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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, microwaves, 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. To this day, Cosmic’s founders remain leading members of the design team as it continues to improve the compiler and debugger technology while adding support for new microcontrollers. 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
  • 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
  • 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”
2003 – Present
  • 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
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.
  • Motorola’s 68HC05, 68HC08, 6809, 68HC11, 68HC12/HCS12, 68HC16, CPU32/CPU32+, and 68000 families of microcontrollers and microprocessors
  • Infineon’s C166 and C167 microcontrollers
  • Melexis’ MLX16 microcontrollers
  • STMicroelectronics’ ST7, ST7 LITE, ST10, and SUPER10 microcontrollers
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:


NXP Semiconductor (ex Freescale) I-Logix
STMicroelectronics I-System
Infineon Lauterbach
Melexis MicroC/OS-II
Axiom Manufacturing Nohau
Borland RistanCASE
CMX Vector Informatik
Hitex Vector Software


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:

AB Automotive, ABB, Advanced Fiber Communications, AEG Hausgeraete, Alaris Medical Systems, Alstom, Apple Computer, Audi, BAE Systems Avionics, Beru F1 System, BF Goodrich, Biotronik, BMW, Bose, Breed Technologies, Caterpillar, Connaught, Conti Temic, Cooper, DaimlerChrysler, Dassault, Delco Electronics, Delphi Automotive Systems, Department of Defense USA, DOD Canada, Eastman Kodak, Electrolux, EME Ltd, EREA NV, Ford Motor Company, NXP, General Dynamics, General Motors, Glenayre, Harris Corporation, Hella, Hitachi, Honeywell, Hughes Aircraft, Intertechnique Zodiac, Kelman, Kostal, Live Devices, Lucent Technologies, Magna Steyr, Magneti Marelli, Marconi, Mercedes, Messier Bugatti, Motorola, Nortel, Philips, Porsche, Raymond, Robert Bosch, RockWell Automation, Rosemount, Saab, Seagate Technology, Siemens, Siemens VDO, SNCF, Tellabs, TEMIC, Texas Instruments, Thales, Thomson Electronics, Thyssen Krupp, TRW, Tyco, United Technologies, Valeo, Vektor Informatik, Visteon Automotive, Volkswagen, Welch-Allyn, Whirlpool.

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

Augusta Technical Institute, Bayreuth University, Berlin Technikerschule, Bordeaux University, Bremen University, Brigham Young University, Brighton University, Bristol University, Case Western Reserve University, Clarkson University, Cornell University, DeVry Institute of Technology, Fachhochschule Bochum, Fachhochschule Deggendorf, Fachhochschule Heidelberg, Fachhochschule Köln, Fachhochschule Reutlingen, Gonzaga 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, Paris University, Politecnico di Milano, Purdue University, Queen' University of Belfast, Queen's University, Quemado High School, Rio Rancho High School, Southern Illinois University, Swedish Royal Institute of Technology, Texas A&M, Univerity of Swansea, University of Dublin, University of Erlangen, University of Karlsruhe, University of Osnabrueck, University of Patras, 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.