Using simulation and emulation together to create complex SoCs

Laurent Ducousso, STMicroelectronics NV
EETimes (3/23/2011 9:06 AM EDT )

Two trends are conspiring to make complex modern chip development more and more difficult: the increasing amount of software content required for what are essentially monolithic embedded systems, and ever-shortening market windows, especially for consumer-oriented products. Writing more software in less time is a tall order; the most straightforward way to get things out earlier is to start writing sooner. But until you can test an overall system, including the software, there’s only so much you can do.

At STMicroelectronics, we find ourselves increasingly using emulation as an important tool for testing complex SoCs with lots of software content. But this only really works as part of an integrated process that starts at the architectural modeling stage and proceeds all the way through the final implementation of hardware.

We make chips that address various wall-plugged consumer applications, notably set-top boxes and digital TV. As such, we work in a world of rapidly changing technology and consumer expectations – the actual product life can easily be shorter than the time it takes to develop the chip. Mistakes and delays can kill an entire project – and with the cost of such projects these days, wasting that kind of expense is something even a large company like us can ill afford.

So we have invested in a process that attempts to minimize rework, focusing instead on gradual refinement of early models into working silicon. The process provides an example of how TLM technology, virtual platforms, and a good emulator make this possible.

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