Carbon Design Systems Adds Co-Simulation Model Library to Expanding System-Level Validation Tool Suite

Update: ARM to Offer Cycle-Accurate Virtual Prototyping for Complex SoCs Through an Asset Acquisition from Carbon Design Systems (October 20, 2015)

Includes Most Advanced ARM Processors; Links Software Debugger Speed, RTL Integration

ACTON, Mass. -- September 08, 2009 -- Carbon Design Systems™, the leading supplier of tools for the automatic creation, validation and deployment of system-level models, today announced immediate availability of the Carbon Model Library for co-simulation that includes the most advanced ARM processors.

It gives register transfer level (RTL) and firmware engineers a way to simultaneously debug processor integration into complex system-on-chip (SoC) designs, reduces the overall schedule and establishes a foundation for further productivity gains using virtual platforms. Carbon’s co-simulation approach allows for the hardware design to be run through any of the leading RTL simulators while the firmware is interactively debugged using software tools such as ARM’s RealView® debugger.

“This new co-simulation library delivers the benefits of virtual platforms to the RTL designer by leveraging the existing RTL infrastructure and avoiding the task of assembling a virtual platform,” states Tom Rathje, Carbon’s vice president of Engineering. “The designer simply replaces the instantiation of the processor in their simulation environment with the corresponding component from the Carbon Model Library. The model will have the same functionality but can now be debugged interactively using a software debugger instead of waveforms.”

Co-Simulation Using the Carbon Model Library

Each component in the Carbon Model Library for co-simulation has been compiled directly from the corresponding RTL code and retains 100% of the accuracy of the hardware design. All models are integrated with a corresponding software debugger that enables the firmware designer to set breakpoints and observe and/or modify register and memory locations.

Co-simulation of the models with RTL code is supported in all leading simulators, including Synopsys VCS®, Cadence® Incisive® Enterprise Simulator and Modelsim® from Mentor Graphics. ARM models currently available in the model library include the Cortex A9UP, Cortex A9MP, Cortex A8, Cortex M3, Cortex R4, 1176, 1136, 11MPCore and 926.

Availability and Pricing

The Carbon Model Library for Co-Simulation is shipping now. Pricing starts at $25,000.

About Carbon Design Systems

Carbon Design Systems offers the leading system validation solution for complex system-on-chip (SoC) designs. Target applications range from model generation and deployment to virtual platform creation, execution, and analysis. Carbon Design Systems provides 100% implementation accuracy on the critical components required for accurate architectural analysis and pre-silicon hardware/software validation. Solutions are based on open industry standards, including SystemC, IP-XACT, Verilog, VHDL, OSCI TLM, CASI, CADI and CAPI. Carbon’s customers are systems, semiconductor, and IP companies that focus on wireless, networking, and consumer electronics. Carbon is headquartered at 125 Nagog Park, Acton, Mass., 01720. Telephone: (978) 264-7300. Facsimile: (978) 264-9990. Email: info@carbondesignsystems.com. Website: www.carbondesignsystems.com.