The Virtual Prototyping Lifecycle

Model Generation: Creating new designs

  • Carbon generates models directly from your ?golden?  Verilog, VHDL, and mixed language RTL
  • Models are optimized for high performance
  • Complete cycle and implementation accuracy
  • Full visibility for rapid debug

Model Validation: Verifying individual HW models

  • Eliminate Risk - Debug your models against the original HDL testbench
  • Carbon models integrate easily into existing reference test suites to verify cycle accuracy of interfaces:
    • Mentor Modelsim
    • Synopsys VCS
    • Cadence NC-Sim
  • One model supporting both environments: cycle-level system model and RTL-level HDL environment

Platform Integration: Assembling the system

  • Rapidly assemble virtual prototypes - Integrate with all leading virtual platforms
  • High performance integration with leading system/platform environments
    • Carbon SoC Designer Plus
    • Platform Architect (CoWare)
    • Mipssim
    • SystemC
    • Many Others…
  • Easy integration of legacy RTL IP into cycle-level platform environment
  • Replace early system models with accurate cycle models compiled from the actual RTL

Architectural Validation: Verifying the actual design

  • Analyze and explore design possibilities – Characterize the actual design implementation
  • Carbon enables the use of actual RTL code to drive architectural analysis
  • Use existing system modeling environments to validate architectural assumptions
  • Explore accurate performance parameters of the actual design implementation
  • Verify trade-offs made using abstract system models

Firmware Validation: Verifying the SW components

  • Debug software before silicon is available - Validate system integration of hardware and software
  • Firmware validation requires both the accuracy and performance of platforms built with cycle-level models
  • Virtual platforms are easily deployed to multiple design teams
  • Reduces project risk while reducing project time – FW debug provides extra verification of the HW

Model Deployment: Providing system models to your customers

  • Empower your design chain - Compile models for secure virtual prototype deployment
  • Carbon Models are based on the actual RTL – guaranteed accuracy
  • Reduce debug risk by ensuring that model users don’t make ad-hoc model changes to the model source
  • Deliver high-performance protected models to your design-chain customers
  • Secure your IP by restricting visibility into the Carbon Model