ARM and Verisity Advance IP Verification and Validation; ARM Delivers Pure IP Toolkit for the ARM PrimeXsys Wireless Platform.Business Editors CAMBRIDGE, UK & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2002 ARM (LSE LSE - Language Sensitive Editor :ARM)(Nasdaq:ARMHY), the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC processor RISC processor [Reduced Instruction Set Computer], computer arithmetic-logic unit that uses a minimal instruction set, emphasizing the instructions used most often and optimizing them for the fastest possible execution. solutions, and Verisity Ltd. (Nasdaq:VRST VRST Virtual Reality Software and Technology VRST Virtual Reality System Testing ), the leading provider of functional verification Functional verification, in electronic design automation, is the task of verifying that the logic design conforms to specification. In everyday terms, functional verification attempts to answer the question "Does this proposed design do what is intended?" This is a complex task, automation, today announced another step forward in intellectual property (IP) integration. ARM, a member of Verisity's Pure IPTM IPTM Institute of Police Technology and Management program, is now delivering verification and validation Verification and Validation (V&V) is the process of checking that a product, service, or system meets specifications and that it fulfills its intended purpose. These are critical components of a quality management system such as ISO 9000. toolkits based on Verisity's e verification language and testbench automation tool, Specman Elite(TM). The testbenches are part of the ARM(R) PrimeXsys(TM) platform to enable complex ASICs to be developed around the PrimeXsys Wireless Platform. ARM PrimeXsys platforms are integrated, extendible platforms that deliver pre-validated, application-targeted hardware sub-systems, along with all relevant application software and a wide range of operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. (OS) ports, to enable the development of application-focused devices, rapidly and with minimal risk. The ARM PrimeXsys platform verification toolkit addresses the most time-consuming aspects of ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) Pronounced "a-sick." A chip that is custom designed for a specific application rather than a general-purpose chip such as a microprocessor. development, which is verifying that the ASIC will meet its functional requirements. There are four key aspects to this: -- The verification toolkit is re-usable (across multiple Partners and multiple projects) which saves a lot of engineering effort. -- ARM supplies many of the verification tests with the testbench that again saves time and effort. ARM supplies tests to check that all the components of the ASIC are AMBA(R) technology-compliant. -- The verification toolkit is extendible to test an entire ASIC's functionality, not just the ARM PrimeXsys Wireless Platform. -- The verification toolkit allows for detailed and complex test scenarios to be built-up to thoroughly test the ASIC design in ways that have been previously only been possible in silicon. This significantly reduces the risk of building ASICs with design flaws. "One of the biggest challenges developers face when integrating external IP is knowing if it was integrated correctly," said Ian Thornton, product manager, ARM. "Verisity's Pure IP program solves this problem by enabling us to deliver executable verification toolkits alongside our IP. We chose to base these toolkits on Verisity's e verification language because we believe it to be the best solution available today and it is ideally suited for this purpose. This methodology for ensuring correct integration is absolutely vital for our Partners to accelerate time-to-market." As the lead licensee for the ARM PrimeXsys Wireless Platform, STMicroelectronics has adopted the ARM PrimeXsys Wireless Platform as the foundation of its large mobile internet ASSP (Application Specific Standard Part) An ASIC chip that is designed as a generic device for a particular market. Whereas an ASIC is typically used only by its creator, ASSPs are used by many different companies in the design of their products. See ASIC. product line and is utilizing the verification and validation testbenches to add its own unique differentiating IP. "The PrimeXsys Wireless Platform is part of ST's ongoing mobile multimedia development program and ST is using the ARM PrimeXsys Wireless Platform verification toolkit as well as Specman Elite," said Vincent Coeffe, ARM PrimeXsys platform leader, DSP (1) (Digital Signal Processor) A special-purpose CPU used for digital signal processing applications (see definition #2 below). It provides ultra-fast instruction sequences, such as shift and add, and multiply and add, which are commonly used in math-intensive & Micro Division, STMicroelectronics. "We already use Specman Elite for increasing the quality of the functional verification in our own IP developments, and the ARM PrimeXsys Wireless Platform verification toolkit allows us to reuse the standalone IP verification at the system level in a very fast and efficient way. It allows us to ensure that each IP block is correctly integrated in the system and to determine system performance such as average throughput of each AHB AHB Advanced High-performance Bus AHB Assault Helicopter Battalion AHB Air Historical Branch AHB Attack Helicopter Battalion AHB Automatic Half Barriers AHB Aussie Home Brewers AHB Active Hyper Bass bus, or interrupt latency for all possible corner cases of the system." The ARM PrimeXsys Wireless Platform deliverables include RTL (Register Transfer Level) A high-level hardware description language (HDL) for defining digital circuits. The circuits are described as a collection of registers, Boolean equations, control logic such as "if-then-else" statements as well as complex event sequences; , simulation models, development tools, firmware, OS ports, validation suites and methodologies. This provides the foundation functionality for support of base platform operating system execution and provides interfaces for the inclusion of additional functionality for the development of complete designs. System modeling is also supported to accelerate the development of entire system solutions. "The ARM PrimeXsys Wireless Platform is uniquely designed to give customers the flexibility to add their own IP and expertise when incorporating it into their wireless designs," said Dave Tokic, director of strategic marketing, Verisity. "By delivering the ARM PrimeXsys Wireless Platform with a Pure IP verification toolkit, ARM is also providing their customers with an efficient integration process. This is just one more step in our long-standing relationship with ARM to enable platform-based design and verification." Availability The PrimeXsys Wireless Platform is available now from ARM. It is being licensed under ARM's normal IP model for implementation within an application-specific integrated circuit (hardware) Application-Specific Integrated Circuit - (ASIC) An integrated circuit designed to perform a particular function by defining the interconnection of a set of basic circuit building blocks drawn from a library provided by the circuit manufacturer. (ASIC) or application-specific standard product (ASSP) design. The first PrimeXsys Wireless Platform samples will be available from key ARM Partners in 1H02. About ARM ARM is the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC RISC in full Reduced Instruction Set Computing Computer architecture that uses a limited number of instructions. RISC became popular in microprocessors in the 1980s. microprocessor solutions. The company licenses its high-performance, low-cost, power-efficient RISC processors, peripherals, and system-on-chip designs to leading international electronics companies. ARM also provides comprehensive support required in developing a complete system. ARM's microprocessor cores are rapidly becoming the volume RISC standard in such markets as portable communications, hand-held computing, multimedia digital consumer and embedded solutions. More information on ARM is available at www.arm.com. About Verisity Verisity is the leading provider of proprietary technologies and software products used to efficiently verify designs of electronic systems and complex integrated circuits that are essential to the communications and other high growth segments of the electronics industry. Verisity's products simplify the process of detecting flaws in these designs, enabling customers to deliver higher quality products, accelerate time-to-market and reduce overall product development costs. Verisity Design, Inc.'s principal executive offices are located in Mountain View, CA. Verisity's principal research and development offices are located in Rosh Ha'ain, Israel. For more information, see Verisity's web site at www.verisity.com. ARM and AMBA AMBA Area Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (Spanish) AMBA Advanced Microcontroller Bus Architecture AMBA American Mold Builders Association AMBA American Mustang and Burro Association AMBA Association of Master of Business Administration are registered trademarks of ARM Limited. PrimeXsys is a trademark of ARM Limited. All other brands or product names are the property of their respective holders. "ARM" is used to represent ARM Holdings plc (LSE:ARM and Nasdaq:ARMHY); its operating company operating company A business that engages in transactions with outsiders. ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries ARM INC.; ARM KK; ARM Korea Ltd.; ARM Taiwan; and ARM France SAS (1) (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, www.sas.com) A software company that specializes in data warehousing and decision support software based on the SAS System. Founded in 1976, SAS is one of the world's largest privately held software companies. See SAS System. . Verisity is a registered trademark of Verisity Design, Inc. Pure IP and Specman Elite are trademarks of Verisity Design, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. |
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