Overview
Intel CoFluent Studio can be used to model and simulate the behavior, timing requirements, architecture and performance estimates (throughput, latency, load, power, memory, cost) of any electronic system: HW IP, embedded SW application, mixed HW/SW multiprocessor system. Use cases of the system are modeled so the automatically generated transaction-level SystemC code can be used as verification testbench.
Behaviors are described with intuitive graphical notations and ANSI C/C++ code, although algorithms can be left undefined and abstracted to their sole execution time. Platforms are built by assembling generic models of universal components like processors, integrated circuits, memories, busses, interfaces. Each generic model provides variable design parameters to easily adjust its behavior and performance characteristics.
Intel® CoFluent™ Studio allows for behavioral and performance estimation without the need for embedded software application code, firmware, or a precise description of the platform with models of each component/IP core.
- No hardware IPs are needed
- No embedded software is needed
- No firmware / OS is needed
- No ISS is needed
Toolset
Intel® CoFluent™ Studio is an integrated Electronic-System-Level modeling and simulation environment composed of:
- A graphical modeler for capturing the system's use cases, behavior and execution platform (the frontend)
- A simulation framework for automatically generating and instrumenting a transaction-level SystemC model of the complete system (including HW/SW partitioning) and interpreting simulation traces with a rich set of analysis tools
- A SystemC library (extending the Accellera SystemC 2 and TLM libraries) constituting the computation (multiprocessor, multicore, multitask/multithread) and communication (message queues, events, busses, interconnects, networks) simulation engine at the heart of Intel® CoFluent™ Studio
- A DML code generator for translating graphical models into fast functional models for the Wind River Simics* simulation platform
Systems
Intel® CoFluent™ Studio targets complex multiprocessor systems with rich application content, whether they are:
- Multi-board (large equipment, distributed/networked system)
- On-board (embedded system)
- On-chip (SoC, FPGA, ASIC, ASSP)
Packages
Intel® CoFluent™ Studio for Timed-Behavioral Modeling
- Targeted at system/specification engineers, application modeling/testbench developers and software engineers
- For modeling and simulating the behavior and time properties of electronic applications with simple graphics and C/C++ code
- For automatic generation of SystemC or DML timed-functional model
- For obtaining timed-executable specifications of the application for further system architecting or implementation
Intel® CoFluent™ Studio for System Architecting
- Targeted at system architects and software architects
- For exploring prospective system architectures (application-to-platform) and predicting their performance and power consumption
- For obtaining a virtual system (platform + application) description in transaction-level SystemC serving as executable specifications for further hardware/software design and implementation
Benefits
Intel CoFluent Studio allows developers of electronic systems and chips to:
Decide
| Problems | 80% cost-impacting decisions are taken in project's first 20% with few data Current processes can't cope with growing complexity and time-to-market Existing tools only help verify late in projects already made choices Cost to fix late design errors is prohibitive |
| Solutions | Securely predict behavior and performance from partial software and hardware for design validation at all stages |
| Advantages | Run short iterations for taking the right decisions at the right time Validate choices and detect errors earlier Optimize the system's architecture |
| Benefits | Mitigate risks of project delays and cancellations Reduce development time Decrease bill of materials |
Share
| Problems | Too large gap from specification to implementation Hardware & software engineers have no common understanding Difficult communications between multicultural and multidisciplinary teams across distributed sites Ambiguous specifications lead to misinterpretation and incompleteness Difficulties to define subsystems and manage subcontracted work |
| Solutions | Provide system executable specifications rather than static documents for common hardware/software reference |
| Advantages | Facilitate implementation Foster and organize teamwork Ease interactions between all project stakeholders |
| Benefits | Reduce development time Mitigate risks of project delays and cancellations |
Capitalize
| Problems | Little to no reuse of non-implementation work Projects at risk if loss of key contributors New projects can't benefit from past experience/expertise |
| Solutions | Capture projects' system design expertise in enterprise model libraries for easier and faster innovation |
| Advantages | Build a knowledge repository from project to corporate level Reduce organizations' dependency on individuals Accelerate new and derivative/maintenance project inception |
| Benefits | Increase new product introduction rate Mitigate risks of project delays and cancellations |
Availability
Supported hosts
Microsoft Windows* OS
Red Hat Enterprise Linux* (for simulation only)
Supported C++ development environments
For Windows* OS-based simulation: Microsoft Visual Studio*, MinGW GCC*
For all Linux*-based simulation: GNU GCC*
Supported SystemC platform
Accelera SystemC 2.2 & TLM 2.0
Synopsys
Cadence
Mentor Graphics
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