Teradyne and Sony Collaborate On Unique Cellular Mobile Test Solution

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 2002--Teradyne's (NYSE: TER) Assembly Test Division announced today the formation of a collaborative partnership with Sony Corporation to develop a unique functional test platform for Sony's range of cellular mobile products. The new platform combines Teradyne's production test system and software expertise with IFR Systems' expertise in RF instrumentation and cellular radio test. The resulting platform will ultimately provide Sony with a flexible and modular platform to address both current and future wireless products.

The platform is specifically designed and configured to address the manufacturing test requirements for 2G, 2.5G, and eventually 3G cellular mobile products. Teradyne's method of performing a "protocol-independent" test allows the platform to adapt to changing cellular technologies with minimal efforts and virtually no additional hardware, reducing test costs and assuring the highest quality standards.

The specific test requirements from Sony have been incorporated into this test strategy and consist of "in-process" (functional testing at the circuit board level) RF and DC tests. In addition, up to 3 units under test (UUTs) can be tested in parallel, reducing standard time of many portions of the test by 30% or more, thus and accelerating product to market.

"Our primary objectives are to reduce our test times and increase the beat rate for production. The Teradyne solution would enable us to test printed circuit assemblies prior to final separation - a significant advantage," said Sony GSM Test Manager, Jacques Haenn. "However, within the scope of the project we have also been able to incorporate a more comprehensive range of RF tests and calibrations at no additional cost per board, which gives a very versatile platform for the future."

"Our efforts with Sony have shown that Teradyne can dramatically accelerate products to market and reduce the cost of test for cellular manufacturers," said James Ficaro, business manager for Teradyne's Electrical Manufacturing Test group. "With its flexible hardware, and intuitive software libraries, the GR Versa test platform provides fast and efficient testing that will not be made obsolete by the onset of newer technologies."

About the Teradyne cellular mobile test solution

The Teradyne cellular mobile test solution consists of the following major components:

--Teradyne GPX621 21-slot, 6U PXI Test Platform

--GRPX 1000 PXIscan Resource Control Module. The PRC module provides control for the PXIscan switching subsystem as well as providing DC source and measure functions, which are available on a system-wide basis.

--PXIscan RF Combiner. The combiner is designed to install directly within the GPX621 Test Platform, enhancing the compact system footprint and greatly simplifying instrumentation cabling.

--System controller (desktop PC with NT & CVI)

--Teradyne In-process cellular library

--Teradyne GR TestManager test executive

--IFR RF Instrumentation

Teradyne's PXI-based GR Versa functional test platform provides the foundation for a continuing series of functional test solutions that address the needs of the communications industry. By integrating select instrumentation and developing technology-specific libraries, Teradyne's solutions can be implemented in a manufacturing strategy quickly and easily.

About Teradyne

Teradyne (NYSE: TER) is the world's largest supplier of automatic test equipment and is also a leading supplier of high performance interconnection systems. Teradyne's test products are used by manufacturers of semiconductors, circuit assemblies, voice and broadband telephone networks. Teradyne's backplane assemblies and high-density connectors are used by manufacturers of communications and computing systems central to building networking infrastructure. The company had sales of $1.4 billion in 2001 and currently employs about 8000 people worldwide. For more information visit www.teradyne.com.

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“Our primary objectives are to reduce our test times and increase the beat rate for production. The Teradyne solution would enable us to test printed circuit assemblies prior to final separation - a significant advantage”