FS2 System Navigator Delivers Multi-Core Debugging for Tensilica Xtensa Processors

Update: Cadence Completes Acquisition of Tensilica (Apr 24, 2013)

New generation debug tool provides complete support for multiple Xtensa® configurable processor systems.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 8, 2005 -- First Silicon Solutions (FS2®) and Tensilica, Inc.announced today that the FS2 System Navigator is available now for debug and system integration of system-on-chip (SOC) designs with Tensilica® Xtensa® V and Xtensa LX configurable and extensible processors.

The FS2 System Navigator tool supports designs that employ multiple Xtensa processors – a hallmark of the Tensilica architecture. The FS2 System Navigator architecture offers optional interfaces for FS2 Bus Navigator tools, which provide tracing and bus level analysis of OCP, AMBA, or custom bus interfaces.

Rick Leatherman, president of FS2, said, “The highly configurable Xtensa processor is an ideal match for the FS2 debug tools and custom On-Chip Instrumentation (OCI®). Designers can choose the FS2 off-the-shelf solution that supports all of the embedded Xtensa debug features or work with FS2 for a custom implementation. Custom solutions include additional features like heterogeneous multi-processor support and integrated bus analysis.”

“We’re very pleased that the FS2 System Navigator is now available for our customers,” stated Larry Przywara, director of strategic alliances for Tensilica. “As most Tensilica customers use multiple Xtensa processors in their SOC designs, FS2 has provided an ideal solution for their multi-core embedded debugging requirements.”

FS2 System Navigator Integration with Tensilica Software Tools

FS2 System Navigator functions have been integrated with the Xtensa Xplorer’s source-level debug environment, in the Tensilica software tools. The seamless operation of the FS2 tool with Xtensa Xplorer ensures a comprehensive software development environment, with sophisticated features, ease of use, and a minimal cost to the developer.

Xtensa processors are highly configurable with respect to processor features, peripherals, and instruction sets.  FS2 System Navigator can fully detect the configured features in the Tensilica processors and provide the user with the ability to debug the software from startup to application code. It also includes run control and access to hardware breakpoints and all designer-defined extensions to the Xtensa processor, which have been added to the Xtensa processor using the TIE (Tensilica Instruction Extensions) language.

System Navigator is available with USB 2.0 PC host connection and with an optional 10/100 Ethernet connection. The high speed USB 2.0 solution requires no external power supply and utilizes the new USB 2.0 micro-connector. The Ethernet solution is ideal for those environments that require remote access to the development tools since the FS2 tools appear as a node on the network. Both the USB and USN/Ethernet tools connect to the Tensilica SOC target using a 14-pin JTAG connector. FS2’s System Navigator is a compact, yet feature-rich debug tool with affordable price points for all Xtensa system developers.

Tensilica’s Xtensa architecture is licensed by over 70 of the industry’s leading semiconductor and systems companies. Xtensa provides a powerful, integrated hardware and software development environment with thousands of configurable options and an unlimited range of customer-specific extensions.

Availability and Pricing

The FS2 System Navigator for Xtensa processors is available now. Pricing starts at $2495.00 Contact FS2 or visit www.fs2.com for information.

About First Silicon Solutions (FS2)

FS2 specializes in custom silicon IP, design services and OCI® (On-Chip Instrumentation) development tools for programming, testing and debug of embedded systems in FPGA, SoC, SOPC, ASSP and ASIC devices. FS2 OCI based products include CLAM® (Configurable Logic Analyzer Modules) based Logic Navigator™ and Bus Navigator™ tools for IP debug, core specific System Navigator tools for processor debug and trace, and MED™ (Multi-core Embedded Debug) tools for SoC debug. FS2 products enable silicon vendors and their customers to develop and more effectively market their products, reduce development cycles, allowing them to focus on delivering all the potential of the system on silicon. For more information please visit www.fs2.com.

About Tensilica

Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the growing need for optimized, application-specific processor solutions in high-volume embedded applications. With a configurable and extensible processor core called Xtensa, Tensilica is the only company that has automated and patented the time-consuming process of generating a customized processor core along with a complete software development tool environment, producing new configurations in a matter of hours. For more information, visit www.tensilica.com.