IP Model Libraries
VWorks IP Model Library Products are provided as VLAB Toolboxes which include
Reference pre-integrated virtual platform
Integrated system model as a building block
IP component models as building blocks
Integration netlists for reference and assistance
Test software
Target software
User Documentation
Pre-integrated Reference Platforms
Each VWorks "IP Model Library" Toolbox comes with one or more complete pre-integrated and tested Reference Platforms, complete with example target software and testcases.
This means that users can immediately commence developing and debugging software for these platforms, taking advantage of all the Hardware and Software debug capabilities - as if the user just received an eval board on the desk, but without the hardware cost and inconvenience.
In addition, users can use VLAB's simple yet powerful Virtual Platform Construction API to modify these reference platforms, including actions as simple as reconfiguring testbenches or as complex as creating a new derivative platform.
Versatile Run-time Reconfigurability
Virtual Platform developers can enable End-users to make changes to Virtual Platforms without the need to recompile the simulator. End-users may want to import and instantiate new models, or connect and configure on- and off-chip modules and stimulus. In traditional simulators, such changes require a recompilation of the simulator - the end user has to be able to rebuild the Virtual Platform. The run-time reconfigurability of VLAB Virtual Platforms gives End-users unprecedented power to create sophisticated test environments so that they can fully test software in realistic use-cases.
A VLAB Virtual Platform can be packaged to disable any reconfigurability, or to enable selected limited reconfigurability (such as the changing of platform parameters or addition of custom testbench modules externally, as part of software driver development and test) or to enable complete platform reconfiguration (which might include memory map adjustment, bus matrix reconfiguration or addition of components as part of architectural exploration).
Component Model Libraries
Each VLAB Model Toolbox contains a library of SystemC TLM 2.0 compliant functional models. These models are designed with the specific Virtual Platform use-case in mind: they are created to support software development and performance analysis. The models use VLAB's advanced instrumentation technology to enable very fast signal and data probing and logging. Visibility is provided to all the internal registers to allow the end user to investigate fault conditions and debug these.
Each model provides programming checks (warning/error messages) for software violations of specification recommendations or requirements, providing visibility into potential software errors that can't be obtained in any other environment.
The models available include a large range of models created by VWorks and verified in end-customer applications, as well as models sourced from leading industry partners including ARM, Renesas and Tensilica.
Processor Support Packages
All the "Processor Core Models" (aka "Instruction Set Simulator" or "ISS") used in VLAB Toolboxes are available as the basis for VLAB users to create their own Virtual Platforms. If a Virtual Platform creator needs to build a new Virtual Platform, rather than starting with an existing Reference Platform, the VLAB Processor Support Package enables this. All ISS integration issues, such as debugger connection and code load, are seamlessly handled for the Virtual Platform developer, so they can get on with the job of creating their Virtual Platform.
ESL Toolchain Integration
The VLAB Virtual Platforms provide seamless integration into your ESL Toolchain.
Sophisticated multi-core connections to most standard Software Debuggers are supported, and VLAB provides standard cosimulation connections to both high level design tools like Matlab, and RTL design tools such as Verilog.
Software Debuggers
VLAB Virtual Platforms provide Software Debugger integration using VLAB's Debug Server. This sophisticated component provides integration with most industry standard debuggers in the area of application of each Virtual Platform, including PRS and Trace32 in the Automotive space, and Eclipse/Android SDK in the Wireless space.
The VLAB Debug Server provides advanced features on top of these standard debuggers, including multi-core debug synchronisation, and Hardware/Software breakpoint synchronisation. Multi-core debug coordination allows the user to inspect the state of all processors in the system upon hitting a breakpoint in any one of them - a significant improvement over the capabilities of many hardware debug environments.
Hardware/Software breakpoint synchronisation allows the user to specify any hardware event to trigger a breakpoint, and pause the software execution at that point. This enables powerful advanced debug capability, such as the ability to stop the execution the moment before an interrupt arrives, by breaking on the interrupt line, or the ability to stop the simulation when a specific peripheral register is accessed.
Cosimulation - Algorithmic Design
Matlab(TM) is well established as a defacto standard for algorithmic design in the embedded systems arena. VLAB Virtual Platforms can co-simulate with Matlab using the Matlab Cosimulation Toolbox. In this way, the software implementation of an algorithm can be tested running on a Virtual Platform against the same plant model in Matlab as the algorithmic model of the control algorithm.
Cosimulation - RTL Design
Using the VLAB Hardware Cosimulation Toolbox, VLAB Virtual Platforms enable Hardware/Software coverification, where target software can run in a Virtual Platform environment with full debug capabilities while exercising the RTL of chosen elements of the design.
