Renesas Expands Renesas Synergy™ Platform and Reaches Unprecedented Software Quality Levels

Dusseldorf, March 14, 2017 – Renesas Electronics, a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today unveiled the latest expansion of its Renesas Synergy™ Platform at embedded world 2017. Key developments to the Synergy Platform include: the latest version of the Synergy Software Package (SSP) version 1.2.0 that assures unprecedented levels of software quality in accordance to processes defined by the international standard ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207 by offering a complete Software Quality Assurance (SQA) documentation package; a new Wi-Fi software framework to standardize and simplify connection of embedded IoT devices; and the new Synergy S5D9 Group microcontrollers (MCUs) enabling secure manufacturing and communication.

Renesas will showcase several demonstrations highlighting these new updates to the Synergy Platform solutions from March 14 to 16 at embedded world 2017 (booth Hall 4, Stand 104).

Synergy is a complete embedded platform starting with an Application Programming Interface (API) to leverage a full software framework that is built around the best-in-class Express Logic X-Ware™. This software framework, the SSP, is qualified, maintained, supported, and warrantied by Renesas to relieve developers from creating and maintaining low-level software over and over again on each of their embedded projects. The Synergy Platform also integrates a wide range of scalable ARM® Cortex®-M based MCUs fully accessible through the software APIs, an industry-leading 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.”

Renesas is also striving to save system developers’ resources by introducing a means to easily add Wi-Fi connectivity no matter what chipset or module is used. That, plus a new Synergy MCU Group of devices, enable customers to reach even more secure embedded applications. The Synergy Platform is organic and continues to grow in value to developers.

SSP v1.2.0 and documented software quality

Software quality is a crucial aspect of the lifecycle of any product using embedded MCUs. 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 to ensure:

100 percent test coverage of all code statements, branches, and jumps
Compliance to Renesas and MISRA C:2012 mandatory coding guidelines
Low code complexity for good readability, testability, maintenance
Code behavior matches requirements
Clean builds with no warnings and no errors

The SSP is not released unless these criteria have passed. Renesas is the first in the MCU industry to perform and document such testing at an embedded platform level.

Starting with SSP version 1.2.0, the SQA process, tests, and test results are published by Renesas for every minor SSP release. Publicly available are the Synergy Software Quality Handbook outlining the entire SDLC process, and a Synergy Software Quality Summary report with qualification test results. Additional detailed SQA documentation and test artifacts are available to customers under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This 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

Integration of wireless connectivity into embedded systems is challenging and requires support and documentation from multiple sources – Wi-Fi chipset or module makers, software protocol providers, and even development tool vendors to achieve successful integration. The Synergy Wi-Fi Framework removes those barriers for application developers.

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 enables 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. Support for additional Wi-Fi chipsets and modules will continue to be added to the Synergy Gallery over the coming months.

Synergy S5D9 Group MCUs

Synergy S5D9 Group MCUs, the first devices in the Synergy S5 Series, deliver performance, functionality, and security features needed for embedded and IoT applications. Enabled by the SSP and solution from Renesas’ partners, developers will 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. Specific features on these MCUs include a 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. Specialized 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. Learn more on the website about S5D9 Group MCUs and a PK-S5D9 kit to evaluate and quickly start your own design.

To learn more about the Renesas Synergy Platform, please visit www.renesassynergy.com.

About Renesas Electronics Europe

Renesas delivers trusted embedded design innovation with complete semiconductor solutions that enable billions of connected, intelligent devices to enhance the way people work and live – securely and safely. The number one global supplier of microcontrollers, and a leader in A&P and SoC products, Renesas provides the expertise, quality, and comprehensive solutions for a broad range of Automotive, Industrial, Home Electronics (HE), Office Automation (OA) and Information Communication Technology (ICT) applications to help shape a limitless future. Renesas was established in 2010 and is headquartered in Japan. With over 800 hardware and software alliance partners worldwide, it has the industry’s largest local support network. Renesas Electronics’ European structure is comprised of two business groups – automotive and industrial – as well as the Global ADAS Centre and the engineering group.

Further information about Renesas Electronics Europe is available at www.renesas.com.

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