Dolphin Design Selects Imperas for Processor Functional Design Verification  ImperasDV processor verification solutions enable ‘step-compare’ advanced functional verification including asynchronous events, plus verification IP reusability with RVVI.  Oxford, United Kingdom, June 5th, 2023 — Imperas Software Ltd., the leader in RISC-V models and simulation solutions, today announced that ImperasDVTM has been adopted by Dolphin Design for RISC-V processor verification for the Panther DSP/AI Accelerator IP from Dolphin Design. ImperasDV, with ‘step-compare’ methodology, is the state-of-the-art approach for processor design verification including asynchronous events.   The open standard ISA (Instruction Set Architecture) of RISC-V offers processor developers many options and configurable features, in addition to the supporting tools and software, this combination offers both design flexibility and ecosystem compatibility. ImperasDV supports the RISC-V design verification tasks across the complete specification with the Imperas golden reference model, architectural validation tests, additional functional test suites, coverage analysis, and simulation-based test methodologies for asynchronous events and debug operations.   The open standard RVVI (RISC-V Verification Interface) provides the essential guidelines for the infrastructure around the processor testbench that supports the growing ecosystem of Verification IP for RISC-V processor verification. The RVVI open standard and methodology is based on an open specification (https://github.com/riscv-verification/RVVI), and can be adapted to any configuration permitted within the RISC-V specification. In adopting the RVVI standard, developers can leverage all the common components off the shelf and explore additional options with reusable verification IP across projects.  “Our verification methodology for the Panther DSP/AI Accelerator IP needs to address not just the full range of the current configuration options but also the roadmap for Panther,” said Philippe Berger, CEO of Dolphin Design.  “ImperasDV is the cornerstone of our simulation-based DV strategy, with the Imperas golden reference model, scoreboard, verification IP, functional coverage analysis and debug efficiency.”    “In complex compute systems the processor core may be complemented with additional accelerators or combined in multicore arrays to address the application workloads,” said Simon Davidmann, CEO at Imperas Software Ltd. “RISC-V processor verification is always important, but this is especially true with complex structures that may present the processor core with unusual scenarios not encountered in traditional embedded designs. ImperasDV supports the sophisticated DV methodologies such as ‘lock-step-compare’ and asynchronous events that are required for today’s advanced cores and multi-processor platforms.”  Availability  The RVVI (RISC-V Verification Interface) specification is available at https://github.com/riscv-verification/RVVI.  The ImperasDV RISC-V processor verification technology is already in active use with many leading customers, some of which have working silicon prototypes and are now working on 2nd and even 3rd generation designs. These customers, partners and users span the breadth of RISC-V adopters from open source to commercial; research to industrial; microcontrollers to high performance computing. A select sample of these include – Codasip, Dolphin Design, EM Microelectronics (Swatch), Frontgrade Gaisler, Intrinsix, NSITEXE (Denso), Nvidia Networking (Mellanox), NXP, OpenHW Group, MIPS, Seagate Technology, Silicon Labs, and Valtrix Systems, plus many others yet to be made public.  ImperasDV is available now, additional details are available at Imperas.com/ImperasDV.  The free riscvOVPsimPlus package, including the Imperas RISC-V Reference Model, sample test suites and instruction coverage analysis, including updates for the latest RISC-V ratified specifications is also available on OVPworld at www.ovpworld.org/riscvOVPsimPlus.    Imperas at the RISC-V Summit Europe  Imperas is presenting a keynote talk on RISC-V processor verification at the RISC-V Summit Europe June 5-9 in Barcelona.  Additionally, Imperas is presenting a paper on “Hybrid Simulation with Emulation for RISC-V Software Bring Up and Hardware-Software Co-Verification,” as well as two poster papers.  Attendees can also talk to Imperas engineers at the exhibit booth at the Summit.    https://riscv-europe.org    About Imperas  Imperas is the leading provider of RISC-V processor models, hardware design verification solutions, and virtual prototypes for software simulation. Imperas, along with Open Virtual Platforms (OVP), promotes open-source model availability for a spectrum of processors, IP vendors, CPU architectures, system IP and reference platform models of processors and systems ranging from simple single core bare metal platforms to full heterogeneous multi-core systems booting SMP Linux. All models are available from Imperas at www.imperas.com and the Open Virtual Platforms (OVP) website.  For more information about Imperas, please see https://www.imperas.com/. Follow Imperas on LinkedIn, X @ImperasSoftware and YouTube.  About Dolphin Design  Dolphin Design is a leading provider of semiconductor IP solutions, specializing in ASIC and IP design targeting market such as Defense, Automotive, industrial, Personal electronics and IoT. Dolphin Design cutting-edge technology IPs in AI computing, Power management , High-quality Audio, Power metering and Design Safety/robustness, allow their thousand customers and partners to accelerates design cycles, fosters faster time-to-market and and build products/solutions that address the challenges of any industries and support a more sustainable world.  With a customer-centric approach, Dolphin Design provides exceptional support for successful project outcomes.   All trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of Imperas Software Limited or their respective holders.  Media contacts: Charlotte Reverand Communication Manager charlotte.reverand@dolphin.fr

Dolphin Design unveils an innovative IP for sound classification cutting down energy by 99% Grenoble, 27 June 2023. Dolphin Design, a leader in semiconductor IP solutions for power management, audio, and processing with ASIC design services, today announced the launch of WhisperExtractor, a game-changer mixed-signal IP for the voice and audio-enabled SoCs. WhisperExtractor IP indeed enables voice and sound classification at µW level power budget, paving the way to breakthrough always-on voice user interface and always-on sound detection.   This IP enhance battery-powered applications aiming at Keyword Spotting (KWS), Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Natural Language Processing (NLP), or power-efficient sound classification such as intelligent security camera.  The WhisperExtractor relies on a disruptive technology that addresses one of the major challenges of battery-powered devices that want to enable voice-user interaction or sound classification, which is power efficiency. It has become critical to have efficient and low-power SoC design to enhance the end-user experience.   How does the WhisperExtractor works?  Conventional signal processing methods to process Mel Frequency Spectrum Coefficients (MFCC) require a significant amount of energy to convert analog signals to digital and perform signal processing calculations and advanced software capabilities. It makes it difficult to implement always-on voice listening or sound classification without draining too much current from the battery.  WhisperExtractor is based on mixed-signal architecture to efficiently extract the MFCC needed for audio classification without requiring any software programming. It connects directly to an analog microphone and outputs the data needed by an AI accelerator block to handle inference/classification. This new approach shatters the limitations of conventional practices, empowering power consumption beyond previous boundaries.   The advanced architecture of this innovative IP helps reduce power consumption by up to 99% at system level, enabling an always-on listening function at a power budget of just µW, with a simple 32 kHz clock.   It frees massive headroom on DSP or CPUs and wakes up the system only when necessary.  Key Features and Benefits of the WhisperExtractor:   Unrivalled Power Efficiency: µW level power consumption, extending application live time of battery-operated devices.  Unrivalled Power Efficiency: µW level power consumption, extending application live time of battery-operated devices.  Always on domain friendly: 32 kHz clock input, RC or crystal oscillator.  Seamless software integration: MFCCs without any software programming.  Versatile: Built-in support of various use cases, voice classification, sound classification…   “We are proud to bring this cutting-edge technology to the IP market,” said Hakim Jaafar VP Marketing at Dolphin Design. “WishperExtractor furthers our investment in our comprehensive set of IPs that enable the cost-effective design of power-efficient SoCs. Be it our audio converters, power management, or processing IPs. With this ground-breaking IP, we prove once again that innovation is part of our DNA, so stay tuned! «   The Dolphin Design IP catalog encompasses more than 300 references of audio converters, power management, and processing IPs that are commodity features in SoCs. These IPs, which are proven in multiple foundries and processes enable numerous fabless and system makers that aim at designing a more energy-efficient SoC while focusing their in-house resources on more valuable tasks to differentiate their SoC.  Find out more here: Neuromorphic Audio | Dolphin About Dolphin Design  Dolphin Design, a Soitec subsidiary, is a leading provider of semiconductor IP solutions, specializing in ASIC and IP design targeting markets such as Defense, Automotive, industrial, Personal electronics and IoT. Dolphin Design cutting-edge technology IPs in AI computing, Power management, High-quality Audio, Power metering, and Design Safety/robustness, allow their thousand customers and partners to accelerate design cycles, foster faster time-to-market and build products/solutions that address the challenges of any industry and support a more sustainable world.  With a customer-centric approach, Dolphin-design provides exceptional support for successful project outcomes.  Media contacts: Charlotte Reverand Communication Manager charlotte.reverand@dolphin.fr

WhisperTrigger, Voice Activity Detection, is now part of Renesas’s lastest chip Dolphin Design’s WhisperTrigger is now part of Renesas SmartBondTM DA1470x product family of Bluetooth low energy (LE) solutions.  This chip is the world’s most highly advanced and integrated SoC family for wireless connectivity. About Dolphin Design DOLPHIN DESIGN is an innovative and fast-growing semiconductor company. It employs more than 150 people, including 140 engineers who design the key functions of an integrated circuit – called “IP blocks or platforms” – or even the complete integrated circuit – called ASIC or System-on-Chip (SoC). Our company has unique know-how in optimizing energy efficiency, which earned us the honor of being one of the 1000 companies worldwide to receive the Solar Impulse label. Alongside our customers, which today number more than 600 companies, we focus on long-term, human and ingenious collaborations that enable billions of people to use energy-efficient electronic equipment’s or devices every day. Whether our customers are targeting consumer electronics markets, including IoT, multimedia, AI and 5G, or automotive and aerospace markets, we help them unleash their creativity to make their products more competitive while being more responsible with their energy consumption. Our mantra to our customers is simple: “Tell us your biggest dream. Dare the impossible. We make it happen”. Media contacts: Charlotte Reverand Communication Manager charlotte.reverand@dolphin.fr