emmtrix Performance Estimator

emmtrix Performance Estimator (ePE) provides static timing analysis of C code. Compared to simulation or measurement on hardware, static performance analysis can be applied significantly earlier in the development process and will deliver results on average 6 months earlier compared to a typical automotive HIL setup. The analysis only takes a few minutes at most and runs on the developer’s PC independently of any target hardware. Function developers can analyze their runnables or SWCs without the need of a fully integrated program. emmtrix Performance Estimator is fully compatible with Infineon's AURIX™ TC2xx / TC3xx/ TC4x microcontroller family, ensuring precise and reliable performance analysis for embedded systems.

A unique feature is the combination with TargetLink or Embedded Coder generated code. Without any measurement overhead, our static performance estimation can analyze even the smallest code snippets. This allows us to map the timing analysis to Simulink blocks, giving function developers insight into the timing behavior of their models.

Estimation Methods

In general, the execution time of a task or block can be modelled as:

t_exec = execution_frequency_block* single_duration_block

The C code based static code analysis derives the execution frequency by analyzing loop boundaries using constant folding. For the duration, each instruction in the code is modeled as the number of cycles of an abstract hardware model of the processor, and then summed.

ePE offers three accuracy levels:

• analysis of C code
• generically compiler-optimized code
• assembly code from the target compiler.

Method 1 yields results with minimum effort while method 3 takes the timing of the processor pipeline into account. All methods offer excellent reliability when tracking the tendency of changes in software runtimes e.g. when used in a continuous integration environment.

Static Code Analysis:

Processor Pipeline:

emmtrix Performance Estimator (ePE) supports different ways to acquire the duration of the tasks of an application. These methods vary in accuracy and additional software or hardware requirements. Static code analysis provides basic information without the need for hardware or special software and may thus be seamlessly incorporated into early stages of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). More accurate numbers can be collected with interfaces to simulators or the hardware. Depending on the requirements, the methods can be combined as desired.

Addressing performance issues at the onset of the SDLC is not only proactive but also cost-efficient. Early estimation and intervention, as suggested by the below graph, can drastically reduce the complexities and expenses associated with fixing defects post-deployment. Although early estimates may not be as precise as measurements taken during later stages, they serve as a crucial checkpoint to prevent potential timing issues from escalating. This preemptive approach aligns with the principle that the cost to repair defects increases exponentially as they progress through the SDLC, as shown by the sharp rise in cost depicted in the graph. Hence, initial performance estimations are a strategic investment, minimizing the risk of facing a steep climb in remediation costs and efforts at later stages.