Mentor Blogs

I have pondered before the appropriateness of Linux for embedded applications. My initial stance was clear enough: I could see very little sense in it. Why use a desktop operating system in such a completely different context? Over the years, the popularity of embedded Linux has increased, the technology of embedded systems has moved on and I have reappraised my views accordingly. With Mentor Embedded … Read More

Multi-OS, Multicore, Linux

I have always for medical electronics interesting and I have blogged about it from time to time [here and here, for example]. Part of the reason for my interest stems from an occasional feeling that so much of the electronics around me is ultimately pointless. Many Mentor Embedded customers are making consumer devices, cell phones and other gadgets. Do we really need all of these? Aren’t they really … Read More

Android, User Interface, Linux, Networking, Inflexion UI, Low Power, Nucleus, Multicore, Medical, RTOS

Multicore continues to be a hot topic. Recent Web seminars, that we have run, were well attended, with lots of searching questions. I have discussed the subject here before, looking at the differences between AMP [Asymmetric Multi-Processing] and SMP [Symmetric Multi-Processing], for example. In various recent discussions with colleagues and customers, I have realized that there is more clarification … Read More

Nucleus, Multi-OS, AMP, Multicore, RTOS, SMP, MCAPI

At the heart of most mil/aero electronics—and arguably the most important component of current electronics systems is the processor. Virtually all mil/aero electronics take advantage of processors of one sort or another, whether x86, powerPC, RISC, FPGA, 32-bit, or 64-bit. Many different types of processing devices are employed by the modern warfighter, in fact. Today’s soldier, fed up with being made … Read More

Hardware, Engineer, Design Automation, Milaero, Computer, Warfighters, Mentor Graphics, x86, COTS, Geek, osbourne executive, Multicore, Thermal, Mentor, Mil-Aero, UAV, powerpc, Embedded Systems, Military, Silicon, Electronic, battlefield, soldier, soldiers

Processors are rapidly advancing the state of the art in the commercial world, and the mil/aero community is anxious to reap the benefits of the technology. Moore’s Law, which states that the number of transistors placed on an integrated circuit will double every two years, has taken on a slightly different look and feel as we are reach the physical limits of transistor density in a single core. We … Read More

DoD, Hardware, Silicon, Computer, Mentor, Design Automation, Moore's Law, soldiers, Mentor Graphics, Electric, Military, Multicore, Warfighters, battlefield, moore, Gordon E. Moore, Electronic, Mil-Aero, Embedded Systems, Engineer, Milaero, Aerospace, network-centric, Geek, soldier

Some weeks ago, I wrote a blog entry on MCAPI, which seemed to provoke some interest. Last week we ran a Web seminar on this topic, in conjunction with the Multicore Association. This was well attended and seemed well received. You can access the archive recording here. We will be running another session soon, with timing oriented towards European attendees. I have done quite a few Web seminars now … Read More

Multi-OS, RTOS, Multicore, TCP/IP, Nucleus, MCAPI

It is becoming common for embedded designs to incorporate more than one CPU - maybe multiple cores on a chip or multiple chips on a board or any combination of these. Indeed, it has been suggested that it will soon be the norm to build systems that way. The use of multiple cores has spawned various technologies and, of course, much terminology and jargon. When new technical terms and acronyms appear, … Read More

Multicore, Multi-OS, MCAPI, Nucleus, Android, Linux

As usual, I attended the Embedded Systems Conference in San Jose, CA last week. I guess it remains the foremost show in the embedded world in North America for sure - probably worldwide. My role was to make some presentations and look after the theater on the Mentor Embedded [our new branding for the Embedded Software Division of Mentor Graphics] booth. I did not have a chance to attend any conference … Read More

Multi-OS, Android, Multicore, Low Power, MCAPI

I recently wrote about a “multi-core” development project that I worked on many years ago, including some details of how we managed communication between the CPUs. Things have moved on a lot since those days and multi-core is now rapidly becoming the norm in embedded designs. It is, therefore, unsurprising that a degree of standardization is being established. Specifically, the Multicore Association … Read More

MCAPI, TCP/IP, Multicore, Nucleus Kernel, Nucleus, Linux

Last week, I wrote about a “multi-core” project that I was working on 30 years ago. To be fair, it was actually “multi-CPU” rather than “multi-core”, but many of the challenges were similar, as was the initial design decision to take the approach of distributing the processing capacity. It is interesting to draw a comparison between the system we were developing all those years ago and modern ideas … Read More

Nucleus, MCAPI, Linux, IPC, Multicore, Nucleus Kernel, Interprocessor Communication, Android

Sometimes I think that there is nothing truly new in the world. With technology, it is often a question of the time being right. On a previous occasion, I looked at programming languages and how what we use nowadays is mostly a development of 30-40 year old technology. It occurred to me that the current enthusiasm for multi-core designs is really nothing new. I browsed some of the literature and titles … Read More

Multicore

It was well over 10 years ago and I was working a trade show booth with a techie colleague. It was quiet and we were bored. We chatted about things that interested us and eventually settled on our common ground: embedded software. He made a reference to “back in the 8 bit days”. I questioned this: “We are in the 8 bit days now!”. He did not believe me … It was not that he thought I was deceiving him … Read More

Development Tools, Low Power, Multicore, RTOS, Automotive

It is increasingly common for embedded designs to be implemented using multiple cores. At Mentor Graphics we are keen to support our customers by providing software and services to help them with such endeavors. We also espouse the idea of using multiple operating systems in such designs. I recently presented a Web seminar on this topic [a recording is available as an archive] and I have written a few … Read More

Multi-OS, Linux, Multicore, Nucleus Kernel, Nucleus, Android

Working for Mentor Graphics is interesting, but can have some challenges. One of the facets of the company that makes us unique is embedded software. There are a couple of other companies that Mentor would regard as key competitors, but they are both totally focussed on electronic hardware design - “electronic design automation” [EDA]. A very large part of Mentor has that orientation, but we are unique … Read More

Multi-OS, RTOS, Multicore, Nucleus Kernel, Nucleus, Linux

Hi, I’m Russ Klein and I’m an engineering manager here at Mentor Graphics.  I work on two products, Seamless and Codelink. I’ve spent the last 20 years of my career working in that nebulous space between the hardware and software worlds.  That’s why I’ve chosen the title of this blog to be “It’s all about the software.”  It’s a phrase that Steve Jobs used when describing the Apple iPhone.  While … Read More

Multicore