Purpose of Virtual Platform Service

To help customers shorten time-to-market, Faraday provides a virtual platform with IP models right after the system specification confirmed. It makes concurrent hardware and software development possible to reduce time–to–market effectively.

 

 

Virtual Platform Framework

The framework of Faraday virtual platform is built upon Synopsys Virtualizer, which is widely used with most customer experiences. Processors, buses and hardware components are replaced by IP models that can execute codes correctly. The selection of IP models covers ARM CPUs Fast models, Faraday and Synopsys IP models.

 

 

Faraday virtual platform service is categorized to Virtual Prototyping Solution, Hybrid Prototyping Solution, and Mixed Prototyping Solution.

Virtual Prototyping Features

  • Synopsys-Virtualizer-based virtual platform for Faraday ASIC/SoC development
  • Quick customized Virtual Platform delivery time
  • Faster simulation than FPGA
  • Abundant IP models from Faraday, ARM Fast Model and Synopsys
  • Visibility and Controllability for easy debugging
  • SystemC-HDL co-simulation
  • Virtual IO support
  • Suitable for boot code, OS, driver, middleware and application development

 

Mixed Prototyping Features

  • Virtual Platform connecting with Faraday platform and FPGA
  • Achievable speed is similar to FPGA prototyping
  • Customer owned designs can be integrated and validated in context of the final software
  • Leveraging the existing asset and experience for the following if any
    • Faraday SoCreative!™ series platform
    • Faraday FIE3200 FPGA solution
    • Synopsys VDK

 

Hybrid Prototyping Features

  • Virtual Platform connecting with Synopsys FPGA (HAPS) or Synopsys emulator (Zebu)
  • Faster than cycle-accurate models
  • Integrate with high-speed IOs
  • Validate the final RTL configuration in context of the final software

 

Virtual Prototyping Solution

  • Customized Virtual Platform
    The virtual platform is generated by GUI interface; Faraday provides SystemC models of the existing RTL codes and thus can quickly deliver a virtual platform. Faraday virtual platform also supports SystemC-HDL co-simulation. It integrates SystemC models and cycle accuracy RTL code inside and shows more behaviors in detail.

 

 

  • Virtual IO
    With virtual IOs, the embedded software is able to test the Host PC application or physical devices. Faraday is the first vender to provide USB model with virtual IO on Synopsys Virtualizer 

 

 

Mixed Prototyping Solution

Mixed prototyping solution provides the flexible environment for early software development. It can leverage the mature FIE3200 FPGA solution, and introduce required IP designs for enriching the IP models in the VDK, as necessary as customer’s RFQ requirement.

 

 

Hybrid Protoyping Solution

Virtual prototyping solution provides the software development environment. When the customer needs a fast prototyping solution but the required IP models are unavailable, the customer can apply the hybrid prototyping if a Synopsys HAPS FPGA is handy. 

 

 

Virtual Platform Demo System