Latest additions to DeskPOD models

Simpod in the News

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Solution Enables Early IP Validation and Integration for Embedded and SOC Designers

Santa Clara, CA — September 8, 1998 — Simpod, Inc. today announced the availability of simulation modeling capability for NEC's latest 64-bit MIPS® RISC microprocessor, the VR5464 . Simpod has validated the processor against the full design release test suite using NEC engineering device samples.

Embedded system and system on chip (SOC) designers can now use Simpod's DeskPOD family of high-performance modeling systems along with the NEC processor for fast functional, cycle-accurate simulation, intellectual property (IP) validation and integration, and hardware/software co-verification.

The DeskPOD platform enables designers to mix their own hardware description language (HDL) code with actual NEC silicon to rapidly model, debug, and prototype their combined hardware and software systems before manufacturing chips. "Designers working with NEC's processors now have an early design-in mechanism for hardware and software," said Richard Curtin, CEO of Simpod. "They get immediate access to the most accurate model available with better performance using the NEC device in the DeskPOD."

NEC's VR5400TM family is one of the most powerful processor architectures designed specifically for embedded applications. For example, the NEC VR5464 processor delivers performance greater than 500 Dhrystone MIPS (million of instructions per second) at 250 MHz achieved through use of 0.25 micron process technology and advanced design features including a dual-issue superscalar architecture, multimedia extensions, floating-point capability, a 64KB on-chip cache and a 64-bit data bus.

"The DeskPOD system has enabled our engineering team to rapidly validate early silicon directly in their Verilog development environment," said Ed Forbes, senior marketing manager for VR SeriesTM development tools at NEC Electronics. "In addition, DeskPOD can significantly boost simulation performance for designers looking to incorporate the VR5464 processor in their embedded system designs."

About the DeskPOD
Packaged in a convenient desktop form-factor, the DeskPOD family supports up to 570 fully programmable I/O signals to connect between the digital sub-system and the simulation development environment. DeskPOD API can support HDL-based simulators (Verilog and VHDL) as well as embedded software development tools. Multiple DeskPOD systems can be incorporated in a single simulation model, providing a scalable modeling resource for complex system design and verification. The Simpod modeling system satisfies a variety of design and verification requirements while easily co-existing with the user's current development environment. DeskPOD provides the hardware engineer with quick time-to-modeling and the potential for significant performance improvements over RTL simulation. Concurrent with the hardware design and verification effort, software engineers can run DeskPOD through a "C" API to verify embedded firmware or driver code intended for use in the target system. In this fashion, the software engineer gains access to the actual system blocks much sooner in the co-development schedule, allowing early validation of the code versus the system specification. Additionally, the DeskPOD socket can be connected to another subsystem by use of a cable, allowing the code to be tested in-circuit.

Price and Availability
DeskPOD prices begin at $25,000 with delivery within 30 days from receipt of order. Model availability will concur with engineering samples of NEC's VR5464 processor.

About Simpod
Simpod designs and develops a family of high-performance modeling systems for the co-development of digital electronic systems. The company's patented and patent pending technologies are incorporated in the DeskPOD family for use in the development of systems-on-a-chip (SOC), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), silicon intellectual property (SIP), and embedded system design. Simpod products and services offer hardware and software development teams scalable, simulation acceleration and rapid time-to-modeling solutions which significantly shorten product design and verification schedules. For more information, see the company website, http://www.simpod.com.

Notes to editors:
Graphics and/or photo available on request

Reader Service Information:
Simpod Inc., 3080 Olcott Street, Suite 100A, Santa Clara, CA, 95054
Phone: (408) 330-9300, Fax: (408) 330-9301,
http://www.simpod.com, info@simpod.com

NEC Electronics
Ed Forbes, 408 588 5430