Enables EDA vendors to provide access to Fast Models from ARM

ARM [(LSE: ARM); (Nasdaq: ARMH)] today announced at DAC, San Francisco, Calif., that CoWare, Mentor Graphics and Synopsys Inc. have joined the ARM® Fast Models Enablement Program. Members of the Program are able to integrate fully validated Fast Models from ARM, for a range of ARM® processors, into their virtual platform environments and deliver to their customers. This ensures that mutual customers can create complete ARM Powered® virtual platforms using the design flow of their choice. By using virtual platforms built around ARM processor Fast Models, engineers can develop software well in advance of final hardware implementation, with application and driver software running at near to real-time system performance.

The Fast Models product family from ARM includes programmer’s view (PV) models for the ARM9™, ARM11™ and Cortex™ families of processors, including the Cortex-A9 MPCore™ multicore processor. The Fast Model products also include configuration tools that enable the export of ARM processor-based subsystems with OSCI SystemC and TLM-2.0 compliant interfaces.

“We are seeing a growing demand for high-performance models in the industry,” said John Cornish, EVP and general manager, System Design Division, ARM. “The TLM-2.0 interface enables our customers to combine our processor Fast Models with models of their other IP to create complete virtual platforms in the design environment of their choice.”

“CoWare has successfully delivered Electronic System Virtualization solutions for ARM processor-based designs for many years supporting architecture design, verification, software development, integration and test. With our further engagement in this broader program covering the ARM Cortex Fast Models, we continue to expand this position to serve the growing needs of our joint customers,” said Marc Serughetti, vice president of Marketing and Business Development at CoWare Inc. “This integration and partnership is already proven and in use at several customers resulting in significant time-to-market benefits for those customers.”

“Mentor’s Vista technology offers a comprehensive architecture design and prototyping solution that relies on fast processor and peripheral models as an essential part of the solution. The integration of the architecturally accurate ARM Fast Models into our Vista Platform will deliver significant value to our mutual customers,” said Simon Bloch, Mentor Graphics vice president and general manager, design and synthesis division.