This 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 SpecC language itself. In this paper not only SpecC language but also SpecC-based design methodology are briefly discussed. The SpecC language specification working group (LSWG) under STOC is discussing on 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 SpecC language especially on 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 supporting tools for SpecC can consistently and easily be developed.
['Masahiro Fujita', 'Hiroshi Nakamura']
The standard SpecC language