Press Releases
Cascade Coprocessor Delivers on Digital Camera Project for STMicroelectronics
Audio Functionality Offloaded without Modification, Proven on Prototype System
San Jose, California - September 6, 2005 - CriticalBlue, a provider of tools for accelerating software in embedded microprocessor applications has announced the successful completion of a digital camera project for STMicroelectronics. CriticalBlue's Cascade was used to automatically offload unmodified embedded software from the main processor and onto an optimized coprocessor architected by Cascade. The coprocessor was run on a Xilinx® Virtex-IITM device within a prototype system, demonstrating the benefits of the Cascade approach to the project's stakeholders.
"The first objective of building this prototype was to prove that we could offload new audio functionality from our main processor onto a hardware coprocessor in a very short time, thus gaining a significant time-to-market advantage. The second goal, equally as important, was to leave CPU cycles available to run additional software functions on the processor, adding extra flexibility to our applications. Also, the parallelism introduced by Cascade will reduce the power consumed by the audio functionality," stated Jean-Luc Jaffard, Imaging R&D Director, STMicroelectronics, SA. "It should be noted that Cascade works directly from the application code, without needing specific prerequisite knowledge, and this was significant because we were able to offload software functions and validate the resulting coprocessor without having to tune the code or manually partition it."
This solution has been integrated in a very innovative STMicroelectronics' silicon platform for next generation imaging systems. A main processor, a state-of-the-art image reconstruction video pipeline and the memory sub-system form the heart of the platform. The system bus provides the linkage with all the various peripheral devices such as the audio coprocessor. By ensuring that the same piece of silicon can be used to address multiple customer needs, ST Microelectronics has recognized that the key to prolonging the product life of any given silicon platform is to build a degree of programmability into it. The co-operation with CriticalBlue has provided STMicroelectronics with early access to the Cascade technology, vital for the company to maintain its position of a leading player in platform design, with multiple generations of such devices already in production.
"Cascade continues to demonstrate its maturity. By placing the tool directly in the hands of customers doing real design work with real embedded software, we have introduced automation into what has largely been a manual stage in the development process," stated David Stewart, CEO, CriticalBlue. "We are pleased that STMicroelectronics has capitalized on this automation and that it allowed them to identify and implement a point in the solution space which meets their project goals, not just in terms of performance and power but also in terms of time to market."
Offloading New Software Functionality inside the Silicon Platform
STMicroelectronics' audio application was ~ 5,000 lines of C code. Analysis of the profiling results of the application indicated that, to free up >90% of the main processor's execution cycles, over 200 functions would need to be offloaded onto a Cascade coprocessor. Cascade, working directly from the compiled executable code of the complete application, produced a series of candidate architectures based on user defined system constraints. Once the best architecture had been identified, Cascade optimized and generated RTL for the coprocessor as well as creating the coprocessor's microcode. The offloading of the 200 functions was handled entirely by Cascade, including the necessary hardware and software interfaces between the main processor and the coprocessor. The final stage of the flow was to simulate and verify the RTL and then to use the Synplify ProŽ software to optimize and map the coprocessor onto a prototype system based on Xilinx® Virtex-IITM FPGAs.
Running the complete application on the resulting physical prototype system made it easy to use and generate audio files to prove that the offloaded functionality was behaving as expected. The coprocessor was implemented in a single FPGA. The main processor was another device in the prototype system and the interfacing between the two processing elements was done via the system bus. Measurements based on significant audio samples showed that the goal of freeing up >90% processing power on the main processor had also been achieved.
"This very experienced design team at STMicroelectronics was able to easily estimate how long it would take to offload 200 new software functions into hardware accelerators," stated David Stewart, CEO, CriticalBlue. "Not only did this project show STMicroelectronics that Cascade can dramatically reduce their design times but it produced a programmable coprocessor so that updates to the main application can be uploaded in the field."
About CriticalBlue
CriticalBlue delivers Cascade, a design tool that synthesizes optimized programmable coprocessors to accelerate embedded software within platform SoCs. Cascade analyses executable software code to accelerate identified functions by offloading those functions from the main processor onto a coprocessor. It then automatically creates a broad range of coprocessor architecture and implementation options to enable designers to achieve the requisite performance, area and power trade-offs, while minimizing project risk and development time. Cascade is used by both semiconductor and system design companies. For more information visit www.criticalblue.com.
About ST Microelectronics
STMicroelectronics is a global leader in developing and delivering semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications. An unrivalled combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners positions the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence markets. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 2004, the Company's net revenues were $8.76 billion and net earnings were $601 million. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.
For more information, please contact:
David Stewart
CriticalBlue
+1 408 467 5091
Leslie Cumming
Skye Marketing Communications
+ 1 415 285 2352