The standard SpecC language

The paper introduces SpecC language, a system level description language based on C, and its consortium, SpecC Technology Open Consortium (STOC). Currently, SpecC language version 1.0 is publicly available. SpecC technology covers SpecC-based design "methodology" as well as the SpecC language itself. The authors describe the SpecC language as well as the SpecC-based design methodology. The SpecC language specification working group (LSWG) under STOC is discussing SpecC version 2.0. We also give a summary of the discussions being made by LSWG, targeting version 2.0. We plan to formally release version 2.0 in the beginning of 2002. The main goal is to precisely and exactly define the formal semantics of the SpecC language, especially regarding the semantics relating to parallel and concurrent statements and event control mechanisms. These are the issues on which SpecC version 1.0 does not give clear and concise semantics. With these clarifications given by SpecC version 2.0, varieties of support tools for SpecC can consistently and easily be developed.