Logic simulation machine
First Claim
1. A highly parallel special purpose computing system for the simulation of computer logic operations comprising:
- a plurality of basic processor means for executing logic simulation functions, each of said basic processor means including a first pair of memory units for storing a description of a plurality of logic functions to be simulated by said basic processor means, one of said first pair of memory units functioning as an instruction memory for storing and providing to a logic unit selected instruction functions for carrying out logic simulation functions, and the other of said first pair of memory units serves as a function memory for storing a plurality of separate selected logic functions to be executed in said logic simulation process in accordance with said instruction functions,second and third pairs of memory units for storing logic data value signals to be processed in accordance with said logic functions, said logic value signals including signals obtained from any of said other of said plurality of basic processor means,said second and third pairs of memory units functioning alternatively as a current signal value memory unit and current signal input memory unit pair for storing data values undergoing simulation and as a next signal value memory unit and next signal input memory unit pair for storing data values to be next simulated,a logic unit connected to said first, second and third pairs of memory units for obtaining logic functions from said first pair of memory units and for updating the data contents of at least one of said second and third pairs of memory units,inter-processor switching means connected to each of said plurality of basic processor means for transferring said logic value signals from any of said basic processor means to any other of said basic processor means,and a control processor means connected to said inter-processor switching means for providing control signals to each of said plurality of basic processor means, said control processor functioning to start and stop said basic processor means, to introduce instruction signals and data value signals into said basic processor means, and to transfer data value signals between said plurality of basic processor means.
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Abstract
A hardware logic simulation machine comprised of an array of specially designed parallel processors, with there being no theoretical limit to the number of processors which may be assembled into the array. Each processor executes a logic simulation function wherein the logic subnetwork simulated by each processor is implicitly described by a program loaded into each processor instruction memory. Logic values simulated by one processor are communicated to other processors by a switching mechanism controlled by a controller. If the array consists of i processor addresses, the switch is a full i-by-i way switch. Each processor is operated in parallel, and the major component of each processor is a first set of two memory banks for storing the simulated logic values associated with the output of each logic block. A second set of two memory banks are included in each processor for storing logic simulations from other processors to be combined with the logic simulation stored in the first set of memory banks.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A highly parallel special purpose computing system for the simulation of computer logic operations comprising:
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a plurality of basic processor means for executing logic simulation functions, each of said basic processor means including a first pair of memory units for storing a description of a plurality of logic functions to be simulated by said basic processor means, one of said first pair of memory units functioning as an instruction memory for storing and providing to a logic unit selected instruction functions for carrying out logic simulation functions, and the other of said first pair of memory units serves as a function memory for storing a plurality of separate selected logic functions to be executed in said logic simulation process in accordance with said instruction functions, second and third pairs of memory units for storing logic data value signals to be processed in accordance with said logic functions, said logic value signals including signals obtained from any of said other of said plurality of basic processor means, said second and third pairs of memory units functioning alternatively as a current signal value memory unit and current signal input memory unit pair for storing data values undergoing simulation and as a next signal value memory unit and next signal input memory unit pair for storing data values to be next simulated, a logic unit connected to said first, second and third pairs of memory units for obtaining logic functions from said first pair of memory units and for updating the data contents of at least one of said second and third pairs of memory units, inter-processor switching means connected to each of said plurality of basic processor means for transferring said logic value signals from any of said basic processor means to any other of said basic processor means, and a control processor means connected to said inter-processor switching means for providing control signals to each of said plurality of basic processor means, said control processor functioning to start and stop said basic processor means, to introduce instruction signals and data value signals into said basic processor means, and to transfer data value signals between said plurality of basic processor means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification