LONDON, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of its innovative communication databus - the Time-Triggered Protocol (TTP(R)) - for aircraft, Austria-based TTTech Computertechnik AG has been bestowed the 2005 Frost & Sullivan Technology Innovation Award for aerospace and defence communications technologies. With its sophisticated architecture, TTP has the potential to reduce airline manufacturing and operating outlays and ultimately reduce the cost of air travel.

At present, the aerospace industry is facing pressures to reduce costs while increasing aircraft capability and features. At the same time, as aircraft manufacturers increasingly focus on integrating various electro-mechanical systems in aircraft and developing new functionality, system complexity is poised to rise, driving the need for a robust databus.

"TTP is a breakthrough databus with modular architecture centred on a static pre-defined communication schedule that is fault-tolerant and fault isolating," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Vijay Shankar Murthy. "With the schedule available to all sub-systems, the implementation of tasks is determined by the schedule rather than dependent on events such as interrupts, timeouts and semaphores. As a result, it lessens the complexity caused by the ever-increasing number of functions in event-triggered systems."

TTP represents a significant advance over the previous non-modular, low-speed, unidirectional ARINC429 databus. Due to its modularity, each sub-system of TTP can be assembled in parallel, thereby accelerating the time-to-market. Other design benefits include reduced wiring for aircraft systems and lower costs due to the ability to reuse and recycle its components.

TTP has already attracted the interest of leading aircraft and aircraft component manufacturers. For instance, it will be used on the Airbus A380 for the cabin pressure control system and in Honeywell International, Inc.'s MAC (Modular Aerospace Control) FADEC (Full Authority Digital Electronic Control) and APEX(R) Integrated Cockpit for business jets. After substantial testing the first flight of TTP-based FADEC systems was very successfully performed in first quarter 2005. Simultaneously, TTP will be used as well as is key contender for use in next generation aircraft and spacecraft.

In presenting TTTech Computertechnik with this award, Frost & Sullivan recognises the TTP databus' profound industry-wide significance, the potential of this innovation to become the industry standard, the competitive advantage gained as a result of it and the potential impact of this technology on the company's performance and profitability.

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For further information, please contact: Janina Hillgrub Corporate Communications Frost & Sullivan Clemensstrasse 9 60487 Frankfurt/Main Germany Phone: +49-(0)-69-770-33-11 Fax: +49-(0)69-23-45-66 EMail: Janina.Hillgrub@frost.com http://www.awards.frost.com

For further information, please contact: Janina Hillgrub, Corporate Communications, Frost & Sullivan, Clemensstrasse 9, 60487 Frankfurt/Main, Germany Phone: +49-(0)-69-770-33-11 Fax: +49-(0)69-23-45-66 EMail: Janina.Hillgrub@frost.com http://www.awards.frost.com