Automation of Parallel Design through Model-Based Development Shortens Development Period by One Tenth
Renesas RH850 Multicore Model-Based Development Environment
TOKYO, Japan, June 23, 2016 — Renesas Electronics announced the development of a RH850 multicore model-based development environment (RH850 MBD: tentatively named “Embedded Target for RH850 Multicore”), a software development solution for Renesas’ RH850 multicore microcontrollers (MCUs) designed to simplify the implementation of complex cruise control for the autonomous-driving era.
With rising expectations for autonomous-driving systems as the year 2020 approaches, there is a need for precision combined and coordinated control by multiple high-functionality electric control units (ECUs) in order to realize quick recognition, delay-free judgement and operation, and precise adaptive cruise control (ACC). To address these needs, it is expected that multicore MCUs that provide high processing performance and low-power performance are required. On the other hand, model-based development (MBD) is being adopted for complex and enormous software development, however there was no support for multicore software implementation design such as code parallelization and core assignment.
Against this background, Renesas has developed the RH850 MBD (Note 1), as a solution that enables: automating the multicore software implementation design, confirming its functionality and performance during the early stage of the MBD, and maximizing performance of the multicore MCUs.
The RH850 MBD automatically searches the optimum core assignments for the control models, and can generate parallel code for multicore MCU and a processor-in-the-loop simulation (PILS) environment in several tens of seconds (Note 2). Among other features, it can also display the execution state of each core, broken down by subsystem. By using the RH850 MBD, developers can reduce the total development period to approximately one-tenth of what used be required when tasks such as core assignment and parallel source code generation and verification had to be performed manually.
Key features of the new RH850 MBD:
(1) Automatic searching for optimum core assignments for control systems and automatic parallelization
The RH850 MBD interoperates with the eSOL MBP Renesas RH850 PILS Package (tentative name), an optional product based on the Model Based Parallelizer (abbreviated below as eSOL MBP (tentative name)) model based parallelizing tool from eSOL Co., Ltd., to automatically search for optimum core assignments based on execution times obtained from a PILS environment running on a single core. This makes it possible to compare, directly in a MATLAB and Simulink model, software configurations that efficiently utilize multicore performance capacity.
(2) Automatic generation of parallel source code and visualization of multicore performance at the modelling stage
Inter-core synchronization blocks and PILS communication blocks are arranged automatically within a model, according to a core assignment plan from the model based parallelizing tool or an assignment plan designated by the user, and parallel source code for the RH850 is generated by Embedded Coder from MathWorks. At the same time, within the multicore PILS environment, which is constructed automatically, it is possible to confirm at the modelling stage the characteristic performance deviation caused by parallel operation on a multicore architecture. This allows system manufacturers to avoid backtracking in the latter stages of development and helps reduce the time required to develop mass production code.
(3) Graphical display of execution status of each core using Simulink models for individual subsystems
The debugger functions of Renesas’ integrated development environment, CS+, can acquire simulated execution times for individual subsystems and show a graphical display of the execution status of each core. This makes it possible to check the processing margin available in the step corresponding to the worst execution times in the simulation.
The RH850 MBD automatically generates RH850 multicore parallel code in the implementation phase from the Simulink model, and via a development sequence including function and performance verification, contributes to the realization of advanced autonomous-driving control systems providing improved fuel economy for green vehicles as well as enhanced safety.
Availability
The RH850 MBD will be available from fall 2016. (Availability is subject to change without notice.) A video introducing the functions of the RH850 MBD is available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnsWPQQTKPg
(Note 1) The industry's first model-based environment for cruise control MCUs with support for a multicore architecture (as of June 23, 2016), according to research by Renesas.
(Note 2) For a Simulink model with several thousand blocks. Based on results obtained by the Model Based Parallelization Lab at Nagoya University.
The RH850 MBD incorporates the results of R&D work conducted by Renesas with support from the Strategic Innovation Program for Energy Conservation Technologies of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), and its practical implementation is the result of joint research with the Parallel and Distributed Systems Lab at Nagoya University.
For more information on the RH850 MBD, please visit:
https://www.renesas.com/en/products/software-tools/tools/model-base-development/embedded-target-for-rh850-multicore.html
About Renesas Electronics Corporation
Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723) delivers trusted embedded design innovation with complete semiconductor solutions that enable billions of connected, intelligent devices to enhance the way people work and live. A global leader in microcontrollers, analog, power, and SoC products, Renesas provides comprehensive solutions for a broad range of automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT applications that help shape a limitless future. Learn more at renesas.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
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