SIMULATION METHOD AND SIMULATION APPARATUS

• US 20080208555A1
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Spansion LLC (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Tatsuoka, Masato, Ike, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/36 Preventing errors by testing or debugging software

Abstract

A simulation method and apparatus including a restore point setting unit setting restore points in core models for executing threads using parallel processing. The method also includes storing information for reproducing a state the core models at the restore points.

Claims

1. A simulation method comprising:

setting restore points in each of a plurality of core models for executing threads using parallel processing; and

storing, in a storage unit, information for reproducing a state of each of the plurality of core models at the restore points.

2. The simulation method of claim 1, wherein

the restore points are set periodically and, in each period, simultaneously in the plurality of core models.

3. The simulation method of claim 1, wherein

after storing the information at a predetermined number of the restore points, the storage unit sequentially overwrites previously stored information with information corresponding to new restore points.

4. The simulation method of claim 1, wherein

when one of the restore points has been set part-way through execution of an instruction in any one of the plurality of core models, corresponding restore points are set in other core models of the plurality of core models.

5. The simulation method of claim 4, wherein

notification that the restore point has been set in the any one of the plurality of core models is provided to the other core models using a flag variable that is consultable by the plurality of core models.

6. The simulation method of claim 4, wherein

the restore points are set in correspondence with break instructions.

7. The simulation method of claim 4, wherein

the restore points are set at time points freely-selected by a user.

8. The simulation method of claim 1, wherein

the restore points are set simultaneously in the plurality of core models at a time point freely-selected by a user.

9. The simulation method of claim 1, wherein

the information is compressed before being stored in the storage unit.

10. The simulation method of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of core models are simulation models for processors in a multiprocessor, for processor cores in a multicore processor, or master devices in a multi-master/slave device.

11. The simulation method of claim 1, wherein

each piece of the stored information is managed by being corresponded with a core number of a core model and a program counter value for a timing at which the restore point was set.

12. A simulation device comprising:

a restore point setting configured to set restore points in each of a plurality of core models for executing threads using parallel processing a storage unit configured to store information for reproducing a state of each of the plurality of core models at the restore points.