Method, system and program product for providing a configuration specification language supporting selective presentation of configuration entities

• US 20060026548A1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Roesner, Wolfgang, Williams, Derek Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 716/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking

Abstract

In at least one hardware definition language (HDL) file, at least one design entity containing a functional portion of a digital system is specified. The design entity logically contains a latch having a respective plurality of different possible latch values. With one or more statements in one or more files, a configuration entity is associated with the latch. The configuration entity has a plurality of different settings and each setting reflects which of the plurality of different possible values is loaded in the associated latch. A controlling value set for at least one instance of the configuration entity is also defined in one or more files. The controlling value set indicates at least one controlling value for which presentation of a current setting of the configuration entity instance is restricted. Thereafter, in response to a request to present at least a partial state of the digital system, a current setting of the configuration entity instance is excluded from presentation by reference to a configuration database indicating the controlling value set.

Claims

1. A method of specifying a selectively presentable digital system in one or more files, said method comprising:

in at least one hardware definition language (HDL) file among said one or more files, specifying at least one design entity containing a functional portion of the digital system, said at least one design entity logically containing a latch having a respective plurality of different possible latch values;

with one or more statements in said one or more files, associating a configuration entity with said latch, wherein said configuration entity has a plurality of different settings and each setting reflects which of the plurality of different possible values is loaded in said associated latch; and

with one or more statements within said one or more files, defining a controlling value set for at least one instance of said configuration entity, wherein said controlling value set indicates at least one controlling value for which presentation of a current setting of the configuration entity instance is restricted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuration entity comprises a Dial group containing a plurality of Dials, and wherein said controlling value set indicates a setting of a Dial among said plurality of Dials within said Dial group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of said configuration entity instance.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of another configuration entity instance.

5. The method of claim 1, and further comprising compiling said at least one HDL file to generate a simulation model of said digital system, said simulation model including said design entity and said latch.

6. The method of claim 1, said compiling further comprising generating, from said one or more statements, a configuration database including at least one data structure representing said configuration entity instance and indicating said controlling value set.

7. The method of claim 6, and further comprising:

in response to a request to present at least a partial state of the digital system, presenting a state of at least one other configuration entity instance based upon said configuration database and excluding from presentation a current setting of the configuration entity instance by reference to said at least one data structure in said configuration database.

8. A data processing system for specifying a selectively presentable digital system in one or more files, said data processing system comprising:

processing resources; and

data storage including design software executable by said data processing system, said design software including;

means for specifying, in at least one hardware definition language (HDL) file among said one or more files, at least one design entity containing a functional portion of the digital system, said at least one design entity logically containing a latch having a respective plurality of different possible latch values;

means for associating, with one or more statements in said one or more files, a configuration entity with said latch, wherein said configuration entity has a plurality of different settings and each setting reflects which of the plurality of different possible values is loaded in said associated latch; and

means for defining, with one or more statements within said one or more files, a controlling value set for at least one instance of said configuration entity, wherein said controlling value set indicates at least one controlling value for which presentation of a current setting of the configuration entity instance is restricted.

9. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein said configuration entity comprises a Dial group containing a plurality of Dials, and wherein said controlling value set indicates a setting of a Dial among said plurality of Dials within said Dial group.

10. The data processing system (if claim 8, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of said configuration entity instance.

11. The data processing system of claim 10, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of another configuration entity instance.

12. The data processing system of claim 8, and further comprising a compiler for compiling said at least one HDL file to generate a simulation model of said digital system, said simulation model including said design entity and said latch.

13. The data processing system of claim 8, and further comprising means for generating, from said one or more statements, a configuration database including at least one data structure representing said configuration entity instance and indicating said controlling value set.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, and further comprising:

interface software that, responsive to a request to present at least a partial state of the digital system, presents a state of at least one other configuration entity instance based upon said configuration database and excludes from presentation a current setting of the configuration entity instance by reference to said at least one data structure in said configuration database.

15. A program product, comprising:

a computer usable medium; and

design software within said computer usable medium, said design software including;

means for specifying, in at-least one hardware definition language (HDL) file among said one or more files, at least one design entity containing a functional portion of the digital system, said at least one design entity logically containing a latch having a respective plurality of different possible latch values;

means for associating, with one or more statements in said one or more files, a configuration entity with said latch, wherein said configuration entity has a plurality of different settings and each setting reflects which of the plurality of different possible values is loaded in said associated latch; and

means for defining, with one or more statements within said one or more files, a controlling value set for at least one instance of said configuration entity, wherein said controlling value set indicates at least one controlling value for which presentation of a current setting of the configuration entity instance is restricted.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein said configuration entity comprises a Dial group containing a plurality of Dials, and wherein said controlling value set indicates a setting of a Dial among said plurality of Dials within said Dial group.

17. The program product of claim 15, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of said configuration entity instance.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of another configuration entity instance.

19. The program product of claim 15, and further comprising a compiler for compiling said at least one HDL file to generate a simulation model of said digital system, said simulation model including, said design entity and said latch.

20. The program product of claim 15, and further comprising means for generating, from said one or more statements, a configuration database including at least one data structure representing said configuration entity instance and indicating said controlling value set.

21. The program product of claim 20, and further comprising:

interface software that, responsive to a request to present at least a partial state of the digital system, presents a state of at least one other configuration entity instance based upon said configuration database and excludes from presentation a current setting of the configuration entity instance by reference to said at least one data structure in said configuration database.

22. A method of presenting information regarding a system that is one of the set of a simulated system and a hardware system, said method comprising:

maintaining in a configuration database associated with the system, at least one data structure associating an instance of a configuration entity with a latch within said system, wherein said configuration entity has a plurality of different settings that each reflects which of the plurality of different possible values is loaded in said associated latch, said at least one data structure further indicating a controlling value set for the instance of said configuration entity, wherein said controlling value set indicates at least one controlling value for which presentation of a current setting of the configuration entity instance is restricted; and

in response to a request to present at least a partial state of the system, presenting a state of at least one other configuration entity instance by reference to said configuration database and excluding from presentation a current setting of the configuration entity instance by reference to said controlling value set indicated by said at least one data structure in said configuration database.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said configuration entity comprises a Dial group containing a plurality of Dials, and wherein said controlling value set indicates a setting of a Dial among said plurality of Dials within said Dial group.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of said configuration entity instance.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of another configuration entity instance.

26. A data processing system for selectively presenting information regarding a system under test that is one of the set of a simulated system and a hardware system, said data processing system comprising:

a configuration database associated with the system that contains at least one data structure associating an instance of a configuration entity with a latch within said system, wherein said configuration entity has a plurality of different settings that each reflects which of the plurality of different possible values is loaded in said associated latch, said at least one data structure further indicating a controlling value set for the instance (,f said configuration entire wherein said controlling value set indicates at least one controlling value for which presentation of a current setting of the configuration entity instance is restricted; and

interface software,-responsive to a request to present at least a partial state of the system, for presenting a state of at least one other configuration entity instance by reference to said configuration database and excluding from presentation a current setting of the configuration entity instance by reference to said controlling value set indicated by said at least one data structure in said configuration database.

27. The data processing system of claim 26, wherein said configuration entity comprises a Dial group containing a plurality of Dials, and wherein said controlling value set indicates a setting of a Dial among said plurality of Dials within said Dial group.

28. The data processing system of claim 26, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of said configuration entity instance.

29. The data processing system of claim 28, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of another configuration entity instance.

30. A program product for selectively presenting information regarding a system under test that is one of the set of a simulated system and a hardware system, said program product comprising:

a computer usable medium including;

a configuration database associated with the system that contains at least one data structure associating an instance of a configuration entity with a latch within said system, wherein said configuration entity has a plurality of different settings that each reflects which of the plurality of different possible values is loaded in said associated latch, said at least one data structure further indicating a controlling value set for the instance of said configuration entity, wherein said controlling value set indicates at least one controlling value for which presentation of a current setting of the configuration entity instance is restricted; and

interface software, responsive to a request to present at least a partial state of the system, for presenting a state of at least one other configuration entity instance by reference to said configuration database and excluding from presentation a current setting of the configuration entity instance by reference to said controlling value set indicated by said at least one data structure in said configuration database.

31. The program product of claim 30, wherein said configuration entity comprises a Dial group containing a plurality of Dials, and wherein said controlling value set indicates a setting of a Dial among said plurality of Dials within said Dial group.

32. The program product of claim 30, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of said configuration entity instance.

33. The program product of claim 32, wherein said at least one controlling value comprises at least one setting of another configuration entity instance.