enables applications in heterogeneous environments to communicate seamlessly. Recognized as the fastest ORB in the industry in an independent study conducted by Boeing's Phantomworks Group, ORB express provides critical real-time CORBA capabilities to support the world's most demanding and deterministic systems.

About Component Enabler from Zeligsoft
Zeligsoft Component Enabler is a model-driven development tool designed to accelerate development and improve software quality of SCA-based applications. CE provides a modeling methodology conforming to the SCA standard, and abstracts the complexity and intricacy of SCA rules away from designers. CE validates against the SCA rules at the architectural level, and generates correct-by-construction SCA compliant artifacts. CE enables domain specific and non-domain specific software aspects to be developed together, integrated, and tested at every stage. CE is used by leading aerospace and defence companies such as Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Titan, and EADS-Astrium.

Availability
While compatible versions of the products are available today, the enhanced integrated solution will be available shortly. Customers can obtain support for the integrated solution from either Objective Interface or Zeligsoft. For more information on ORBexpress, please visit: www.ois.com/products, call 1 800-800-OIS7 or e-mail inquiries to: info@ois.com. For more information on Component Enabler, please visit: www.zeligsoft.com, call 1-800-935-4479 in North America , 819-684-9639 internationally, or e-mail inquiries to: info@zeligsoft.com. In addition, both companies are exhibiting at the SDR Forum 2005 Technical Conference, held November 14-18 in Garden Grove, CA. Objective Interface is located at Booth 311 and Zeligsoft at Booth 302.

About Objective Interface Systems
Objective Interface is the worldwide leader of high-performance, real-time and embedded communications middleware solutions. The company provides CORBA ORBs, publish-subscribe technology based on the Object Management Group (OMG) Data Distribution Service standard (DDS) and secure communications middleware development tools based on the MILS architecture to meet the high-performance requirements of military and aerospace, telecommunications, data communications, industrial automation and process control, transportation and consumer electronics markets. Objective Interface products are the communications core of many mission-critical products and systems including mission-critical avionics systems, network management, vehicle control and management systems, software defined radio, telecommunication systems, process control systems and nuclear fusion ignition facilities. Customers of Objective Interface include Boeing, BAE Systems, British Aerospace, CERN, Daimler-Benz, EADS, Ericsson, Eurocontrol, General Dynamics, Harris, Hughes Network Systems, ITT, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Lawrence Livermore National Labs, Lockheed Martin, Lucent, Nikon, Nortel, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Rockwell Collins, Saab, Samsung, Sandia, TEAC, TRW, the U.S. Department of Defense and many others. For more information, please visit: www.ois.com.

About Zeligsoft
Zeligsoft is a leading provider of market-specific embedded software development tools that enable the development of component-based systems. The world's leading aerospace and defense companies use Zeligsoft tools to improve the time to market and quality of their component-based software. Adapting to established development practices, and working with other best-in-class tools, Zeligsoft tools abstract complex standards away from designers, generate domain-specific software artifacts, and guide project teams through the development process. Zeligsoft is the only company in the embedded tools space concentrating on modeling, validation, generation, debugging, automated testing and deployment management of entire component-based systems. Zeligsoft's current target market is the Software Defined Radio (SDR) industry, which has standardized on the component-based Software Communications Architecture (SCA). Next generation products and key strategic partnerships will expand the Zeligsoft customer value into other verticals in the embedded systems space, including defense electronics, telecommunications and automotive. The Zeligsoft team comprises leading toolsmiths and software engineering experts who possess extensive experience in software engineering processes and Model Driven Development (MDD). Zeligsoft drives industry standards by contributing significantly to key forums such as the Object Management Group (OMG) and the SDR (Software Defined Radio) Forum. Zeligsoft is headquartered in the Ottawa-Gatineau region amongst some of the world's largest and most innovative high-technology companies. For additional information about Zeligsoft, visit www.zeligsoft.com.

PRESS CONTACTS (not for publication):

OBJECTIVE INTERFACE
Alison Alberich
Phone: 703/295-6513
Email: alison.alberich@ois.com

VETRANO COMMUNICATIONS
Maria Vetrano
617/876-2770