Integrated Systems Inc.

Integrated Systems Inc. (ISI) was an American embedded-software company founded by Naren Gupta around 1980 or 1981. It developed software for engineers and manufacturers building computerized control systems, industrial equipment, and other products requiring deterministic real-time operation. The company became notable for combining development tools with operating-system technology, rather than concentrating on a single software layer. ISI's best-known engineering product was MATRIXx, introduced in 1983. MATRIXx was a computer-aided control-system design environment that helped engineers model, simulate, analyze, and implement control systems. Its XMath language provided an extended mathematical programming environment, while SystemBuild offered graphical block-diagram tools for representing system behavior. This positioned MATRIXx in the same broad engineering-software market as other numerical, modeling, and control-design platforms. The company also expanded through acquisitions. In 1991 it acquired the pSOS real-time operating system from Software Components Group for a reported US$20 million. pSOS supported the Motorola 68000 processor family and gave ISI a stronger presence in embedded operating systems. In July 1994, ISI acquired FlexOS from Novell. FlexOS continued technology associated with Digital Research's Concurrent DOS 286 and Concurrent DOS 68K and was designed as a modular, multitasking, multiuser real-time operating system for Motorola and Intel processors. Its target applications included computer-integrated manufacturing, laboratories, retail, and financial systems. Summit Partners invested in ISI in 1987. The company subsequently became publicly listed in 1990, reflecting the expansion of the embedded-software market and investor interest in specialized computing platforms. Gupta served as president and chief executive officer until 1994 and then continued as chairman. During the 1990s, ISI broadened its customer base and applications, with contemporary coverage describing the business as extending beyond its original technical markets. ISI was acquired by competitor Wind River Systems in February 2000. The transaction ended ISI as an independent public company and brought its embedded-software assets into Wind River's portfolio. MATRIXx was later licensed to MathWorks and, following an antitrust-related disposition, was sold to National Instruments. National Instruments subsequently announced a five-year end-of-life process for MATRIXx in 2018, with support ending after June 30, 2023. Thus, although Integrated Systems Inc. no longer operates as a standalone brand, its principal products influenced the development-tool and real-time-operating-system markets.

Integrated Systems Inc. emerged in the early 1980s under the leadership of founder Naren Gupta. Its initial focus was embedded software: programs that operate inside dedicated electronic systems and must respond predictably to hardware events. This market served industrial controls, instrumentation, manufacturing systems, and other applications where general-purpose desktop software was unsuitable. The company's principal engineering environment, MATRIXx, was introduced in 1983. It provided tools for computer-aided control-system design and included both a mathematical programming environment, XMath, and the graphical SystemBuild system. Through these components, engineers could describe control systems, test models, and develop implementations for embedded applications. MATRIXx became the company's most recognizable software product and helped distinguish ISI from vendors focused solely on operating systems. ISI received investment from Summit Partners in 1987 and became publicly listed in 1990. During this period the company sought to expand from control engineering into a broader embedded-software supplier. Gupta was president and chief executive officer through 1994 and then served as chairman until the company was acquired. Contemporary business reporting described ISI as broadening the industries and applications served by its software. Acquisitions were central to that expansion. In 1991, ISI purchased the pSOS real-time operating system from Software Components Group for a reported US$20 million. pSOS was associated with the Motorola 68000 processor family and supplied the operating-system foundation needed by many embedded-product developers. In July 1994, ISI acquired FlexOS from Novell in a transaction reported at US$3 million. FlexOS continued the lineage of Digital Research's Concurrent DOS 286 and Concurrent DOS 68K and supported Motorola 68000 and Intel 186, 286, and 386 processors. It was intended for modular, multitasking, multiuser real-time applications in areas such as computer-integrated manufacturing, laboratory systems, retail, and finance. The combination of MATRIXx, pSOS, and FlexOS gave ISI a portfolio spanning system modeling, software development, and embedded execution environments. However, the company operated in a competitive market that included other specialized real-time operating-system vendors. In October 1999, Wind River Systems announced an agreement to acquire ISI. The acquisition was completed in February 2000, ending ISI's independent existence and bringing its products and capabilities into Wind River, a competitor in embedded software. After the transaction, MATRIXx was licensed to MathWorks. Following an antitrust-related action, the product was later sold to National Instruments. National Instruments announced in 2018 that MATRIXx would enter a five-year end-of-life period, with no support beyond June 30, 2023. ISI therefore survives primarily through the history of its products and their succession through later owners rather than as an active standalone company.

• 2018

  MATRIXx end-of-life announced

  [1]Integrated Systems Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  National Instruments announced a five-year end-of-life process for MATRIXx.

• 2000

  Acquired by Wind River Systems

  [1]Integrated Systems Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Wind River completed its acquisition of ISI in February, ending the company's independent operation.

• 1994

  FlexOS acquisition

  [1]Integrated Systems Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  ISI acquired FlexOS from Novell and expanded its embedded operating-system portfolio.

• 1991

  pSOS acquisition

  [1]Integrated Systems Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  ISI acquired the pSOS real-time operating system from Software Components Group.

• 1990

  Public listing

  [1]Integrated Systems Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  ISI became a publicly listed company.

• 1987

  Summit Partners investment

  [1]Integrated Systems Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Summit Partners invested in the growing embedded-software company.

• 1983

  MATRIXx introduced

  [1]Integrated Systems Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  ISI introduced MATRIXx, a computer-aided control-system design environment incorporating XMath and SystemBuild.

• 1980

  Company founded

  [1]Integrated Systems Inc.en.wikipedia.org

  Naren Gupta founded Integrated Systems Inc. around 1980 or 1981 as an embedded-software company.

Specialist provider of embedded software, real-time operating systems, and engineering tools for industrial, control, and automation applications.

• Control engineering software · 1983

  MATRIXx

  MATRIXx was ISI's principal control-engineering environment, introduced in 1983. It supported computer-aided control-system design through mathematical, simulation, and graphical modeling functions. XMath provided an extended MATLAB-like programming environment, while SystemBuild enabled graphical construction of block diagrams. After ISI was acquired by Wind River, MATRIXx was licensed to MathWorks and later sold to National Instruments following an antitrust-related disposition. National Instruments placed it into end-of-life status in 2018, with support ending after June 30, 2023.

• Real-time operating system

  pSOS

  pSOS was a real-time operating system for embedded applications, associated particularly with the Motorola 68000 processor family. ISI acquired the technology from Software Components Group in 1991. The acquisition strengthened ISI's ability to provide the runtime operating layer required by developers of industrial equipment and other dedicated computing products.

• Multitasking real-time operating system

  FlexOS

  FlexOS was a modular, multiuser, multitasking real-time operating system descended from Digital Research's Concurrent DOS 286 and Concurrent DOS 68K. It supported Motorola 68000 and Intel 186, 286, and 386 processors. ISI acquired it from Novell in July 1994, targeting computer-integrated manufacturing, laboratory, retail, and financial applications.

• 2000

  Acquisition by Wind River SystemsM&A

  Background

  Wind River and ISI competed in the real-time operating-system market, and Wind River announced a plan to purchase ISI in 1999.

  Action taken

  Wind River completed the acquisition of Integrated Systems Inc. in February 2000.

  Aftermath

  ISI ceased operating as an independent company and its products entered Wind River's broader embedded-software portfolio.

  Source

• 1994

  Acquire FlexOS from NovellM&A

  Background

  ISI pursued additional real-time operating-system technology and applications in industrial, laboratory, retail, and financial markets.

  Action taken

  ISI acquired FlexOS from Novell in July 1994.

  Aftermath

  FlexOS broadened the processor support and application coverage of ISI's operating-system portfolio.

  Acquisition price. US$3 million (July 1994)

  Source

• 1991

  Acquire pSOS from Software Components GroupM&A

  Background

  ISI sought to expand its embedded-software portfolio beyond engineering tools and add a real-time operating-system platform.

  Action taken

  The company acquired pSOS from Software Components Group for a reported US$20 million.

  Aftermath

  The transaction gave ISI a stronger operating-system offering for Motorola 68000-based embedded systems.

  Acquisition price. US$20 million (1991)

  Source

1. 1Integrated Systems Inc.en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Wind River to buy No. 2 RTOS playeredn.com