Multicore processor design may have got a bit simpler to day with the publication of the Multi-Core Debug (MCD) API v1.0, which is the result of the EU-funded Sprint project.
Within the project ARM, NXP, Infineon, STMicroelectronics and Lauterbach have worked together to develop new software debugging techniques for multi-core system-on-chip (SoC) designs.
The project members along with TIMA Laboratory have jointly created the MCD API, which is designed to provide debug tools with a unified debug interface to both real hardware and software simulations.
"This allows engineers to start the application development early in the SoC platform design flow without having to switch to other debug tools during the transition from virtual prototypes to real hardware," said the project team in this week's release.
Importantly, the MCD API will address multi-core debugging in complex SoC designs.
ARM has demonstrated the ability to debug an Infineon based hardware board using the MCD API and the ARM Model Debugger for Fast Models.
The MCD API is a powerful but simple C-interface.
It provides the necessary means in order to perform efficient application debugging for multi-core SoCs and comes with a set of sub-APIs offering the following features such as Connection/instantiation and configuration of debug servers and Retrieving information about the connected system through API function calls and IP-XACT descriptions.
"The MCD API allows our customers to use a seamless flow with the same software tools for simulation and silicon," said Dr. Albrecht Mayer, Senior Principal Emulation Systems and Tooling from Infineon Technologies.
According to Bart Vermeulen, Senior Scientist, NXP Semiconductors. "The adoption of the MCD API will lead to a reduction in tool configuration effort for the validation and debug of embedded systems, thereby saving development costs and improving time-to-market."
The MCD API can be used under the terms of its license derived from the common BSD licence.
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