With the increasing SoC hardware and software complexity, developers need more from their IP providers to help meet their project schedules. Traditional IP blocks alone are no longer adequate to address the growing SoC design and integration challenges.

The DesignWare IP Prototyping Kits center around proven reference designs that enable designers to start implementing the IP in an SoC context in minutes. The IP Prototyping Kits provide the essential hardware and software elements needed to reduce IP prototyping and integration effort, including Synopsys' HAPS-DX FPGA-based prototyping system with pre-configured IP and SoC integration logic, a PHY daughter board, simulation testbench and a DesignWare ARC processor-based 32-bit software development platform running Linux, reference drivers and application examples.

Designers can modify the standard IP configuration for their target application through a fast iteration flow consisting of Synopsys' coreConsultant IP configuration tool, Synopsys' ProtoCompiler synthesis and debug tool, and compilation scripts.

"With 50 percent of our budget going to software development, it's necessary for us to have deeper system expertise to better support our customers," said John Cummins, senior vice president, worldwide sales and marketing at DisplayLink.

"We need to focus not only on acquiring the individual IP blocks, but also how the IP is integrated and validated in the context of the entire SoC. Synopsys' IP Accelerated initiative hits the mark by addressing the key needs that directly impact companies' ability to develop software for the IP and integrate it into an SoC."

The DesignWare IP Virtual Development Kits are SDKs consisting of a reference virtual prototype, which includes a model of a multi-core ARM Cortex-A57 Versatile Express board and a configurable model of the DesignWare IP. The IP Virtual Development Kits run Linaro Linux and include reference drivers for the DesignWare IP as well as provide non-intrusive debug control and visibility.

Software developers can use either the IP Virtual Development Kits or IP Prototyping Kits as a proven target for early software development, bring-up, debug and test concurrently with SoC development. Out-of-the-box support for a Linux software stack ensures that software developers are up and running instantly and can focus on the IP-specific software (e.g., drivers, bootcode, firmware).

Both the IP Virtual Development Kits and IP Prototyping Kits easily plug into existing software tool chains and interface seamlessly with the most popular embedded software debuggers, providing system-wide debug and analysis capabilities. The kits can be easily extended to represent the full SoC, enabling early and fast development of the entire board support package (BSP).

"Due to the growing size and complexity of software, semiconductor companies are looking for new solutions to reduce the escalating cost and effort of embedded software development," said Chris Rommel, executive vice president of M2M and Embedded Technology at VDC Research.

With extensive knowledge in IP subsystem integration, Synopsys experts can assist designers in customizing the DesignWare IP for their specific application requirements and integrating the IP into their SoC. Companies can leverage Synopsys' IP expertise to obtain pre-validated, fully integrated subsystems, reducing the overall effort and cost to assemble and integrate the IP. Designers can then focus on differentiating their SoC rather than developing or integrating standards-based IP.

"Companies continue to face tremendous time-to-market pressures to stay competitive, and it is evident that the traditional approach to providing IP is no longer sufficient to meet their needs," said Joachim Kunkel, senior vice president and general manager of the Solutions Group at Synopsys.

"Customers are expecting more from their IP providers to address the exploding software content and increasing complexity of their chips. Synopsys' IP Accelerated initiative, with new IP Prototyping Kits, IP Virtual Development Kits and customized subsystems, helps designers achieve faster IP prototyping, easier IP integration, and earlier software development."