Tutorial: Experience the Next ~Wave~ of Analog and Digital Signal Processing using SystemC AMS 2.0

Presented at DVCon U.S. 2014 on March 3, 2014

SystemCToday's embedded systems and SoCs contain more and more physical interface IPs (e.g., USB, PCIe, DDR, SATA and HDMI) and mixed-signal IP (e.g., Sigma-delta-ADCs, DACs and PLLs) which directly interact with the digital HW/SW subsystems. For example, many of these mixed-signal IP's are registered-controlled and can be configured and calibrated via the on-chip processor.

Furthermore, while data rates continue to increase, design of these high-speed peripherals requires inclusion of the analog/mixed-signal behavior in the overall signal processing chain to guarantee error-free transmission and reception over the physical channels. This requires new means to model and simulate the algorithms and signal processing capabilities of these peripherals, in combination with the HW/SW subsystems at functional and architecture level. Especially for this purpose, the SystemC language standard has been extended with powerful mixed-signal and signal processing modeling features to tackle the challenges in heterogeneous electronic system-level design and verification.

This highly technical tutorial targets system engineers, integrators, architects and verification engineers active in industrial projects where analog and digital signal processing functionality comes together and where interoperability between mixed-signal and HW/SW subsystems becomes apparent. Note that the tutorial does not target analog/mixed-signal circuit-level and mixed transistor/RTL modeling; instead, it will focus on abstract mixed-signal modeling for system-level design and verification.

This tutorial contains several "labs," so viewers are encouraged to actually create models, run simulations and look at waveforms. The tutorial sections are intended to be completed in order. The labs require a SystemC and SystemC AMS simulation environment. 

The tutorial is split into several sessions and labs:

  • Tutorial Introduction
    Martin Barnasconi, NXP Semiconductors
    (00:00)

  • Session 1: SystemC AMS Introduction
    Karsten Einwich, Fraunhofer IIS
    (4:11)

  • Lab 1: Sine Source Connected to a Sink

  • Session 2: Models of Computation
    François Pêcheux, Université Pierre et Marie Curie; Torsten Mähne, Université Pierre et Marie Curie
    (23:36)

  • Lab 2: Filtering and A/D Conversion

  • Session 3: SystemC AMS 2.0 and Applications
    Torsten Mähne, Université Pierre et Marie Curie
    (42:57)

  • Lab 3: Vibration Sensor

  • Workshop Summary
    (1:01:25)

View slides for sessions and labs >
Download lab examples >
Download lab solutions >

 

 

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