ISR Technologies Selects ORBexpress Middleware for JTRS SDR Development Kit

HERNDON, VA - October 16, 2006 - Objective Interface Systems, Inc. today announced that ISR Technologies, a leading-edge software defined radio (SDR) company, has selected ORBexpress® communications middleware for the ISR Technologies Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) SDR development kit. The JTRS SDR development kit, jointly developed by Xilinx and ISR Technologies, is the industry’s first to support partial reconfiguration within the complete Software Communications Architecture (SCA). This makes it the first complete SCA development platform for developing, verifying and demonstrating any waveform on a SCA-enabled System-on-a-Chip (SoC) platform using partial reconfiguration in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). ORBexpress RT serves as the sole Object Request Broker (ORB) supported by the JTRS SDR Kit.

The JTRS SDR Kit features a VirtexTM-4 FX60 FPGA from Xilinx, which supports partial reconfiguration. Partial Reconfiguration in the FPGA is a process of device configuration that allows a limited, predefined portion of the FPGA to be reconfigured while the remainder of the device continues to operate. By activating and simultaneously running multiple modes of operation on the fly, partial reconfiguration enables communications across multiple channels via a single SDR. By integrating multiple waveforms in a single FPGA and by seamlessly changing waveforms on a dynamic basis without disrupting current waveforms, this powerful technology—coupled with SoC design—significantly lowers the SDR cost, power consumption and size.

One System Replaces Many

By enabling dynamic access to multiple waveforms, the JTRS SDR Kit architecture allows one system to provide functionality that would have required multiple radios in the past. Facilitated by ORBexpress RT, the JTRS SDR Kit easily manages interprocess communication and synchronization even when the processes are in different address spaces. It also handles remote control and configuration across multiple run-time platforms.

The JTRS SDR Kit is based on the SCA, developed by the U.S. Department of Defense. A key component of the SCA is the use of Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) as the middleware layer for the application framework and waveform application components. Objective Interface’s ORBexpress RT is a real-time CORBA ORB that enables software developers to simplify the development of distributed software applications, build scalable, efficient and robust applications, and reduce overall development time to meet time-to-market requirements. It provides a minimal footprint, low latency and low overhead to allow SDR developers to build scalable, efficient and robust applications. ORBexpress RT fully supports the embedded PowerPC 405 processor core within the Virtex-4 FX60 FPGA.

"The small footprint, low overhead, reliability and high efficiency of ORBexpress RT make it a technically ideal solution for resource-constrained SDR embedded systems," noted Naim Batani, President of ISR Technologies. "Strategically, Objective Interface provides many additional advantages. Already a major player in the SDR field, the company offers a growth path for future enhancements and has developed a reputation for its strong commitment to third-party integration and customer support."

"Real-time CORBA is an essential component of maintainable, flexible embedded systems architectures, like software defined radios," noted Bill Beckwith, CEO/CTO, Objective Interface Systems. "By combining this strength on an FPGA with partial reconfiguration, ISR Technologies has provided greater resources and flexibility directly into the system, ensuring cost savings and risk reduction for developers building next-generation SDR solutions."

About JTRS
The goal of the JTRS program is to provide the military with software-programmable radios for voice, data and video communications that address current interoperability between allied forces, as well as bandwidth challenges. JTRS includes radios that will be deployed in vehicles, airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, and naval ships, as well as handheld and manpack radios. All these environments have strict power budgets and cost targets.

About ORBexpress RT from Objective Interface

ORBexpress RT is the industry’s most widely deployed ORB for SDR. SCA-based SDRs are systems that require CORBA for the design and deployment of their radio application. As a small-footprint product, ORBexpress optimizes the use of scarce resources, which is important for resource-constrained radios. As real-time communications middleware, ORBexpress provides the predictability of behavior and reliability required for SDR platforms.

ORBexpress RT is based on the real-time CORBA standard that enables real-time and embedded devices in heterogeneous environments to communicate seamlessly. Thousands of customers worldwide have used the ORBexpress communications infrastructure to build more flexible, upgradeable and capable products. For more information on ORBexpress and the Objective Interface portfolio of communications middleware, please visit: www.ois.com/products, call 1 800-800-OIS7 or 1 703-295-6500 in the U.S., +33 (0) 6 68 35 15 45 in Europe or +81 (0)3-5623-2112 in Japan or e-mail inquiries to: info@ois.com.

Pricing and Availability
The JTRS SDR Kit is priced at $75,000 USD and is currently available from ISR Technologies. The JTRS SDR Kit includes full documentation, including a QuickStart guide, in addition to free on-site installation and training on SCA-controlled partial reconfiguration by ISR Technologies. For more information on ISR Technologies, please visit www.isr-t.com.

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, robotics 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. Objective Interface customers consist of the world’s most advanced product and engineering organizations including Atlas Elektronik, Boeing, BAE Systems, British Aerospace, CERN, Daimler-Benz, EADS, Ericsson, Eurocontrol, General Dynamics, Harris, Havelsan, Hughes Network Systems, Indra, ITT, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Lawrence Livermore National Labs, Lockheed Martin, Lucent, Nikon, Nortel, Northrop Grumman, Philips, Raytheon, Rockwell Collins, Rohde & Schwarz, Saab, Samsung, Sandia, Selex Communications, Spectrum Signal, Telefunken, Thales, TRW, the U.S. Department of Defense, ViaSat and many others. For more information, please visit: www.ois.com.