Virtual Component Transfer spec released

Virtual Component Transfer spec released
By Richard Goering, EE Times
March 19, 2001 (7:13 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20010319S0095

LOS GATOS, Calif. — In an attempt to make it easier to find and evaluate silicon virtual components in online catalogs, the Virtual Socket Interface Alliance (VSIA) this week will release a "virtual component attributes" specification. The spec, from the organization's Virtual Component Transfer working group, has been endorsed by the Virtual Component Exchange, the Silicon Integration Initiative and Design and Reuse.

The new Virtual Component Transfer (VCT) specification details what information suppliers of silicon intellectual property (IP) should provide, and in what format, for system-on-chip integrators, said VSIA president Tim O'Donnell. "People can create electronic catalogs using this specification, so you can look up and compare information in a standardized way," he said.

Formally titled "Virtual component attributes with formats for profiling, selection and transfer," the standard is also known as VCT 2, since it is the second s pecification released by the VCT working group. VCT 2 provides the attribute structure and syntax needed for exchange of catalog information over the Internet or through CD-ROMs.

For example, a section on performance details how virtual-component providers should specify such attributes as frequency, power consumption, throughput and latency. For latency, suppliers are asked to specify the mode of operation for which the latency is applicable, the system-level interface associated with that mode, and latency measured in terms of clock cycles and in seconds.

Simplified searches

The theory is that if everybody provides such information in a standardized way, catalog searches will be greatly facilitated. And with the support of the Virtual Component Exchange (VCX), Silicon Integration Initiative and Design and Reuse, which already has an online IP catalog, it appears that different cataloging systems will support the same data.

VCX is setting up a catalog so people can find components to purchase through the exchange, O'Donnell noted. "In the process of doing that, they were helping us clarify and find enhancements to put into the specification. Because VCX gave us real-time feedback, we were able to update the spec to make it better."

The initial VCT 1 specification discussed attributes "in a more generalized way," O'Donnell said. VCT 2 provides more detailed information aimed at electronic catalogs. An upcoming VCT 3 specification will focus more on the information content — in terms of the file and directory structures — that needs to be delivered with virtual components. VSIA hopes to get VCT 3 out by the end of the year, O'Donnell said.

VSIA members can download the VCT 2 document free at www.vsia.org. Nonmember licenses are available for a fee. The part number is VCT 2 2.2.