RealView^® Soft Macrocell Models provide an ideal platform for evaluating, benchmarking and prototyping systems based on ARM processors.

Typical uses

• Evaluation of new ARM processors
• System on chip prototyping
• Cycle accurate emulation and benchmarking

Description

Soft Macrocell Models (SMMs) are the first hardware implementation of new ARM processors to reach the market - they are available months or even years before test chips and standard ASICs begin to be manufactured. SMMs are often the only hardware implementation of specific revisions of ARM processors and let you specify different cache and TCM sizes, which makes them ideal for early evaluation and benchmarking of ARM technology.

A Soft Macrocell Model consists of an ARM processor synthesized in one or more FPGAs. The SMM gives full visibility of the processor's signals and behaves like a 100% cycle accurate model of the processor. By connecting the SMM to some hardware that implements the memory system you can prototype a complete system on chip before licensing the processor. This hardware can consist of one or more Logic Tiles, a hardware emulator or an FPGA-based custom board.

SMMs are also very useful for ARM licensees who already have the processor's RTL, as they save the considerable time and effort involved in porting it to an FPGA. As other RealView hardware platforms, SMMs provide a known working implementation of ARM's IP, allowing the customer to concentrate on debugging their own IP.

SMMs run at speeds in the 15-20MHz range, which is several orders of magnitude faster than software simulators, RTL simulators or hardware emulation boxes. SMMs combine accuracy with enough speed to boot operating systems or access communications peripherals in real time.

SMMs are sold with one year of support and maintenance. This includes upgrades to new versions of the processor.