A platform-based design framework to boost many-core software development

Embedded software engineers are dealing with complex and large software codes, which will continue to grow. To achieve a cost-effective design, concomitant hardware and software development is required during early design phases. This paper presents an open-source platform based design framework that combines different ADLs and simulators aiming at improving embedded software productivity, targeting future many-core embedded systems. The proposed approach adopts three models: RTL-VHDL level; RTL-SystemC coupled to ISSs; PBD (Platform Based Design) using OVP. The software (operating system and user applications) is the same for both models. Therefore, the OVP modeling allows fast software validation and debuggability. With the SystemC-ISS, it is possible to accurate estimate performance and energy consumption. The low-level model enables, besides area estimation, the validation of low-level protocols, as the communication protocol, network interface or flow-control mechanisms between routers. Results evaluate execution time, simulation time, and the number of executed instructions for several benchmarks using the proposed approach. The OVP model presents in average five times faster than the RTL-SystemC model, and the RTL-SystemC up to 155 times faster than the RTL-VHDL model.