IEEE takes first steps to standardize SystemC

Mike Santarini
(11/18/2004 3:27 PM EST)

  SAN JOSE, Calif. — SystemC has moved a step closer to becoming a standard with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.'s (IEEE) announcement Thursday (Nov. 18) that it has begun standardization work on the SystemC Language Reference Manual (LRM).

The SystemC LRM was originally developed by the Open SystemC Initiative (OSCI), which announced in June of 2003 its intent to hand over the language to the IEEE. Now, the IEEE has officially accepted and announced the IEEE P1666 standard, which will it review and standardize as the SystemC LRM.

By standardizing LRM, tool vendors will be able to develop tools to a standard format of the language. The language itself has yet to be standardized by the IEEE but the P1666 is a first step, an OSCI spokeswoman said.

The new standard, sponsored by the IEEE Standard Association Corporate Program and the Design Automation Committee of the IEEE Computer Society, is targeted for completion in 12 to 15 months.

The SystemC language and its proof-of-concept open source implementation can be downloaded at the OSCI Web site.