NECs CyberWorkBench and Imperas OVP Fast Processor Models Integrated to Expand Hardware-Software Co-Verification Capabilities

OVP is De Facto Source for Fast Processor Models

OXFORD, United Kingdom -- May 23, 2012 - Imperas today announced that its Open Virtual Platforms (OVP) OVPsim simulator and OVP Fast Processor Models have been integrated with NEC’s CyberWorkBench (CWB) SystemC cycle-accurate hardware models. OVP’s position as the de facto source of instruction accurate processor core models provides additional value to CyberWorkBench’s complete C/SystemC SoC design flow including ANSI-C/SystemC synthesis, hardware-software (HW/SW) co-verification and C-based formal verification.

CyberWorkBench is a C-based electronic circuit design platform developed by NEC over the course of twenty years. CyberWorkBench is developed around the “All-in-C” paradigm that allows high level synthesis and verification of any ANSI-C or SystemC program generating high quality circuits. CyberWorkBench also includes software co-simulation environments and source code debuggers.

“OVP is widely used by our customers, who demanded the integration with CyberWorkBench. This integration significantly broadens CWB’s HW/SW co-verification support,” said Kazutoshi Wakabayashi, Senior Manager, Embedded Systems Solution Division, NEC. “We were also very impressed with Imperas technical support helping us achieve this integration extremely quickly and efficiently.”

NEC will have demos showing the integrations available for users to watch at the upcoming Design Automation Conference (DAC) in San Francisco (booth #614).

All OVP processor models are instruction accurate, and very fast, focused on enabling embedded software developers, especially those building hardware-dependent software such as firmware and bare metal applications, to have a development environment available early to accelerate the software development cycle. Virtual platforms utilizing these OVP processor models can be created with the OVP peripheral and platform models, or the processor models can be integrated into SystemC/TLM-2.0 based virtual platforms using the native TLM-2.0 interface available with all OVP processor models. The OVP simulator also has integration into an Eclipse IDE, enabling easy use for software developers. In addition to working with the OVP simulator, these models work with the Imperas advanced tools for multicore software verification, analysis and debug, including key tools for software development on virtual platforms such as OS and CPU-aware tracing, profiling and code analysis.

“NEC’s CyberWorkBench, with its comprehensive system level flow, represents the next step in SoC design methodology,” said Simon Davidmann, president and CEO, Imperas. “Imperas, by providing significant technology as Open Virtual Platforms, and creating a collaborative environment for tool vendors, IP developers, users and academics, is contributing to the evolution of a new embedded system design methodology.”

In addition to working with the OVP simulator OVPsim, the OVP Fast Processor Models work with the Imperas Multiprocessor/Multicore/Multithread Software Development Kit (M*SDK). These advanced tools for multicore software verification and analysis include key tools for software development on virtual platforms such as OS and CPU-aware tracing (instruction, function, task, event), hot spot profiling, code coverage and memory and cache analysis. The M*VAP (Verification, Analysis and Profiling) tools utilize the Imperas SlipStreamer patent pending binary interception technology. SlipStreamer enables these analytical tools to operate without any modification or instrumentation of the software source code, i.e., the tools are completely non-intrusive.

About Imperas (www.Imperas.com)

For more information about Imperas, please go to the Imperas website.

About the Open Virtual Platforms Initiative (www.OVPworld.org)

For more information about OVP, please go to the About OVP page on the OVP website. Detailed quotations regarding OVP are available from http://www.ovpworld.org/quotes.

About NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross utilize the company’s experience and global resources, NEC’s advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society. For more information, visit NEC at www.nec.com.