Abstract: A method and an apparatus take software source code to synthesize a hardware platform for running the software. The method determines which processor is suitable for running the code and meeting the performance parameters determined by the user. The method also determines which hardware devices are accessed by software. If the hardware target is a semiconductor chip, the invention selects the appropriate IP and creates an HDL description of the chip. If the hardware target is a printed circuit board, the invention creates a schematic or netlist that includes the appropriate microprocessor, the various semiconductor chips, and the necessary interconnections.

Abstract: The present invention is software that turns an inexpensive, standard personal computer (PC) into a platform for running embedded software. The present invention consists of two software components: a compiler assist component and a runtime component. The compiler assist component works in conjunction with a standard PC compiler to compile an embedded system application to run on a conventional PC. The runtime component executes on the PC and works in conjunction with the standard operating system drivers to allow an emulated system to communicate with real hardware connected to the PC or to virtual hardware that is simulated on the PC.