Using unified modeling methods to reduce embedded hardware/software development

By Steve Brown, Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Embedded.com (05/10/10, 08:08:00 PM EDT)

Today’s Internet devices are powered by sophisticated electronic circuits driven by multiple layers of software. These circuits are so complex they are called Systems on Chip (SoC) because they contain all the sub-components of a powerful personal computer. SoC development costs continue to grow rapidly, driven by increasing demand for more functionality, device mobility, and improved usability. These new capabilities demand more sophisticated software executing on multicore hardware and other special purpose accelerators to meet power and performance requirements. SoC development team productivity cannot keep up with the growth in complexity. The costs of developing the most complex SoCs now threaten to exceed $100M, requiring sales of tens of millions of units to return a profit on that investment

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