Software generates carbon models.
Press Release Summary:
Carbon OnDemand helps improves performance of system platforms containing Carbon Models while still retaining 100% cycle accuracy. Carbon Models compiled with software automatically detect model inactivity and disable themselves until needed, which enables software developer to debug problems at instruction set simulator speeds and only execute hardware behavior when it is required. Software does not require modification of system platform for implementation.
Original Press Release:
Carbon to Introduce Revolutionary Performance Technology
WALTHAM, MA -- May 16, 2007 -- Carbon Design Systems, the leading supplier of tools for the automatic creation, validation, and deployment of virtual hardware models, announced today that it will be introducing revolutionary performance technology at this year's Design Automation Conference. This new technology, called Carbon OnDemand, dramatically and automatically improves the performance of system platforms containing Carbon Models while still retaining 100% cycle accuracy. Carbon Models compiled with Carbon OnDemand technology automatically detect model inactivity and disable themselves until needed. This enables the software developer to debug problems at instruction set simulator speeds and only execute the hardware behavior when it is needed. Since the detection is done automatically, there is no need to modify the system platform or have design knowledge in order to take advantage of the huge benefits that Carbon OnDemand offers.
"OnDemand automates a process that some of our customers are attempting today with manual coding," remarked Bill Neifert, Carbon's Chief Technology Officer and founder. "Designers will often hand-modify a model to run for a set number of cycles in order to accelerate performance. This approach requires deep knowledge of the model, is error-prone and often results in wasted cycles as well. The benefit of Carbon OnDemand is that it does all of this work automatically without requiring any design knowledge. OnDemand greatly simplifies the problem and always delivers accurate results. Since the technology is built directly into the Carbon Model there is no need to modify the system environment. The system initiates the transaction and the model continues running until the transaction is complete. This could be in 2 cycles or 2000. Carbon's OnDemand technology maximizes system throughput while still retaining 100% hardware accuracy."
How it works
Carbon's OnDemand technology leverages Carbon's substantial investment in model and system acceleration technology. When the Carbon model is compiled, a small amount of monitor logic is included. This monitor tracks the status of all state elements and input pins in the design. When these elements stop toggling or start toggling in a purely cyclic manner, the monitor recognizes the dormant state and automatically disables the model. Any change on the module's inputs will then automatically re-enable the model. A disabled model has minimal impact upon overall system performance. Since Carbon models are typically coupled with high-speed instruction set simulators it is possible to get overall system throughput well into the MIPS range.
Carbon OnDemand is the latest in a series of technologies that greatly increase model performance and system throughput. Carbon Replay, released earlier this year, accelerates system debug performance by enabling faster design iterations. Carbon OnDemand, to be released later this summer, achieves higher system performance by leveraging system activity while running software. Future performance enhancements will continue to leverage the behavior of hardware modules when used to develop software. Carbon is continually expanding the accessibility of 100% implementation accurate hardware models by making them faster, easier to integrate and easier to debug.
Availability
Carbon model generation software with OnDemand technology will be demonstrated at the 2007 Design Automation Conference and will be available for sale in late summer as part of the VSP and SOC-VSP products. Call Carbon for product evaluations and pricing.
About Carbon Design Systems
Carbon is the leading supplier of system-level tools to automatically create, validate, and deploy software models generated from Verilog and/or VHDL descriptions. Carbon's models are used in conjunction with system platforms to enable architecture profiling and software validation in parallel with hardware development. Problems can be found and resolved early in the design cycle, rather than waiting for prototypes to be built or silicon to be delivered.
The company's solutions are based on open industry standards, including: SystemC, SCML, Verilog, VHDL, OSCI TLM, MDI, CASI, CADI, and CAPI. Carbon's customers are systems, semiconductor, and IP companies that focus on communications, networking, and consumer electronics.
The company is headquartered at
375 Totten Pond Road,
Waltham, MA. 02451.
Telephone: 781.890.1500,
Fax: 781.890.1711,
Email: info@carbondesignsystems.com,
Website: www.carbondesignsystems.com
