Paradigm Works Releases Free Open Source Software for VMM-based Verification

Andover, MA, February 08, 2010 — Paradigm Works, Inc., a world-class leader in ASIC and FPGA development services and software, announced today that it has released its RegWorks™ Spec2Reg tool as Free Open Source Software (FOSS) for the chip development community. Built on VMM's Register Abstraction Layer (RAL) capability, Spec2Reg provides development teams a fully automated path for taking register definitions from design specification to verification implementation. By incorporating RegWorks Spec2Reg, verification teams leverage additional efficiencies by auto-generating VMM's Register Abstraction Layer Format (RALF) files directly from their design specifications. This software release compliments Paradigm Work' existing suite of unparalleled verification productivity FOSS.

SOC designs often contain thousands of on-chip registers that are used to configure the device for different modes of operation. The VMM RAL application integrates seamlessly into VMM verification environments and automates the verification of large register sets in complex designs.

The current release of RegWorks™ Spec2Reg includes predefined templates that enable project teams to translate their Microsoft Word based register definitions to VMM's RALF files. The RALF files can then be used to auto-generate requisite SystemVerilog classes for the defined register set. "A common problem we encounter with register definitions and the verification of those registers is that there is typically no enforced correlation between the register definitions documented in the design specification and the VMM implementation of these registers," said Michael Hoyt, CEO of Paradigm Works. "We work with a large number of customers using VMM and see the need for addressing the inefficiency and risk due to manual maintenance of register specification and implementation. RegWorks Spec2Reg solves that problem by providing a "correct by design" automatic and direct path from the register specification to the VMM register implementation."

In addition to the RALF templates provided with Spec2Reg, Paradigm Works has made the tool fully flexible such that it can output any desired register file format. Development teams can leverage this flexibility by creating Microsoft Word based templates for their project's specific register file output format.

RegWorks™ Spec2Reg is available for download through the SourceForge FOSS community at and has already delivered results on high-complexity chip development projects.

"Register verification is a growing challenge and the VMM Register Abstraction Layer greatly simplifies this process by providing all of the necessary components for verifying registers in complex designs," said Swami Venkat, senior director of verification marketing at Synopsys. "With the continued growth of the VMM ecosystem, VMM enables innovation by all companies in the verification space, as demonstrated by Paradigm Works' selection of VMM RAL as the platform for RegWorks Spec2Reg."

About Paradigm Works

Paradigm Works is an industry leading ASIC and FPGA Software and Services Company based in Andover, MA. Paradigm Works has successfully completed ASICs and FPGAs for clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to startups developing revolutionary products. Paradigm Works provides software tools that enable higher levels of productivity and quality in ASIC and FPGA projects. More information about Paradigm Works and its products and services is available at www.paradigm-works.com.