|
Welcome to the Q4
2007 System Validation Newsletter
Brought to you by Carbon Design Systems
The Carbon
System Validation quarterly newsletter is dedicated to providing news
and information about system validation methodologies and technologies. In this
edition we are bringing a focus on levels of design abstraction, with special
attention being given to the use of transaction level models and the transactors
used to enable them. We cover the introduction of the new Carbon Model
Studio which was released recently and look at some exciting new
features available in this release. We wrap up with a few timely tips
and a review of recent Carbon news and events. Enjoy!
|
Highlights in
this Issue:
|
|
The Evolution of System Integration
by Rick Lucier
The electronic design
community has been undergoing continual change to respond to the new
technologies that are available and to the changing needs of the
consumer. Designs that were once implemented fully in simple hardware
are increasingly relying on a base hardware platform that supports
extensive functionality provided by the embedded software. This, in
turn, has caused and evolution in the methodologies and tools used to
design these systems. Complex methodologies to address these changes
require the teamwork of different companies who each supply core
functionality and IP to help solve these problems.
Read the whole article...
Levels of Abstraction
by John Willoughby
Designers have migrated
over the years from basic low-level physical representations of chips
to increasingly higher levels of abstraction. Higher levels of
abstraction enable the easier management of complex designs, and
provide performance benefits for verification. Despite the efforts by
several standards bodies, there is still much confusion about the
definition of each level. In this article we'll take a look at
the primary levels of abstraction and what they are used for today,
and how they can help drive different aspects of the system validation
effort. Read the whole article...
|
Transactors
by Elizabeth Abraham
Designers are increasingly
making use of transaction level verification models to create system
environments. Mixing these models with RTL or Cycle level models
requires the use of "transactors" to integrate the two different
levels of abstraction. These models consist of a transaction interface
on one side and a cycle-accurate pin-level interface on the other and
are available in a variety of popular bus and interface protocols.
Learn how transactors can be used to enable system validation of
implementation models. Read the whole article...
Carbon Model Studio
by Matt Grasse
One of
the major challenges facing system level validation efforts is the
creation of accurate models. IP may exist for some blocks but in RTL
format and unsuitable for creating system level models. Hand coded
models are usually fast and efficient, but lack the accuracy needed
for reliable final validation. Carbon Model Studio is a complete
solution for the generation, validation, and deployment of
hardware-accurate models used to create virtual platforms. Learn more
about how Model Studio can help accelerate system validation efforts.
Read the whole article... |
|
Technical Tips and Techniques/font> |
Tip: New releases, or
starting a new project is an excellent time to consider a script review.
In the EDA world, we tend to migrate scripts around, too often without
reviewing the contents to make sure that the switches and settings are
still appropriate. Often a switch will be added to work around a bug, or
enhance performance. A few releases later, that same switch might degrade
performance by disabling “out of the box” optimization. Also, the most
efficient method to compile can be design dependant. Your local
Applications engineer can be helpful in reviewing you compilation scripts
when migrating to a new release or starting a new project.
Tip: Have you read the
RTL Style Guide? The RTL coding styles you use to create designs can
directly impact the efficiency of the Carbon Model that is generated by
the Carbon Model Studio™ compiler. This RTL Style Guide describes the
recommended coding styles that yield the best performance from a Carbon
Model. Where applicable, this document also describes methods for finding
and correcting RTL constructs that are not optimal. While the examples
given here are in Verilog, the coding style concepts apply equally to VHDL.
In addition to basic code styles, using Carbon compiler options and
directives can also improve the efficiency and these are covered as well.
Check it out!
|
Press
Releases |
|
Articles |
|
|
|
|
November, 2007 |
EDA Tech Forum
Using a 'divide and
conquer' approach to system verification - John
Willoughby
Today’s increasingly
complex designs typically need to undergo verification at three
different levels: block, interconnect and system. There are now
well-established strategies for addressing the first two, but the
system level, while in many ways the ultimate test, remains the
weakest link in the verification process.
|
|
October, 2007 |
ARM DC Webcast – Journal Webcasts
Models for Virtual Platforms - Bill Neifert
Look for the Models for the Virtual Platforms - Bill Neifert
tab in the right hand navigation.
|
|
September 25, 2007 |
Electronic Business
Opinion: System Integration Offers High-Growth Opportunity
for EDA
Rick Lucier, Carbon Design Systems — I’m often left flat-footed
at cocktail parties when asked to explain what industry I work in.
When this happens –– and it often does –– I pull my cell phone out
of my pocket and say I work in an industry that enables the
creation of these devices.
|
|
September 13, 2007 |
EETimes
Viewpoint: Is ESL for Everyone?
John Willoughby — Like the Dr. Seuss story about plain-bellied
Sneetches who all wanted to become star-bellied Sneetches, so too
are EDA vendors all claiming now to be "ESL vendors" despite how
much they often need to stretch the definition.
|
|
|
Read all the Carbon news >> |
|
See all the Carbon articles >> |
|
