Intel CoFluent Studio
Overview
Intel CoFluent Studio can be used to model and simulate the behavior, timing requirements, architecture and
performance estimates (throughput, latency, load, power, memory, cost) of any electronic system: HW IP,
embedded SW application, mixed HW/SW multiprocessor system. Use cases of the system are modeled so the
automatically generated transaction-level SystemC code can be used as verification testbench.
Behaviors are described with intuitive graphical notations and ANSI C/C++ code, although algorithms can be left
undefined and abstracted to their sole execution time. Platforms are built by assembling generic models of
universal components like processors, integrated circuits, memories, busses, interfaces. Each generic model
provides variable design parameters to easily adjust its behavior and performance characteristics.
Intel CoFluent Studio allows for behavioral and performance estimation without the need for embedded
software application code, firmware, or a precise description of the platform with models of each component/IP
core.
No hardware IPs are needed
No embedded software is needed
No firmware / OS is needed
No ISS is needed
Toolset
Intel CoFluent Studio is an integrated Electronic-System-Level modeling and simulation environment
composed of:
A graphical modeler for capturing the system's use cases, behavior and execution platform (the frontend)
A simulation framework for automatically generating and instrumenting a transaction-level SystemC model of
the complete system (including HW/SW partitioning) and interpreting simulation traces with a rich set of
analysis tools
A SystemC library (extending the Accellera SystemC 2 and TLM libraries) constituting the computation
(multiprocessor, multicore, multitask/multithread) and communication (message queues, events, busses,
interconnects, networks) simulation engine at the heart of Intel CoFluent Studio
A DML code generator for translating graphical models into fast functional models for the Wind River Simics*
simulation platform
Systems
Intel CoFluent Studio targets complex multiprocessor systems with rich application content, whether they
are:
Multi-board (large equipment, distributed/networked system)
On-board (embedded system)
On-chip (SoC, FPGA, ASIC, ASSP)
Packages
Intel CoFluent Studio for Timed-Behavioral Modeling
Targeted at system/specification engineers, application modeling/testbench developers and software engineers
For modeling and simulating the behavior and time properties of electronic applications with simple graphics and
C/C++ code
For automatic generation of SystemC or DML timed-functional model
For obtaining timed-executable specifications of the application for further system architecting or implementation
Intel CoFluent Studio for System Architecting
Targeted at system architects and software architects
For exploring prospective system architectures (application-to-platform) and predicting their performance and
power consumption
For obtaining a virtual system (platform + application) description in transaction-level SystemC serving as
executable specifications for further hardware/software design and implementation
Benefits
Intel CoFluent Studio allows developers of electronic systems and chips to:
Decide
Problems
80% cost-impacting decisions are taken in project's first 20% with few data
Current processes can't cope with growing complexity and time-to-market
Existing tools only help verify late in projects already made choices
Cost to fix late design errors is prohibitive
Solutions
Securely predict behavior and performance from partial software and hardware for design validation at
all stages
Advantages
Run short iterations for taking the right decisions at the right time
Validate choices and detect errors earlier
Optimize the system's architecture
Benefits
Mitigate risks of project delays and cancellations
Reduce development time
Decrease bill of materials
Share
Problems
Too large gap from specification to implementation
Hardware & software engineers have no common understanding
Difficult communications between multicultural and multidisciplinary teams across distributed sites
Ambiguous specifications lead to misinterpretation and incompleteness
Difficulties to define subsystems and manage subcontracted work
Solutions
Provide system executable specifications rather than static documents for common hardware/software
reference
Advantages
Facilitate implementation
Foster and organize teamwork
Ease interactions between all project stakeholders
Benefits
Reduce development time
Mitigate risks of project delays and cancellations
Capitalize
Problems
Little to no reuse of non-implementation work
Projects at risk if loss of key contributors
New projects can't benefit from past experience/expertise
Solutions
Capture projects' system design expertise in enterprise model libraries for easier and faster innovation
Advantages
Build a knowledge repository from project to corporate level
Reduce organizations' dependency on individuals
Accelerate new and derivative/maintenance project inception
Benefits
Increase new product introduction rate
Mitigate risks of project delays and cancellations
Availability
Supported hosts
Microsoft Windows* OS
Red Hat Enterprise Linux* (for simulation only)
Supported C++ development environments
For Windows* OS-based simulation: Microsoft Visual Studio*, MinGW GCC*
For all Linux*-based simulation: GNU GCC*
Supported SystemC platform
Accelera SystemC 2.2 & TLM 2.0
Synopsys
Cadence
Mentor Graphics
