Siemens Digital Industries Software (DI) now offers the Symphony Pro platform for the verification of complex mixed-signal systems-on-chip (SoC). It extends the robust verification functions of the proven Symphony platform. It supports Accellera's standardized verification methods with a comprehensive visual debug cockpit. Productivity can thus be increased tenfold.
Automotive, vision, IoT, 5G, computing and storage demand better analog and mixed-signal content in next-generation SoCs. This applies to the integration of the analog signal chain with digital front-end (DFE), 5G massive MIMO cellular stations, RF sampling data converters for radar systems, image sensors with analog pixel readout and digital image signal processing, or in data centers with mixed-signal circuits for PAM4.
"The functional verification of mixed-signal circuits is crucial for image processing and the automotive industry," says Stephane Vivien, Senior CAD Manager at STMicroelectronics. "We participated in the early access program for Symphony Pro and were able to achieve significant productivity gains with its advanced debugging capabilities. We will use Symphony Pro as a sign-off solution for mixed-signal verification."
Digital control, calibration and signal processing in mixed-signal chip architectures is leading to a paradigm shift in verification. The platform, which is based on the Symphony and Questa visualization platforms, extends the use of low-power techniques with the industry standards Universal Verification Methodology (UVM) and Unified Power Format (UPF) to the mixed-signal area. It also offers the simulation of high throughputs and capacities in a standardized environment.
"Our customers are constantly advancing the technology of mixed-signal SoC designs," explains Ravi Subramanian, Senior VP IC Verification at Siemens DI. "This increases the need for innovation in the EDA tools required for design, verification and validation." He is pleased that with Symphony Pro, a platform can be provided that gives customers the opportunity to realize decisive competitive advantages on the basis of uniform mixed-signal verification.
