Signal Integrity Software Inc. (SiSoft) and MathWorks will present the technical paper, “Two for One: Leveraging SerDes Flows for AMI Model Development,” today at DesignCon 2016 in Santa Clara. This paper presents a process that lets SerDes designers directly leverage models created during the SerDes design process to create IBIS-AMI simulation models. AMI models can then be provided to customers much earlier in the SerDes lifecycle, allowing feedback on applicability for customer applications while there is still time to adapt the actual design.
“AMI model development typically occurs only after the SerDes design has been finalized,” noted Barry Katz, SiSoft’s President and CTO. “AMI models are also generally created by a different group, so some knowledge of the original design intent gets lost in translation. This flow lets SerDes engineering create AMI quickly and efficiently. Reusing SerDes design models for AMI development has been a longstanding, but previously unattainable goal for many design teams.”
The flow being presented allows mixed Simulink/MATLAB models to be used for AMI model creation. The user identifies the variable parameters to be exposed in the AMI model, with the process creating the resulting C++ and AMI model wrapper code automatically. The flow uses a closed loop process to compare the behavior of Simulink/MATLAB models with their compiled AMI counterparts to ensure that the resulting AMI models correctly reflect the design’s intended behavior.
“Working with SiSoft allowed us to validate the quality of the generated models,” said Corey Mathis, Industry Marketing Manager for MathWorks. “Our customers wanted to ensure that the compiled AMI models provided the same results as their Simulink simulations, and the flow we created with SiSoft verifies that.”
SiSoft collaborates with customers and their suppliers to develop innovative solutions to the world’s toughest high-speed design problems. SiSoft accelerates design cycles through a combination of award-winning EDA simulation software, methodology training and support services. Quantum Channel Designer (QCD) is the Industry’s Premier IBIS-AMI Simulator for the design and analysis of Multi-Gigabit serial links and a DesignVision Award Winner. Quantum-SI (QSI) is the leading solution for integrated signal integrity, timing and crosstalk analysis of high-speed parallel interfaces. SiSoft’s products automate comprehensive pre- and post-route analysis of high speed interfaces, detailing a design’s operating voltage and timing margins. More information on SiSoft can be found at www.sisoft.com.