Aptix, ARM and Agilent Introduce An Integrated SOC Validation Platform for Embedded System Design

Aptix, ARM and Agilent Introduce An Integrated SOC Validation Platform for Embedded System Design

Platform Targets Embedded HW/SW Co-design, Including Wireless Applications

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – April 10, 2001--Embedded Systems Conference--San Jose-based Aptix Corporation, a prototyping and verification company, whose products are used to verify embedded system-on-chip (SoC) designs, ARM [(LSE:ARM); (Nasdaq:ARMHY)], the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC processor technology and Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) announced today that they have co-operated and developed a validation platform to address the needs of embedded system designers. The new validation platform allows for faster 'out-of-the-box' design validation of embedded systems using ARM® core-based microprocessors.

The integrated platform reduces design validation time from months to days and uses products from Aptix, ARM and Agilent. The platform includes Aptix's System Explorer™ or Software Integration Station™ with its new interface to ARM's widely-used Integrator™ SoC development platforms, the ARM Integrator ASIC development platform with Core Modules and Agilent's logic and Trace Port Analyzer.

"Our goal is to reduce time to market for embedded system designers," said Dr. Amr Mosen, Aptix chairman and CEO. "The combination of our technologies gives customers an integrated validation platform for hardware, firmware and applications software co-development. This offers a significant breakthrough for time-critical embedded systems including automotive, consumer and wireless applications such as WCDMA, Bluetooth or 802.11."

"Our customers need the best design tools to achieve faster validation of their ARM core-based embedded systems," said Gordon Stubberfield, product manager, ARM. "The combination of Aptix's verification systems interfaced to ARM's Integrator Core Modules combined with Agilent's analyzers helps them to achieve their goals."

"Logic analyzers and trace-port analyzers provide design teams with visibility into system behavior. Agilent's solutions, when coupled with the Aptix System Explorer, enable customers to monitor nodes that would normally be hidden from designers," said Alois Hauk, VP of Agilent's Design Validation group. "Both hardware and software engineers benefit from internal visibility. Both the logic and trace port analyzers can be used during final system validation as well."

Benefits
Open, Fast, Lower Cost Replicates for SW Validation
The SoC validation platform's openness allows it to include DSP cores, bus interfaces such as USB and PCI, as well as hardware, software and existing and future ARM processor cores. At 20MHz , the speed is the fastest available for validation of ARM core-based SoCs. Each ARM Integrator evaluation board supports up to four ARM core modules, and each System Explorer from Aptix can accommodate 10 ARM Integrator boards. Members of the software team can use the lower cost (desktop) Software Integration Station from Aptix in place Aptix's System Explorer.

Better Debugging--Bridging the Gap Between HW and SW Design
To isolate bugs, Aptix's propriety incremental debugging technology allows each FPGA node of the embedded system that is represented in the Aptix System Explorer to be visible and viewed by an Agilent logic analyzer. Using the unique trigger in/out feature of the Agilent Trace Port Analyzer, cross triggering between the HW and SW is possible. This allows HW triggers to cause SW breakpoints and SW breakpoints to trigger the Logic Analyzer. Once stopped the ARM core's execution and the state of the SoC designs logic may be viewed.

About ARM Cores
A major strength of the ARM range of microprocessor cores lies in the fact that the processor families share a common base architecture. This ensures that developers gain the maximum return on time invested in software development as they move up the performance scale to faster processors, while maintaining full backward compatibility. This full system compatibility ensures that development and verification tools will continue to be compatible with future new cores introduced to the range.

About Aptix Products
The System Explorer from Aptix uses the latest Xilinx technology and is a single-board emulation platform for integration and validation of intellectual property (IP) and software in SoC designs. Multi-MHz operating speed enables near real-time, in-system verification. Co-simulation interfaces link to popular simulators. The small form factor and low cost enables emulation to be applied in ways that were previously impossible.
The Software Integration Station from Aptix allows software developers to start code development and integration as soon as hardware designers have a prototype version of their design ready. With it, boot code, drivers, diagnostics and test programs can be developed and debugged before silicon is available.

About Agilent Products
The Agilent E5904B is an integrated JTAG emulator and Trace Port Analyzer that combines tools for run control, code download, register access, and real-time execution trace for a complete debug environment. This tool supports the ARM Real-Time Trace™ software and RealMonitor™ software for full speed real-time system debug of ASICs that include the ARM7™ or ARM9™ family microprocessor cores with the ARM Embedded Trace Macrocell™.

Price and Availability
The validation platform components are available now directly from Aptix, ARM and Agilent. Prices for the Aptix products start at $75,000 (USD) and include the new Integrator interface.
The ARM Integrator platform is available now from ARM and starts at $3,000 (USD). Agilent Logic Analyzers for real-time trace port analysis, and cross correlation of external buses are available now from Agilent and range in price from $8000 to $35,000 (USD).

About Aptix
Aptix Corporations' products are used to verify system and SoC designs prior to integrated circuit (IC) and board tape-out and fabrication. Visit Aptix on the Web at http://www.aptix.com.

About ARM
ARM is the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC 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, handheld computing, multimedia digital consumer and embedded solutions. More information on ARM is available at www.arm.com.

About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A - news) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare. With 48,000 employees serving customers in more than 120 countries, Agilent had net revenue of $10.8 billion in fiscal year 2000. Information about Agilent can be found on the Web at www.agilent.com. 

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Notes to editors: Pictures and graphics available on request. Acronyms ASIC: Application Specific IC DSP: Digital Signal Processing FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array HW: Hardware IC: Integrated Circuit JTAG: Joint Test Action Group IP: Intellectual Property PCI: Peripheral Component Interconnect  RISC: Reduced Instruction Set Computer SoC: System-on-Chip SW: Software USB: Universal Serial Bus

Information Contacts: Georgia Marszalek, ValleyPR for Aptix, 650-345-7477, georgia@valleypr.com Jeanne Cotter, Agilent, 719-590-3265, jeanne_cotter@agilent.com. Michelle Spencer, ARM, +44 7788 107966, michelle.spencer@arm.com   Aptix is a registered trademark of Aptix Corporation. System Explorer and Software Integration Station are trademarks of Aptix Corporation. ARM is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. ARM7, ARM9, ARM Real-Time Trace, ARM RealMonitor, Embedded Trace Macrocell and Integrator are trademarks 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 ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries ARM, INC.; ARM KK; ARM Korea Ltd.; ARM Taiwan. Bluetooth is a trademark owned by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, Sweden.  All other registered trademarks or trademarks are property of their respective owners.

 
 
 

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