Coincidentally, next month two important events are taking place during the same week. And, surprisingly nottoo far from each other in Southern California, giving some an opportunity to attend both. While Long Beach is host to this year's IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS) from June 12 -17, the 42^nd Design Automation Conference (DAC) will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, from June 13-17. The IEEE's IMS 2005 comes to this Southern California seaside resort after 16 years.

In conjunction with the IMS 2005, the convention will also be hosting two other important symposia; the Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFIC) Symposium and the Automatic RF Techniques Group (ARFTG) conference. All three symposia will be held during what the organizers call the Microwave Week 2005. Besides the three separate symposia under the Microwave Week banner, more than 400 companies will display the latest hardware, software and test and measurement instruments in the exhibit halls of the Long Beach Convention Center. (See page 62 for more details.)

Somehow, Wednesday turns out to be a day for CAD tools. At the IMS in Long Beach, a luncheon session on Wednesday, June 15 will explore CAD tools for Microwave IC design. And, in recognition of the tremendous growth of wireless applications in the consumer electronics and communications space, and the impact this has on the EDA tools, this year's DAC in Anaheim is paying special attention to wireless design issues and challenges. Consequently, it is dedicating a special day, called Wireless Wednesday, to wireless design. On Wednesday, June 15, the DAC 2005 attendees will get an opportunity to see new EDA tools capable of handling more complex RF integration, as well as get a chance to participate in a series of technical sessions, pavilion panels, special displays and presentations highlighting wireless design.

In addition, a wireless showcase on the exhibit floor will display wireless products from leading IC suppliers, systems houses, EDA and IP vendors. DAC attendees are also invited to participate in the “Wireless Walk,” which will feature exhibitors showcasing products used in the design of wireless systems, including design tools, IP, foundry services and design services. When attendees arrive at the show, they will receive a “Wireless Walk” passport and map. As they visit participating EDA and IP exhibitors that provide solutions for use in wireless system design, they will receive a passport stamp. Those who collect enough stamps will be eligible to participate in a select drawing for a special gift.

Jan Rabaey of the University of California, Berkeley will lead a panel, “Wireless Platforms: GOPS for Cents and Milliwatts,” discussing how data communications has overtaken voice as the main force behind the growth in wireless. Panelists will debate the various wireless implementation platforms that are breaking new ground, examining issues of efficiency, flexibility and programming models.

The “Wireless Wednesday” technical session will feature three presentations on the complexity of wireless systems, along with the resource constraints, such as area, power and cost, requiring the use of advanced design methods. The first, “Design Methodology for Wireless Nodes with Printed Antennas,” will discuss the use of EM simulators with PCB design tools. The second presentation, “MP Core: Algorithm and Design Techniques for Efficient Channel Estimation in Wireless Applications,” will describe design steps for a parametrizable IP core for a wireless channel estimation engine. The final presentation, “From Myst to Methodology: Cross-Layer and System-Level Mixed-Signal Design Concepts in Actual Designs,” will present cross-layer system design methods to combine low power with flexibility in radios.

A special technical session, “Emerging Directions in Wireless,” will feature cognitive radios, MIMO approach to wireless LAN; ultralow-energy transceivers for personal area networks, and RF-MEMS. While an industry-led discussion in the DAC Pavilion will focus on how EDA is addressing wireless development needs.

Needless to say, EDA tools are playing a major role in driving RF and Microwave IC design to the next level of system integration.