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Virtio speeds the creation and distribution of software models of embedded systems for early software development. These software models, called virtual platforms, shorten the design cycle through early software development, improve product quality with early HW/SW integration and promote design collaboration via on-line access and easy electronic distribution. Virtio breaks down critical time-to-market barriers for both embedded system suppliers and developers with virtual platforms and its patent pending virtual prototyping technology. Virtio is based in Campbell, California in the USA and has development centers in Campbell and the Alba Centre in Scotland.
The Need
The growing markets for embedded solutions are driven by short product life cycle, fast time-to-market and a need to create a critical mass of application software. Market growth and time pressures have fostered an exploding industry centered on the supply and development of IP intensive embedded solutions. The ever-increasing demand for post-PC devices, coupled with worldwide shortage of engineering resources and shrinking windows of opportunity are driving a design methodology shift in the way these systems are created. This shift can be described as follows:
| Traditional |
New |
| HW-centric design |
SW-centric design |
| In-house development teams |
Out-sourced/distributed development teams |
| Design from scratch |
Platform-based designs |
| Home-grown custom solutions |
Multi-sourced HW and SW IP |
The speed of proliferation and adoption of new platforms, or IP
intensive embedded solutions, is constrained by the availability and
limitations of the hardware evaluation and development boards. These key
issues and limitations delay both product development and suppliers'
revenue.
In fact, a survey of embedded developers conducted by Electronic Market
Forecasters (November 2000) revealed that over 60% of embedded systems
solutions miss schedule by an average of 3.8 months. Developers comment
the key issues with delivering on time are misinterpreting hardware
functionality specifications and the ability to efficiently integrate
the software with the hardware.
Innovate Software on Software
Virtual prototyping allows the creation of a high-performance software model of a complete system - without the need for physical hardware. The technology is powerful and scaleable enough to model a complex embedded system and yet fast enough to develop and execute production-quality software very early in the design cycle. The Virtio technology allows software developers to innovate software on software.
Virtio Products
Virtual Platform - a software model of an embedded system. Each platform is ensured to integrate
with software IP (RTOS, drivers and protocol stacks) and development tools (IDE, debuggers and compilers)
delivering a complete environment for the software development team.
Platform Development Kit - customizable version of the Virtio Virtual Platform that includes a virtual
platform, a library of components that can be used to easily modify or extend the platform and authoring
tools to create peripheral stubs and even new models.
Learning Kit - teaches a novice user the fundamentals of creating peripheral models and building virtual
platforms with Virtio's virtual prototyping technology.
Benefits
- Early software development - without the need of the physical hardware
- Shorter development cycles through early hardware/software integration
- Simplifies extended team collaboration via electronic distribution
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