SystemC reference manual running slightly behind schedule

SystemC reference manual running slightly behind schedule
By Peter Clarke, EE Times
March 6, 2002 (4:49 a.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020301S0076

PARIS — The Open SystemC Initiative (OSCI) is expected to announce at the Design Automaton and Test in Europe (Date) conference that it is pushing ahead with production of a language reference manual (LRM) for SystemC. But the LRM may arrive up to one year later than OSCI had originally planned.

SystemC is a C++ class library and modeling platform being developed for design and verification work beyond the scope of today's HDLs. It has backing from a number of EDA vendors, and OSCI is also aiming for eventual IEEE standardization of the language.

OSCI is preparing to announce at this year's Date conference, which begins Monday (March 4), that it has contracted Paul Menchini, of Menchini and Associates, to develop the LRM for delivery later in 2002. However, the OSCI Web site states that the language's LRM was due " late in 2001."

"Ultimately, delay from original plan occurred due to mundane organizational things like ramp up of OSCI finances and from OSCI being everyone's "second job," said Kevin Kranen, director of strategic programs at Synopsys Inc. and president of OSCI. "No one should be disadvantaged by delay as all have had access to the 'gold standard' for SystemC v2.0, the actual reference implementation, since last July."

Delivery of the LRM is expected to be OSCI's first step towards standardization of SystemC by the IEEE. OSCI expects to present the language to the IEEE for standardization within two years.