Creating a behavioral model of a hardware device for use in a simulation environment

• US 20070050758A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dixon, Robert, Arevalo, Abraham, Singletary, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/331 with hardware acceleration, e.g. by using field programmable gate array [FPGA] or emulation

Abstract

Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and products are described for creating a behavioral model of a hardware device for use in a simulation environment. The behavioral model is created by an iterative process that includes receiving in a simulated hardware device from a simulated device under test (‘DUT’) a stimulus waveform. The stimulus waveform includes data representing a number of stimuli. In response to receiving the stimulus waveform, the simulated hardware device presents a recorded response waveform from a recorded response file to the DUT. The stimulus waveform is also recorded. The recorded stimulus waveform is presented to the hardware device. A response waveform that results from presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device is recorded in the recorded response file.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating a behavioral model of a hardware device for use in a simulation environment, the method comprising iteratively carrying out the steps of:

receiving in a simulated hardware device from a simulated device under test (‘

DUT’

) a stimulus waveform, the stimulus waveform comprising data representing a number of stimuli;

recording the stimulus waveform;

responsive to receiving the stimulus waveform, presenting, by the simulated hardware device to the DUT, a recorded response waveform from a recorded response file;

presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device; and

recording in the recorded response file a response waveform that results from presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the recorded stimulus waveform to a device interface tool and carrying out through the device interface tool the steps of presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device and recording the response waveform.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the response waveform from a device interface tool to the simulation environment and carrying out through the simulation environment the steps of receiving the stimulus waveform, recording the stimulus waveform, and presenting the recorded response waveform.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether an additional iteration is required, including:

counting the number of stimuli in the recorded stimulus waveform of a previous simulation run;

counting the number of stimuli in the stimulus waveform of the present simulation run; and

making an additional iteration only if the count of stimuli in the present simulation run exceeds the number of stimuli in the recorded stimulus waveform of a previous simulation run.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether an additional iteration is required, including:

comparing the stimulus waveform of the present simulation run with the recorded stimulus waveform of the previous simulation run; and

making an additional iteration only if the stimulus waveform of the present simulation run and the recorded stimulus waveform of the previous simulation run are not identical.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising synchronizing the recorded response waveform to the stimulus waveform while presenting recorded response waveform to the DUT.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

recording the stimulus waveform further comprises recording delay data representing delays between presentation of a response and receipt of a next stimulus; and

recording a response waveform further comprises recording delay data representing a delay between receipt of a stimulus and presentation of a corresponding response.

8. An apparatus for creating a behavioral model of a hardware device for use in a simulation environment, the apparatus comprising at least one computer processor, at least one computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, and computer program instructions disposed within the computer memory capable of:

receiving in a simulated hardware device from a simulated device under test (‘

DUT’

) a stimulus waveform, the stimulus waveform comprising data representing a number of stimuli;

recording the stimulus waveform;

responsive to receiving the stimulus waveform, presenting, by the simulated hardware device to the DUT, a recorded response waveform from a recorded response file;

presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device; and

recording in the recorded response file a response waveform that results from presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising computer program instructions capable of transferring the recorded stimulus waveform to a device interface tool and carrying out through the device interface tool the steps of presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device and recording the response waveform.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising transferring the response waveform from a device interface tool to the simulation environment and carrying out through the simulation environment the steps of receiving the stimulus waveform, recording the stimulus waveform, and presenting the recorded response waveform.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising determining whether an additional iteration is required, including:

comparing the stimulus waveform of the present simulation run with the recorded stimulus waveform of the previous simulation run; and

making an additional iteration only if the stimulus waveform of the present simulation run and the recorded stimulus waveform of the previous simulation run are not identical.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising synchronizing the recorded response waveform to the stimulus waveform while presenting recorded response waveform to the DUT.

13. A computer program product for creating a behavioral model of a hardware device for use in a simulation environment, the computer program product disposed upon a signal bearing medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions for:

receiving in a simulated hardware device from a simulated device under test (‘

DUT’

) a stimulus waveform, the stimulus waveform comprising data representing a number of stimuli;

recording the stimulus waveform;

responsive to receiving the stimulus waveform, presenting, by the simulated hardware device to the DUT, a recorded response waveform from a recorded response file;

presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device; and

recording in the recorded response file a response waveform that results from presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises a recordable medium.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises a transmission medium.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising computer program instructions for transferring the recorded stimulus waveform to a device interface tool and carrying out through the device interface tool the steps of presenting the recorded stimulus waveform to the hardware device and recording the response waveform.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising transferring the response waveform from a device interface tool to the simulation environment and carrying out through the simulation environment the steps of receiving the stimulus waveform, recording the stimulus waveform, and presenting the recorded response waveform.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising determining whether an additional iteration is required, including:

counting the number of stimuli in the recorded stimulus waveform of a previous simulation run;

counting the number of stimuli in the stimulus waveform of the present simulation run; and

making an additional iteration only if the count of stimuli in the present simulation run exceeds the number of stimuli in the recorded stimulus waveform of a previous simulation run.

19. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising determining whether an additional iteration is required, including:

comparing the stimulus waveform of the present simulation run with the recorded stimulus waveform of the previous simulation run; and

making an additional iteration only if the stimulus waveform of the present simulation run and the recorded stimulus waveform of the previous simulation run are not identical.

20. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising synchronizing the recorded response waveform to the stimulus waveform while presenting recorded response waveform to the DUT.