May 8, 2006 – Infineon spinoff OneSpin Solutions GmbH has released its OneSpin 360 Module Verifier, a verification system used instead of simulators to detect functional errors in complex digital modules and IP. The technology can verify peripherals, processors, and processor-based subsystems of up to “a few hundred thousand lines of code,” saving millions of dollars in respin costs, the company claims.

The system enables verification of functional compliance between the transaction and register transfer (RT) levels, aiming to support risk-free reuse of IP components, especially processor cores. It uses proprietary algorithms to detect errors missed by simulation-based approaches — e.g., unstimulated, overlooked, or falsely accepted errors — and blocks the error escape routes inherent in simulation, the company explained in a statement.

OneSpin was established in May 2005 as a commercial EDA company, backed by ?14M in VC funding to build upon technology developed by Infineon Technologies’ circuit verification environment (CVE) division. Infineon’s communications solutions business group is an early customer, using the OneSpin 360 system to fully verify its PPv2 protocol processor with about 40% less total verification effort than a previous, simulation-based project, according to Alexander Haggenmiller, director of intellectual property and re-use.

Siemens’ communications business also is using the technology, to verify various designs including two 4-million-gate system-on-chip designs with extremely complex logic and multiple re-use blocks, according to Holger Soukup, director of SoC development.

Another early adopter: DICE GmbH & Co KG, which claims it found 15 additional awkward errors in communication peripheral IP for baseband chips vs. other simulations, according to Markus Schutti, director of digital development.