Renesas’ Synergy platform expands – Wi-Fi, MCUs and SQA documentation added
Date: 10/04/2017
Renesas Electronics Corporation has expanded its Synergy platform to add Wi-Fi software framework, microcontrollers (MCUs) and documented SQA (software quality assurance) for a complete embedded platform.
The new developments to the Synergy platform include:
The latest version of the Synergy Software Package (SSP) version 1.2.0 assures software quality levels in accordance to processes defined by the international standard ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207 by offering a complete Software Quality Assurance (SQA) documentation package.
The new Wi-Fi software framework to standardize and simplify connection of embedded IoT devices
The new Synergy S5D9 Group microcontrollers (MCUs) to enable secure manufacturing and communication
Synergy embedded platform is expanded to include an Application Programming Interface (API), leveraging a full software package built around the Express Logic X-Ware. The new SSP v1.2.0 is qualified, maintained, supported, and warrantied by Renesas to facilitate developers on their embedded projects. The Synergy platform also integrates a variety of scalable ARM Cortex-M based MCUs fully accessible through the software APIs, a development toolchain IAR Embedded Workbench with intuitive configuration assistance, plus hardware kits for development and solutions.
“Since the launch of the Synergy Platform in 2015, Renesas’ objective has been to give back time and resources to our customers so they can do what they do best – innovate and differentiate” said Peter Carbone, Vice President of Synergy IoT Platform Business Division, Renesas Electronics Corporation. “We are now taking that to the next level by providing a complete Software Quality Assurance (SQA) documentation package for the SSP. Our customers will not only understand in detail the level of SSP software quality as a product, but they can also leverage our SQA package in proving and documenting quality in their own end-products, saving them an enormous amount of time and resources.”
SSP v1.2.0 and documented software quality
The lifecycle of any product using embedded MCUs depends on the software quality. To ensure that the SSP is of production-ready quality, the SSP is developed according to a documented and audited SQA process following established ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207 international standards that cover the entire SSP software development life cycle (SDLC).
The SQA process includes daily static and dynamic testing of the SSP using more than 8000 test cases so as to become the first in the MCU industry to perform and document such testing at an embedded platform level, says Renesas. No SSP is released unless these criteria have passed. Renesas to publish the SQA process, tests, and test results for every minor SSP release. Synergy software quality handbook and summary reports are publicly available while detailed SQA documentation and test artifacts are available to customers under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The SQA documentation will significantly reduce time and effort for customers needing to certify or otherwise document their own processes from a quality perspective.
Synergy Wi-Fi Framework
To achieve successful integration between wireless connectivity and embedded systems, support and documentation from multiple sources such as Wi-Fi chipset or module makers, software protocol providers, and even development tool vendors is very much essential. The Synergy Wi-Fi framework eliminates those barriers for application developers.
Renesas introduces a means to easily add Wi-Fi connectivity irrespective of the chipset or module used, thus aiming to save system developers’ resources. The Synergy Wi-Fi framework provides hardware abstraction through a set of uniform APIs for common Wi-Fi functions, independent of the Wi-Fi hardware used. This enable developers to quickly evaluate and add Wi-Fi technology from various vendors without having to adapt their applications to different APIs.
Customers can access the Synergy Wi-Fi framework and supported device drivers on the Synergy gallery. Currently the framework supports the Longsys GT202 Wi-Fi module using the QCA4002 chipset.
Synergy S5D9 Group of Microcontrollers
The new series of Synergy S5D9 group of MCUs are unveiled by Renesas to enable secure manufacturing and communication. These devices deliver performance, functionality, and security features needed for embedded and IoT applications.
Developers, enabled by the SSP and solution from Renesas’ partners, will now be able to establish a unique root-of-trust on each MCU to begin a chain-of-trust that spans from manufacturing through connection to deployed products.
MCU features include:
120 MHz ARM Cortex-M4 MCU core
Up to 2MB of on-chip flash memory and 640 KB of SRAM
A TFT-LCD controller
Precision analog acquisition
Ethernet interface, and
High-speed USB.
Specialised on-chip security features include the ability to generate and safely store private keys using symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, a true random number generator (TRNG) and special memory protection functions.
