CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA May 19, 2009 GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, today announced the ICS-1556B 4-channel 400MHz 14-bit ADC PMC Module. It is designed for demanding communication applications such as software defined radio, signals intelligence (SIGINT), digital receivers, and tactical communications where the requirement is to convert analog data into digital information in as close to real-time as possible. The ICS-1556B features very high sampling rate (400MHz) and very high resolution (14-bit): its combination of high sample rate and high resolution is unsurpassed in the industry.

This unique sample rate/resolution combination, coupled with significant on-board signal processing capability, allows substantial simplification of VHF and some UHF radios. The ICS-1556B brings the ability to digitize these spectra directly, with minimal peripheral hardware: it allows Intermediate analog down conversion stages to be eliminated, meaning savings in space, weight, and power and allowing complete systems to be faster, more compact and more cost-effective.

In particular, the ICS-1556B enables the potential of software defined radio (SDR) to be more completely exploited, enabling the interoperability of the new radio systems used by international Military forces, and public safety groups such as police, fire fighters, paramedics and so on.

“The ICS-1556B handles the increasing signal bandwidths that are becoming commonplace, bringing together industry leading features such as high sample rate and high bit resolution, an extremely capable front end data processing engine, flexible memory architecture and a large bandwidth bus interface,” said Christopher Lever, Global Product Manager, Sensor Processing and I/O at GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms. “Combined with its PMC form factor, this means that it delivers a uniquely cost-effective combination of performance and size that can be deployed across a wide range of applications.”

The ICS-1556B also includes an on-board Xilinx® Virtex™-5 SX95T FPGA to allow users to develop their own front end signal processing functionality and execute it at high speed on the board, maximizing overall system-level performance.

As signal processing becomes increasingly mission-critical, it is becoming vital to process as much raw incoming data as possible at the front end, close to the receiving antenna, freeing the back end processor to perform high speed interpretation of the data. The ICS-1556B allows users to do this with its four 14-bit ADCs sampling synchronously at frequencies up to 400MHz, and a fast (64-bit/133MHz) PCI-X® interface. The powerful signal processing capability provided by the FPGA allows the user to perform standard functions such as wideband DDC (digital down conversion), FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) and time stamping – or to implement any required functionality. A Hardware Development Kit (HDK) provides support for users who wish to implement their own signal processing algorithms in the FPGA. Alternatively, GE Fanuc’s FPGA applications programming team can develop FPGA cores specific to customer needs.

The ICS-1556B can be used with any type of carrier card that accepts a PMC module, including VME, VPX, PCI and CompactPCI. When used with an appropriate DSP/processor carrier card – such as the GE Fanuc 6U VPX DSP230 multiprocessor – it enables a powerful single slot solution for a broad range of signal processing applications.

For more information: www.gefanucembedded.com

About GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a joint venture between General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) and FANUC LTD of Japan, is an experienced high-performance technology company and a global provider of hardware, software, services, and expertise in automation and embedded computing. We offer a unique foundation of agile, advanced and ultra-reliable technology that provides customers a sustainable advantage in the industries they serve, including energy, water, consumer packaged goods, government & defense, and telecommunications. GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms is a worldwide company headquartered in Charlottesville, VA and is part of GE Enterprise Solutions. For more information, visit www.gefanuc.com.

About GE Enterprise Solutions

GE Enterprise Solutions elevates customers' productivity and profitability with integrated solutions using sensors and non-destructive testing; Security and life safety technologies; power system protection and control; and plant automation and embedded computing systems. Enterprise Solutions' high-tech, high-growth businesses include Sensing & Inspection Technologies, Security, Digital Energy, and GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms. The business has 17,000 problem-solving employees in more than 60 countries around the world.