I just noticed (late) that the latest release of HAPS ProtoCompiler, 2016.03 is available. The new release can be found under SolvNet here. (A SolvNet ID and a valid HAPS ProtoCompiler license will be needed for download.)
Posted in ASIC Verification, Bug Hunting, Debug, FPGA-Based Prototyping, HAPS-70, HAPS-80, Man Hours Savings, Performance Optimization, Real Time Prototyping, Tips and Traps, UltraScale
Hey, it’s not too late to attend SNUG Silicon Valley: http://www.synopsys.com/Community/SNUG/Silicon%20Valley/pages/default.aspx
Posted in ASIC Verification, Bug Hunting, Daughter Boards, Debug, DWC IP Prototyping Kits, Early Software Development, FPGA-Based Prototyping, FPMM Methods, Getting Started, HAPS-80, HW/SW Integration, In-System Software Validation, IP Validation, Man Hours Savings, Performance Optimization, Project management, Real Time Prototyping, Support, System Validation, Technical, Tips and Traps, UltraScale, Use Modes
The term “Dark Fibre (Fiber) refers to the additional lines/capacity of optical connections a carrier would install when they laid a new pipeline. These unlit optical connections were built in assuming the need for additional capacity in the future. The thinking was that it’s cheaper to do it all at once vs. adding lines/pipelines later. The problem is that this extra capacity is going to waste and while the main carrier was not using it, someone else could have.
Posted in FPGA-Based Prototyping, HAPS-80, Man Hours Savings, Milestones, Project management, Tips and Traps, UltraScale, Use Modes
Over the next couple of weeks I’ll blog with more details on the key capabilities of the newly available HAPS-80 with ProtoCompiler integrated solution.
Posted in FPGA-Based Prototyping, FPMM Methods, Getting Started, HAPS-80, Man Hours Savings, Performance Optimization, UltraScale
Recently at SNUG in Israel I was lucky enough to attend two presentations created and delivered by Intel teams on their use of FPGA-based prototyping. The first: “Methodology and Best Practices deployed by Intel for FPGA-based prototyping” discussed various technics they employ to streamline the creation of an FPGA-based prototype. It’s like a mini methodology guide so I highly recommend you review the material.
Posted in ASIC Verification, Debug, Early Software Development, FPGA-Based Prototyping, FPMM Methods, Getting Started, HW/SW Integration, In-System Software Validation, IP Validation, Man Hours Savings, Milestones, Performance Optimization, Project management, System Validation, Technical, Tips and Traps, Use Modes
It’s been a while since Xilinx shipped the first UltraScale VU440 engineering sample devices to Synopsys so I thought it time to deliver a short update on development progress. It might be hard to see in the above but that is a picture of one of the new development HAPS systems for the UltraScale VU440 devices. I say hard to see not only as the picture quality is low but also because we have the system completely configured with intelligent interconnect as part of our stringent characterization and functional validation process.
Posted in Admin and General, ASIC Verification, Bug Hunting, Daughter Boards, Debug, DWC IP Prototyping Kits, Early Software Development, FPGA-Based Prototyping, HW/SW Integration, Hybrid Prototyping, In-System Software Validation, IP Validation, Man Hours Savings, Milestones, Project management, Real Time Prototyping, System Validation, UltraScale, Use Modes
I spent a lot of time this week talking about timing biased automated partitioning which is the ability of the ProtoCompiler partition engine to generate a partition and pin multiplexing implementation with the goal of maximizing performance of the final prototype implementation. As it’s getting close to Easter I thought it was fitting to discuss ProtoCompiler’s Multi-Hop optimization algorithm. (Easter, Easter bunny, hop, you see what I did there?)
Posted in ASIC Verification, FPGA-Based Prototyping, Tips and Traps
Possibly inspired my one of my blogs, Troy Scott, wrote a new whitepaper to help dispel the myths of physical FPGA-based prototyping. TTFP = Time To First Prototype
Posted in FPGA-Based Prototyping, FPMM Methods, Humor, Milestones, Project management, Technical, Tips and Traps
Last week’s blog How many ASIC Gates does it take to fill an FPGA? definitely stirred the pot. Part Deux (two?) goes back to basics filling in some gaps and follows up with data supplied by my good friends over at Xilinx.
Posted in ASIC Verification, FPGA-Based Prototyping, Man Hours Savings, Milestones, Use Modes
I was forwarded this user quote and I thought I would share as it was so heartwarming for me The design came up on HAPS in less than two weeks and we found a rather serious bug early in testing. This is the bug that would have cost the company dearly if it wasn’t found until later in the development cycle. It’s short and sweet and communicates the HUGE value that FPGA-Based Prototyping delivers. This note reminded me that a while back I did an internal analysis of the value of HAPS FPGA-based prototyping in respect to the various use modes. The use modes I examined was Functional Verification, HW/SW Integration, Firmware Development, System Validation and Software Development. First I created a baseline score for HAPS in respect to various user requirements. This list stays consistent across all use modes.
Posted in ASIC Verification, FPGA-Based Prototyping, HW/SW Integration, Hybrid Prototyping, In-System Software Validation, IP Validation, Milestones, Project management, Real Time Prototyping, System Validation, Use Modes
Michael (Mick) Posner joined Synopsys in 1994 and is currently Director of Product Marketing for Synopsys' DesignWare USB Solutions. Previously, he was the Director of Product Marketing for Physical (FPGA-based) Prototyping and has held various product marketing, technical marketing manager and application consultant positions at Synopsys. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Electronic and Computer Engineering from the University of Brighton, England.