IEEE Ratifies SystemC 2.1 Standard for System-Level Chip Design; IEEE(R) 1666 Allows Faster System-on-Chip Design, Intellectual Property Exchange
PISCATAWAY, N.J.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dec. 12, 2005—
The IEEE has approved a new electronic design standard
for the SystemC 2.1 language. The standard, IEEE 1666(TM), "Standard
SystemC Language Reference Manual," addresses the increasing
complexity of system-on-chip (SoC) design at the systems level, where
the most substantial performance and productivity gains in
semiconductors can be made.
IEEE 1666, the definitive description of the SystemC 2.1 design
language, broadens hardware and software modeling capabilities to
higher levels of abstraction. It lets engineers architect entire
systems from the start, which speeds design, and allows for the
sharing and reuse of intellectual property (IP).
"IEEE 1666 was developed rapidly within the IEEE Corporate
Standard Program in less than 8 months, a significant achievement in
the evolution of a standard," said Chuck Adams, chair of the IEEE
Standards Association (IEEE-SA) Corporate Advisory Group (CAG). "I
want to thank the Open SystemC Initiative and its working groups for
delivering a high-quality specification earlier this year. Their
outstanding technical contribution and cooperation with the IEEE P1666
Working Group made the standards process very efficient and has led to
a clearly defined, system-level design standard."
In addition to spanning design and verification from concept to
implementation in hardware and software, the new standard also
provides an interoperable modeling platform for developing and
exchanging fast system-level C++ models. It also forms a bridge
between architectural design and register-transfer-level (RTL)
implementation, providing a platform for the creation of interoperable
tools in a rich design environment.
"As we approach chip features at 65 nm or less, the need for
high-level design that addresses both hardware and software together
is a driving force in realizing complex SoCs," said Victor Berman,
chair of the P1666 Working Group at IEEE and director of Language
Standards at Cadence Design Systems, Inc. "The sheer complexity of
today's SoCs and the significant rise in the demand for IP reuse has
made the move to high-level system design a necessity. The IEEE 1666
SystemC standard meets this need.
"The standard arms engineers with a powerful integrated platform
to tackle design, simulation, verification and architectural modeling
challenges. By letting users develop SoC virtual prototypes
efficiently to assist architecture analysis and early software
development, it should reduce the risk of design error. It also gives
designers a work flow that extends from the system-level to RTL and
offers the significant advantage of industry-wide IP exchange and
reuse."
IEEE 1666 was sponsored by the Design Automation Standards
Committee within the IEEE Computer Society and by the IEEE-SA
Corporate Advisory Group. This standard was created within the IEEE-SA
Corporate Standards Program by the entity-based P1666 Working Group,
in which each member company had one vote on the standard and a
consensus was needed for adoption. The working group contained
organizations that use, produce and have a general interest in
SystemC.
About SystemC and OSCI
The Open SystemC(TM) Initiative is an independent, not-for-profit
association composed of a broad range of organizations dedicated to
supporting and advancing SystemC as an open industry standard for
system-level modeling, design and verification. SystemC is a design
and verification language built in C++ that spans from concept to
implementation in hardware and software.
About the IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized
standards-setting body, develops consensus standards through an open
process that brings diverse parts of an industry together. These
standards set specifications and procedures based on current
scientific consensus. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of more than 870
completed standards and more than 400 standards in development. For
information on IEEE-SA see: http://standards.ieee.org/.
About the IEEE
The IEEE has more than 375,000 members in approximately 150
countries. Through its members, the organization is a leading
authority on areas ranging from aerospace, computers and
telecommunications to biomedicine, electric power and consumer
electronics. The IEEE produces nearly 30 percent of the world's
literature in the electrical and electronics engineering, computing
and control technology fields. This nonprofit organization also
sponsors or cosponsors more than 300 technical conferences each year.
Additional information about the IEEE can be found at
http://www.ieee.org.
IEEE 1666 is a trademark of the IEEE. All other names or product
names mentioned above are the trademarks, service marks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.
Contact:
SystemC
Victor Berman, 978-262-6560
Email Contact
or
IEEE
Karen McCabe, 732-562-3824
Email Contact
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