CoWare Launches New Modeling Solution for Platform-Driven ESL Design
New Standards-Based Modeling Library for SystemC and Enhanced
ConvergenSC Tools; Ease Development and Accelerate Reuse of TLM
Platforms Across the System Design Process
SAN JOSE, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Jan. 23, 2006—
CoWare(R) Inc., the leading supplier of electronic system-level
(ESL) design software and services, announced a new standards-based
modeling solution for platform-driven ESL design with the new release
of CoWare ConvergenSC(R). Platform-driven ESL design refers to the
development and practical reuse of a SystemC transaction-level model
of a system-on-chip (SoC) platform throughout the system design
process. CoWare's new modeling solution consists of a new
standards-based modeling library for SystemC transaction-level
modeling (TLM) and ConvergenSC tools that ease development and
accelerate reuse of platform models across design tasks. This results
in much higher ROI per project and platform than ad hoc modeling
efforts. The ConvergenSC product family provides the most complete
system-level design solution for SystemC on the market.
"We are using CoWare's SystemC solution to analyze the system
performance of our next-generation, multi-core digital TV SoCs,"
stated Dr. Naoyuki Kai, chief specialist, Visual System Digital LSI
Design Group, Toshiba Semiconductor, Kawasaki, Japan. "Determining the
right architecture for a multi-core SoC design, where thousands of
interconnect and memory subsystem variations are possible, cannot be
done using RTL. We are committed to SystemC transaction-level design
and ESL for architectural exploration and performance analysis, and
will use CoWare going forward."
"More and more, designers are using recognized SystemC standards
to model multi-processor SoCs at a higher level of abstraction and to
manage complexity," said A.K. Kalekos, vice president, marketing and
business development, CoWare. "To improve modeling productivity and
increase reuse, these designers are turning to CoWare for the most
complete solution for standards-based platform-driven ESL design."
Removing a Major Roadblock
The lack of reusable transaction-level models of user-defined SoC
components has been a major roadblock to realizing the full benefit of
ESL. CoWare's platform-driven ESL design solution addresses this
problem, enabling multiple ESL design tasks, or use cases, to be
performed with a reusable transaction-level model of the product
platform. Shared models are rapidly developed and efficiently adapted
during the design process to meet the needs of product architects,
software developers, and hardware designers, all of whom rely on it to
perform their parts of the design job. This results in significantly
greater ROI.
New Standards-Based SystemC Modeling Library
The new SystemC Modeling Library (SCML), along with modeling
guidelines and source code examples now available from CoWare, provide
the infrastructure for user-defined, highly-reusable TLM peripheral
models. SCML helps separate TLM communication, storage, timing, and
behavior within the peripheral model, making code more modular and
more efficient to develop and test. Models can be defined simply and
annotated for timing when needed. Unlike proprietary modeling
approaches, SCML is based on current IEEE SystemC, Open SystemC
Initiative (OSCI), and Open Core Protocol International Partnership
(OCP-IP) standards, helping protect the user's modeling investment. In
addition, new TLM platform examples and transactors come standard with
ConvergenSC to make learning easier and provide a starting point for
design.
Enhanced Tool Capability Provided with ConvergenSC
Unlike proprietary ESL toolsets, ConvergenSC provides a native
SystemC tool architecture, openly supporting the multiple levels of
abstraction required for platform-driven ESL design. This enables
reuse of user-defined SCML peripherals across design tasks and in
combination with the broadest range of SystemC processor and on-chip
intellectual property (IP) available today. New ConvergenSC tool
capabilities combine with SCML to make the development, debug, and
architecture exploration of SystemC TLM platform models even more
productive, including:
-- Graphical viewing of SystemC events, thread activations, and
TLM interface method calls for enhanced debug visibility
-- Dynamic run-time configuration of platforms for rapid
architectural exploration
-- Support for the IEEE 1666 SystemC Language Reference Manual
(LRM) standard.
Availability
CoWare ConvergenSC Platform Architect and Model Designer,
including SCML, are new products that are available today.
About CoWare
CoWare is the leading supplier of electronic system-level (ESL)
design software and services. CoWare offers a comprehensive set of ESL
tools that enable SoC developers to "differentiate by design" through
the creation of system IP including embedded processors, on-chip
buses, and DSP algorithms; the architecture of optimized SoC
platforms; and hardware/software co-design. The company's solutions
are based on open industry standards including SystemC. CoWare's
customers are major systems, semiconductor, and IP companies in the
market where consumer electronics, computing, and communications
converge. CoWare's corporate investors include ARM Ltd. (LSE:ARM)
(Nasdaq:ARMHY), Cadence Design Systems (Nasdaq:CDNS),
STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM), and Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE). CoWare
is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and has offices around the
world. For more information about CoWare and its products and services
visit http://www.coware.com.
ConvergenSC and CoWare are registered trademarks of CoWare, Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
CoWare, Inc.
Mindy Palmer, 408-392-8513
Email Contact
or
Public Relations for CoWare:
Armstrong Kendall, Inc.
Jean Armstrong, 503-672-4680
Email Contact
|
Be the first to review this article
