Bluespec Moves into Virtual Prototyping for Software Development, Hardware Validation

-- Bluespec Inc., developer of the only ESL synthesis for control logic and complex datapaths in chip design, today introduced an enhanced version of its Bluesim simulator meant for virtual prototyping and high-speed, source-level simulation and debug.

Bluesim accelerates the product development cycle by delivering an accelerated cycle-accurate, transaction-level simulation model from the same electronic system level (ESL) source also used to generate high-quality register transfer level (RTL) code. The combination of Bluesim and Bluespec's ESL synthesis offers a single environment -- what Bluespec refers to as a Virtual Systems Platform -- for modeling and design, creating an automated path to hardware. This virtual prototyping environment is suitable for both software development and modeling, and can be used for unit development and testing, or leveraged for regression testing.

Key new features of Bluesim include increased simulation performance, with acceleration ranging from four to 15 times faster than traditional event-based simulators, and a direct C interface that avoids co-simulation overhead. An interactive interface can be employed for user control over debug. And, it supports multiple clock domains enabling the simulation of systems with blocks running at different clock speeds.

A native ESL simulator supporting Bluespec SystemVerilog, Bluesim can be used for software drivers, initialization and diagnostics, firmware, micro-code and accurate modeling and design tradeoffs. It enables design and simulation at any level of abstraction and reuse of design components and testbenches across abstraction layers, even while designers refine their designs.

Unlike a design flow that takes golden RTL to virtual prototyping, Bluesim can deliver a software platform earlier in the design cycle, even as early as the first model. Software functionality is reached faster due to earlier access by the software team, higher quality ESL design and a unified environment from modeling to implementation.

Additionally, designers are not forced to redesign or rewrite code to conform to a virtual prototyping-style document. Instead, Bluesim offers a push-button approach for model development. It leverages high-level scheduling knowledge and constructs and is not limited by the need to infer information from low-level RTL code.

Availability details

Bluesim is shipping now, with pricing starting at $39,000 for a one year, time-based license. It supports Linux operating systems.

For more details, contact George Harper, Bluespec's vice president of marketing, who can be reached at (781) 250-2200.

About Bluespec

Bluespec Inc. manufactures an industry standards-based Electronic Design Automation (EDA) toolset that significantly raises the level of abstraction for hardware design while retaining the ability to automatically synthesize high-quality RTL, without compromising speed, power or area. The toolset, the only one focused on control and complex datapaths, allows ASIC and FPGA designers to reduce design time, bugs and re-spins that contribute to product delays and escalating costs. More information can be found on www.bluespec.com or by calling (781) 250-2200.