Profile of a traceability tool promising automation in SoC designs

By Majeed Ahmad, EDN

A new tool claims to identify and fix traceability gaps between disparate systems such as requirements, specifications, EDA toolsets, software code, and documentation in system-on-chip (SoC) designs. That allows chip designers to know immediately when a change occurs and its effect on other design artifacts and parts of the system.

Harmony Trace, implemented as an enterprise-level server-based application with a web-based user interface (UI), facilitates complete visibility of requirements traceability throughout the entire SoC design flow and product lifecycle. Moreover, it eases compliance with functional safety and quality standards such as ISO 26262, IEC 61508, ISO 9001, and IATF 16949.

A complex SoC often involves a suite of disparate and disconnected tools. So, when SoC goes through its product lifecycle, design engineers need to manage the whole lifecycle. “That makes it difficult to trace design requirements and artifacts across the SoC lifecycle,” said Mike Demler, senior analyst at The Linley Group. “Harmony Trace mitigates these issues by connecting discrete silos, enabling users to track requirements, implementation, verification and documentation mismatches across existing systems.”

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