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The product development process typically involves starting the software development and the hardware development at the same time.  When this happens, hardware development will almost always finish before the software development. This lag or delay in development can cause many problems.

Pentad Design’s Approach
Pentad Design has developed a proprietary approach that is different and vastly better. We build the software before the hardware.
This enables two things:
1) Keeps the software effort out of perpetual crunch-mode – i.e. normal sequence is build hardware then turn on software effort while everyone waits impatiently, and schedules/budgets slip.
2) Allows all disciplines to participate and interact early, permitting a better integrated, optimized, and successful product.

Development time comparison

Up to 30% Time to Market Improvement with Pentad Design’s Process

By comparison, an “average” project may take 9 months to complete with the Electronics development and the Software development started at the same time. With Pentad Design’s methodology, the schedule can be reduced by up to 30%, realizing a three-month schedule improvement.
With a project that has the Electronics development started first and some time later the Software development begins, the “average” project could take 9 to 11 months of development time. Using Emulation Methodology, the schedule/cost savings could be even more significant.

Emulation Platform Methodology
How is this accomplished?
Pentad Design Corporation has developed and uses a proprietary tool we call “Emulation Platform” methodology. This methodology is a process by which we develop “Real Product” code in a PC environment. We can debug and test code, including whole-user interfaces and when completed, download the code directly to the hardware without source code change.

This enables us to do such things on the PC as:

1. Construct LCD panel simulations. LCD artwork is captured and animated. Individual segments can be controlled in simulation exactly as they would be in the target hardware.
2. Construct LED simulations. LEDs are animated in the simulation.
3. Construct "invisible buttons" that respond to mouse clicks on the overlay or front-panel. These mouse clicks behave in the simulation exactly as button presses would behave in the target hardware.
4. Construct the UI. This permits all team members to view the LCD panel, LEDs, and buttons in actual use.
5. Target hardware I/O ports and devices are emulated using C++ objects.
6. The “Emulation Platform” can then be emailed to the customer for feedback. (In most cases, the entire software portion of the project can be completed before the hardware is built.)

Pentad Design’s “Emulation Methodology” is vastly superior to target hardware, it allows virtually 100% code cross-compilation and simulation, the ability to emulate hardware before it is ready, ability to emulate sounds, and the ability to emulate LCD panels before they are ready.

The advantages of working with Pentad Design’s “Emulation Methodology” are:

1. Improving time to market through rapid software prototyping in advance of the actual hardware.
2. Early feedback to marketing about the User Interface
3. Early feedback on Overlays and LCD panels.
4. Ability to completely size the Code and Data memory requirements before hardware is constructed which then provides a high degree of confidence that the components selected will be in the production design. This cuts down on design iterations and time!

services | people | portfolio | contact | affiliations | brochure downloads

services | people | portfolio | contact | affiliations | brochure downloads

services | people | portfolio | contact | affiliations | brochure downloads

Pentad Design introduces our PCB Design Services. Your project will benefit from state-of-the-art PCB CAD tools and hardware, senior designers, and in-house engineering to support the design and fabrication process from start to finish. Real-time, interactive design reviews will keep your project on time and on task.

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