Virtual ARM Machine for Embedded System Development

임베디드 시스템의 가상 ARM 머신의 개발

To reduce time-to-market, more and more embedded system developers and system-on-chip designers rely on microprocessor-based design methodology. ARM processor has been a major player in this industry over the last 10 years. However, there are many restrictions on developing embedded software using ARM processor in the early design stage. For those who are not familiar with embedded software development environment or who cannot afford to have an expensive embedded hardware equipment, testing their software on a real ARM hardware platform is a challenging job. To overcome such a problem, we have designed VMA (Virtual ARM Machine), which offers easier testing and debugging environment to ARM based embedded system developers. Major benefits that can be achieved by utilizing a virtual ARM platform are (1) reducing development cost, (2) lowering the entrance barrier for embedded system novices, and (3) making it easier to test and debug embedded software designs. Unlike many other purely software-oriented ARM simulators which are independent of real hardware platforms, VMA is specifically targeted on SYS-Lab 5000 ARM hardware platform, (designed by Libertron, Inc.), which means that VMA imitates behaviors of embedded software as if the software is running on the target embedded hardware as closely as possible. This paper will describe how VMA is designed and how VMA can be used to reduce design time and cost.