Virtual system prototyping majors on multicore

Comet6 extends Vast's lead in embedded systems design by providing the richest set of product enhancements to date.

Comet6 is the latest version of the flagship virtual system prototyping software from Vast.

Comet6 extends Vast's lead in embedded systems design by providing the richest set of product enhancements to date.

With Comet6 designers can accurately analyse and optimise architecture and software for power.

Comet6 also delivers increased run-time performance for multi-core designs, enhanced interoperability and SystemC support, tighter integrations to design implementation and more.

Multicore systems on chip (SoCs) are quickly becoming the norm in wireless and consumer applications.

In wireless, for instance, the combination of ARM and StarCore processors is very prevalent.

Comet6 features run-time improvements for multicore design that deliver linear run-time performance against the number of cores.

With native support, SystemC functions are executed directly on the Comet6 simulation kernel, resulting in full OSCI 1666 SystemC compliance and ultra-fast simulation speed.

Comet6 also features direct mapping of OCP-IP TL2 constructs which improves bus communications performance by 4x for models using OCP-P TL2.

Together these improvements deliver high performance and standards-based interoperability.

With battery life a critical constraint for consumer and wireless devices, power must be managed at each stage of the design flow.

Comet6 provides a customisable, cycle-accurate, event-based power calculator which enables power analysis and optimisation of both the architecture and software.

Interoperability through Eclipse Support Comet6 features an Eclipse framework.

Eclipse, with strategic developers like IBM, Intel, Nokia and Wind River, is quickly becoming the de facto industry standard development platform and framework for embedded system design tools.

Through Eclipse, Comet6 supports customer-developed and third-party Eclipse plug-ins, allowing tighter integrations with customer-specific design tools and flows.

Comet6 enables virtual system prototypes to drive hardware implementation and verification through HDL cosimulation.

The initial release of Comet6 supports Mentor Graphics ModelSim VHDL; subsequent releases will support additional simulators such as ModelSim Verilog, Cadence Incisive HDL Simulator, and Synopsys VCS.

Comet6 features a new platform entry and analysis user interface to speed specification, configuration and debug of the virtual system prototype.

VPE is a hierarchical, block-based capability which complements existing tree-, table- and HTML-based interfaces.

Comet6 supports Linux and has the same functionality, look and feel across Windows and Linux, allowing customers to select whichever operating system they prefer.

"Comet6's mix of high performance, support for standards and interoperability, and new user interfaces enable Vast customers to achieve even greater levels of productivity", said Jeff Roane, Vast's Director of Marketing.

Developed in close co-operation with market leaders, Comet6 is currently in beta release, and will be generally available in Q3 2006.

Vast will demonstrate Comet6 on Booth 914 at the 2006 Design Automation Conference in San Francisco.

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