Modeling of a multiprocessor system

• US 20070294074A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Ciolfi, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/35 model driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5066 Algorithms for mapping a plurality of inter-dependent sub-tasks onto a plurality of physical CPUs mappping at compile time, see G06F8/451

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for modeling a multiprocessor system in a graphical modeling environment. The multiprocessor system may include multiple processing units that carry out one or more processes, such as programs and sets of instructions. Each of the processing units may be represented as a node at the top level of the model for the multiprocessor system. The nodes representing the processing units of the multiprocessor system may be interconnected to each other via a communication channel. The nodes may include at least one read element for reading data from the communication channel into the nodes. The node may also include at least one write element for writing data from the nodes into the communication channel. Each of the processing unit can communicate with other processing unit via the communication channel using the read and write elements. Code may be generated to simulate each node and communication channel in the modeled multiprocessor system. The generated code may then be executed to simulate the model. Based on the results of the simulation, one or more processes may be automatically reassigned to nodes within the model to optimize the performance of the model.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium containing instructions executable by at least one processor, the computer-readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions for receiving information related to a plurality of processors contained in a multi-processing environment and parameters of the multi-processing environment;

one or more instructions for receiving information related to a functional model, wherein the functional model includes a plurality of processes to be performed; and

one or more instructions for creating a plurality of sub-models from the functional model, wherein the plurality of processes included in the functional model are distributed to the plurality of sub-models based on optimization of the received information related to the plurality of processors contained in the multi-processing environment and the parameters of the multi-processing environment.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more instructions for generating first code to simulate a process distributed to each of the plurality of sub-models;

one or more instructions for executing the generated first code for each of the plurality of sub-models in order to simulate the functional model; and

one or more instructions for evaluating the efficiency and complexity of the simulated functional model.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the generated first code for each of the plurality of sub-models is based on the received information related to a processor contained in each of the plurality of sub-models.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more instructions for generating second code to simulate communication channels between the plurality of sub-models; and

executing the generated second code for each of the communication channels in order to simulate the functional model.

5. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a functional model of a multi-process system in a graphical modeling environment, the functional model including at least one functional unit;

decomposing the functional model into a plurality of sub-models, wherein each sub-model includes at least one process of the multi-process system and wherein at least two of the sub-models communicate with each other; and

creating an inter-process channel (IPC) model for representing dynamics of reading and writing operations between the at least two communicating sub-models.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating first code for each of the sub-models, wherein the generated first code is specific to a processor that will execute the generated first code and wherein the generated first code will simulate the at least one process included in the sub-model.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating second code to simulate the IPC model.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

executing the generated first and second code for each sub-model and IPC model to simulate the multi-process system represented by the functional model.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

automatically changing the sub-models based on execution of the generated first and second code for each sub-model and IPC model.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

changing the sub-models based on user input after execution of the generated first and second code for each sub-model and IPC model.

11. A device comprising:

means for enabling a user to create a functional model for a multi-process system;

means for decomposing the functional model into a plurality of sub-models which read and write data over communication channels;

means for generating code to simulate each sub-model and each communication channel;

means for executing the generated code for each sub-model and each communication channel in order to simulate the functional model of the multi-process system; and

means for evaluating the simulated functional model of the multi-process system.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the means for enabling a user to create a functional model includes:

means for receiving parameters associated with processors further associated with the multi-process system.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the means for decomposing the functional model into a plurality of sub-models includes:

means for assigning a process of the multi-process system to one of the processors associated with the multi-process system.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the means for evaluating the simulated functional model of the multi-process system includes:

means to evaluate efficiency and complexity of the functional model.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

means for optimizing the functional model based on the evaluating means, wherein the means for optimizing the functional model reassigns processes to sub-models originally assigned by the decomposing means.

16. A device comprising:

a user interface to enable a user to create a functional model for a multi-process system in a graphical modeling environment and to enable a user to enter weights associated with operating parameters of the multi-process system; and

a decomposition engine to decompose the functional model into a plurality of sub-models that communicate over communication channels, wherein each sub-model includes at least one process of the multi-process system and each communication channel represents dynamics between communicating sub-models and wherein the decomposition engine creates the sub-models based on an analysis and optimization of the operating parameters of the multi-process system.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the decomposition engine assigns processes contained in the multi-process system to the sub-models based on an analysis and optimization of the operating parameters of the multi-process system.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

a code generation engine to generate code for each sub-model and communication channel.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the decomposition engine executes the generated code for each sub-model and communication channel to simulate and evaluate the functional model for a multi-process system.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the decomposition engine reassigns processes to sub-models based on results of the simulated and evaluated functional model for a multi-process system.