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Home / About Cosmic

About Cosmic Software

Cosmic Software is a leading producer of software development tools and services for the embedded systems industry. Cosmic development tools are used in the creation of electronic systems found in a variety of products including: automobile transmissions, anti-lock brakes, air bag controllers, washing machines, pacemakers, mobile phones, fiber optic switches, heavy construction equipment, avionics, robotics and many more. Established in 1983 and headquartered in France, Cosmic Software operates subsidiaries in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany along with a worldwide network of distributors to help provide the local support that is crucial to the success of its customers. Cosmic Software is committed to giving its customers the best available software tools and support services to help them complete their projects on time, under budget and with greater innovations.

History

Cosmic Software was founded in 1983 by Dr. Maurice Fathi and Jean-Pierre Lavandier in Paris France. As practicing embedded engineers themselves, Cosmic’s founders recognized the need for standardized high-level language programming tools to simplify the coding needed for the rapid deployment of new and better software applications to the embedded systems market. Cosmic’s design team continues to improve the compiler and debugger technology while adding support for new microcontrollers and technologies. The following is a brief history of Cosmic Software and its products.

1983-1988
  • Company founded as C Operating Systems MICros to provide software development services to the embedded systems market
  • Forms a technical and business alliance with Whitesmiths Ltd., a leading supplier of C- and Pascal language development tools for Motorola 68000-microprocessor-based systems
  • Introduces a line of 8-bit C-language cross-compilers running under MS DOS, Sun OS, and HP-UX that were distributed under the Whitesmiths brand name
  • Delivers processor simulation products providing users with the ability to execute and test application code without target hardware
  • Adds a line of embedded debugging and simulation products for MS DOS that allows users of both Cosmic and Whitesmiths embedded compilers to debug their application code at the C and assembly language level using simulation, monitor, and in-circuit emulation debugging hardware
1989 – 1993
  • Cosmic releases development tool suite for Motorola’s 68HC11 and 6809 families of microcontrollers
  • Adds cross debugger technology on native SUN and HP-UX operating systems as well as MS DOS and Windows
  • Cosmic develops a host independent object format to allow users on different hosts to collaborate and share objects
  • Introduces the first C-level background debug-mode debugger with the release of its ZAP BDM debugger and compiler for Motorola’s 68HC16 family of microcontrollers
  • Delivers development tools for the HC12 family of processors which offers on-chip flash and hardware breakpoints to create a real-time debugging environment directly on the target system without the need for external hardware emulation
1994 – 1995
  • Establishes Cosmic Software Inc. as a direct support and sales office for its products in North America
  • Introduces a completely redesigned compiler and assembler technology offering much improved interface, optimizations and debug capabilities while remaining source compatible with the existing product line including support for HC11, HC12, HC16 and 68K based processors
  • Delivers development tools for Motorola’s HC08 family or microcontrollers including C compiler, ZAP simulator and ZAP MMDS debugger for Motorola’s MMDS08 in-circuit emulator and development boards (MMEVS)
  • Releases C compiler and debugger tools for Motorola’s HC05 processor family including ZAP Simulator and ZAP for MMDS05 in-circuit emulators
  • Delivers a major update to its Motorola 68000 product family to include support for 68300/CPU32 processor core. Tool suite includes ZAP BDM real-time target debugger and simulator
1996 – 1999
  • Establishes Cosmic Software LTD And Cosmic Software GmbH as direct support and sales offices in the United Kingdom and Germany and secures representatives in the Middle East and Pacific Rim countries
  • Delivers a full set of development tools for STMicroelectronics’ ST7 family of processors including C compiler, ZAP debugger for ST’s in-circuit emulators and development boards as well as ZAP ST7 simulation
  • Cosmic introduces Windows integrated development environment - IDEA provides an easy to use editor with integrated processor specific features and help
2000 – 2002
  • HCS12 - Adds support for Motorola’s next generation HCS12 family of processors. New product includes compiler, ZAP BDM debugger with support for new FLASH and byte EEPROM technology along with ZAP simulation debugger
  • Linux Support - Delivers cross compilers hosted on the Linux operating system allowing Cosmic users running on PC-Linux, Windows, SUN and HP to collaborate and share objects
  • Introduces a syntax and style verification tool to support and enforce the Motor Industry Software Reliability Association (MISRA) publication entitled “Guidelines for the Use of the C Language In Vehicle Based Software”
  • Added support for Melexis MLX16 family of microcontrollers
2003
  • S08 - Introduces ZAP HCS08 BDM real-time debugger and adds compiler support for Motorola’s HCS08 processor family. Support includes real-time BDM debugger with Flash programming and innovative on-chip program trace and code profiling.
  • Cosmic releases a new development tool suite for Infineon’s C16X and STMicroelectronics’ ST10 processor families that includes ANSI C compiler, processor simulation and industry standard debugging formats IEEE-695 and ELF/DWARF for compatibility with most existing hardware

2004

  • S12X/XGATE - Adds support for Freescales/Motorola’s next generation S12X family of processors including a compiler for the XGATE co-processor. New product includes compiler, ZAP BDM debugger with support for new FLASH and byte EEPROM technology along with ZAP simulation debugger

  • Cosmic introduces tools for STMicroelectronics' ST7 family of 8-bit microcontrollers

2006

  • Freescale DSC - Adds support for Freescales Hybrid DSP/DSC 56800 family of processors New product includes compiler, ZAP USB TAP debugger and FLASH programmer.

  • Cosmic releases CTestit automated application test suite using BDM or processor simulation. Supprt for S08, S12 and S12X.

2007

  • Cosmic releases a new development tool suite for STMicroelectronics’ STM8 microcontroller family. Iincludes ANSI C compiler, processor simulation and industry standard debugging format ELF/DWARF for compatibility with most existing debuggers and hardware.

  • Cosmic releases a new development tool suite for EPAD MD microcontroller family. Iincludes ANSI C compiler and processor simulation debugger as well as industry standard debugging format ELF/DWARF.

2008

  • Power Architecture - Cosmic adds support for Freescales Power Architecture e200 (5600) devices for automotive and industrial markests . New product includes IDE, compiler, ZAP Multilink JTAG debugger with support for new FLASH and byte EEPROM technology along with ZAP simulation debugger.

  • Also adds support for STMicroelectronics' Power Architecture e200 (SBC) devices for automotive and industrial markests . New product includes IDE, compiler, ZAP Multilink JTAG debugger with support for new FLASH and byte EEPROM technology along with ZAP simulation debugger.

2010

  • ColdFire - New development tool suite for Freescale's ColdFire V1 Family to support the Freescale S08/ColdFire microcontroller continum. Includes ANSI C compiler, processor simulation, BDM debugger and Flash programmer and industry standard debug format ELF/DWARF for compatibility with most existing hardware.

2012

  • ARM Cortex - Cosmic releases a new development tool suite for ARM Cortex M microcontroller family. Includes ANSI C compiler, processor simulation and JTAG debugger. Supports devices from Freescale, STMicroelectronics and NXP.

2014

  • Cosmic releases a new development tool suite for RENESAS RX family. Iincludes ANSI C compiler and processor simulation debugger.

2015

  • STM8 core validation library. Cosmic releases Software Test Library that provides real-time diagnostic coverage for the STM8 Core.

Market

The last twenty years have seen tremendous growth in the market for embedded programmable microcontrollers. Manufacturers in a variety of industries have incorporated literally billions of microcontrollers into their products from a single microcontroller in a SmartCard to over fifty in the average automobile. As product development is increasing in both cost and complexity, more and more companies are recognizing the need for rapid deployment of a high performance, reliable and reusable software technology base. A key element of this technology base is development tools that enable engineers to efficiently design, debug, and reuse optimized application code. For over twenty years Cosmic Software has helped its customers grow and succeed by giving them the best software tools and services available to meet their ever changing needs.

Products and Services

Cosmic Software product portfolio includes C-language cross-compilers, assemblers, processor simulators, hardware debuggers, a MISRA style and syntax checker, and an easy-to-use integrated development environment (IDEA). The compiler product line features ANSI/ISO C-language with microcontroller-specific features and libraries, optimizing code generation, relocatable macro assembler, linker, programming utilities and standard debugging formats. Cosmic products are available for use on personal computers and workstations running Windows, PC-Linux, Solaris, and HP-UX operating systems.

Cosmic’s ZAP line of C- and assembly language debugger products support several execution and test environments including simulation, monitor, BDM and in-circuit emulation. The simulation version of the ZAP debugger allows users to test and debug their application without any target hardware. ZAP’s Monitor and BDM debuggers provide a low-cost real-time debugging environment on your target. For mission critical applications, ZAP debuggers are also available preconfigured for industry leading debugging hardware including development boards and in-circuit emulators.

Cosmic’s product portfolio of high performance development tools includes support for the following target processor cores.

  • Freescale’s 68HC05, 68HC08, 6809, 68HC11, 68HC12/HCS12, HCS12X/XGATE, 68HC16, CPU32/CPU32+, ColdFire V1, Power Architecture and Kinetis families of microcontrollers and microprocessors
  • Infineon’s C166 and C167 microcontrollers
  • Melexis’ MLX16 microcontrollers
  • STMicroelectronics’ ST7, ST7 LITE, STM8, ST10, and SUPER10 microcontrollers
  • ARM Cortex M devices from Freescale, STMicro
Every professional product from Cosmic comes with one year of free comprehensive product-support services and updates. Product support includes unlimited voice and e-mail access to Cosmic’s technical support experts as well as free product upgrades. Cosmic also offers optional Web-based and on-site training to help its customers get a quick start on a design. Cosmic’s new-product development services give customers a way to customize and create development tools for new or proprietary processors. Much of Cosmic’s core technology can be quickly and cost-effectively modified to create development tools for new or enhanced processor cores or to accommodate customer-specific features. We encourage our customers to keep us informed about what they are doing and what they need in the way of development tools giving customers a way to influence future Cosmic products and enhancements.

Partnerships

Cosmic Software ensures that its products work seamlessly with other embedded development tools by creating its tools in close cooperation with semiconductor companies and other partners in the embedded systems industry. With this close cooperation, Cosmic gives its customers the confidence to choose the best combination of hardware and software tools to meet their design needs. Cosmic partnerships include:


Freescale Semiconductor Renesas
STMicroelectronics I-System
NXP Lauterbach
Melexis MicroC/OS-II
Axiom Manufacturing Vector Software
ARM Vector Informatik
CMX  
P&E Microcomputer Systems  


Customers


Cosmic Software's customers include software developers from single-person engineering firms to large design teams from leading manufacturers in the automotive, communications, medical and consumer goods industries. Cosmic Software provides all of its customers large and small with the tools and services necessary to decrease their design costs and increase their return on investment. Cosmic Software continues to grow its business by offering more products and services to an ever-expanding base of new and loyal customers. To date, Cosmic Software's customers includes design and production teams from the following corporations:

ABB Advanced Fiber Communications Apple Computer
BF Goodrich Biotronik Bose
Breed Technologies Caterpillar DaimlerChrysler
Delco Electronics Delphi Automotive Systems Department of Defense USA
DOD Canada Magna Ford Motor Company
General Dynamics General Motors Glenayre
Harris Corporation Hitachi Honeywell
Hughes Aircraft Lucent Technologies Magnetti Marelli
Marconi Mercedes Motorola
Nortel Philips Raymond
Robert Bosch Rosemount Seagate Technology
Siemens Tellabs TEMIC
Texas Instruments Thompson Electronics TRW
United Technologies Valeo Visteon Automotive
Welch-Allyn Whirlpool

Cosmic Software Development Tools are also used for research and classroom training at many Educational Institutions including:

Augusta Technical Institute Brigham Young University Case Western Reserve University
Clarkson University Cornell University DeVry Institute of Technology
Gonzaga University Purdue University Iowa State University
Lafayette College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Montana State University
New Mexico Tech North Carolina A&T State University Northern Alberta Institute of Tech
Oakland University Queen's University Quemado High School
Rio Rancho High School Southern Illinois University Texas A&M
University of California University of Detroit University of Massachusetts
University of Maryland University of Minnesota University of North Florida
University of Rochester University of Southern Florida Utah State University
Virginia Tech University Washtenaw Community College Western Kentucky University
Wichita State University


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