Multi-processor simulation apparatus and method

• US 5,805,867 A
• Filed: 05/27/1997
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kodaira, Masako
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERTS, ANDREW S
• Application Number:
  US08/863,557
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/680, 395/474, 364/578
• US Class Current: 703/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/261 by simulating additional hardware, e.g. fault simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking

Abstract

A multi-processor simulation apparatus according to the present invention simulates the process of a single processor and communication process between processors by preparing a plurality of simulators, each of which operates independently of the others, on a single information process apparatus. The simulation of the communication process is carried out by the transmission of information through synchronous communication and by the request of communication start through asynchronous communication. It is also carried out directly between simulators or through a process which is operated independently of the simulators.

Claims

1. A simulation apparatus for simulating a multi-processor system having a plurality of processors connected to each other and operated at the same time, said simulation apparatus comprising:

simulator preparation means, arranged in a single information processing apparatus having a single processor, for preparing a plurality of software simulators, each of which operates independently of others, to simulate, at the same time, both a communication processing which each of the plurality of processors conducts with others of the plurality of processors and an internal processing which each of the plurality of processors conducts, the internal processing not depending upon said communication processing and said communication processing being simulated between each of the plurality of software simulators and another without communicating between two of the plurality of processors; and

identification information addition means for causing each of the plurality of software simulators prepared by said simulator preparation means to hold identification information relating to others of the plurality of processors needed to simulate said communication processing.

2. The simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising common memories shared by the plurality of simulators, wherein the plurality of simulators gain access to said common memories to simulate the communication processing.

3. The simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the simulation of the communication processing is carried out through a process which operates independently of the plurality of simulators.

4. The multi-processor simulation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of processors are connected to each other through a common bus the said process simulates the connection which is established between the plurality of processors through the common bus.

5. A simulation apparatus in a single information processing device for simulating a multi-processor system in which a plurality of processors are connected to each other and operated at the same time, said simulation apparatus comprising:

simulator preparation means for preparing software simulators, each having identification information relating to its corresponding communication devices needed to simulate a communication processing which each of the plurality of processors conducts with others of the plurality of processors; and

communication simulation means for causing the software simulators to simulate, between two of the software simulators, the communication processing without communicating between two of the plurality of processors.

6. The multi-processor simulation apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

processor simulation means for causing the simulators to simulate an internal processing which each of the plurality of processors conducts, the internal processing not depending upon the communication processing.

7. A simulation apparatus in an information processing apparatus for simulating a multi-processor system in which a plurality of processors are connected to each other and operated at the same time, said simulation apparatus comprising:

simulator preparation means for preparing a plurality of software simulators to simulate, at the same time, both a communication processing which each of the plurality of processors conducts with others of the plurality of processors and an internal processing which each of them conducts, the internal processing not depending upon said communication processing and said communication processing being simulated between each of the plurality of software simulators and another without communicating between two of the plurality of processors; and

communication simulation means for carrying out, in the simulation of the communication processing, a synchronous communication processing by which each of the plurality of software simulators transmits contents of the communication processing to others of the plurality of software simulators, and an asynchronous communication processing by which each of the plurality of software simulators informs a start of the communication processing to others of the plurality of software simulators.

8. The simulation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the synchronous and asynchronous communication processing are carried out through a process which operates independently of the plurality of simulators.

9. A simulation apparatus in an information processing apparatus in which a plurality of software simulators for simulating a plurality of devices are operated at the same time, said simulation apparatus comprising:

communication simulation means for causing each of the plurality of software simulators to carry out a communication processing with others of the plurality of software simulators without communicating between two of the plurality of devices;

internal simulation means for causing each of the plurality of software simulators to carry out an internal processing not depending upon the communication processing; and

means for providing each of the plurality of software simulators with identification information relating to corresponding communication sites needed to simulate the communication processing so that each of the plurality of software simulators is operated independently of others of the plurality of software simulators.

10. The simulation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality simulators carries out both of the communication and internal processing at the same time.

11. A simulation apparatus in an information processing apparatus in which a plurality of software simulators for simulating a plurality of devices are operated at the same time, said simulation apparatus comprising:

first communication simulation means for carrying outs during simulation of communication processing between the plurality of software simulators performed without communicating between two of the plurality of devices, a synchronous communication processing by which each of the plurality of software simulators transmits contents of the communication processing to others of the plurality of software simulators; and

second communication simulation means for carrying out an asynchronous communication processing by which each of the plurality of software simulators informs a start of the synchronous communication processing to others of the plurality of software simulators.

12. A debug apparatus in an information processing apparatus in which a plurality of software simulators for simulating a plurality of devices are operated at the same time, comprising:

communication simulation means for causing each of the plurality of software simulators, which has identification information relating to corresponding communication devices and which is operated independently of others of the plurality of software simulators, to carry out communication processing with others of the plurality of software simulators without communicating between two of the plurality of devices;

internal simulation means for causing each of the plurality of software simulators to carry out an internal processing not depending upon the communication processing; and

debug means for debugging a program of each of the plurality of software simulators based on execution results of each of the plurality of software simulators.

13. A simulation method in a simulation of a multi-processor system in which a plurality of processors are connected to each other and operated at the same time, comprising the steps of:

preparing a plurality of software simulators each of which operates independently of others of the plurality of simulators and has identification information relating to the plurality of processors needed to simulate a communication processing which each of the plurality of software simulators conducts with others of the plurality of software simulators; and

simulating the communication processing between each of the plurality of software simulators and another without communicating between two of the plurality of processors.

14. The simulation method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of simulating in each of said simulators simulates, at the same time, both the communication processing and internal processing not depending upon the communication processing.

15. The simulation method according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of simulators share a common memory, and

wherein said simulating of the communication processing includes each of the plurality of simulators gaining access to said common memory.

16. The simulation method according to claim 13, wherein said step of simulating simulates the communication processing through a process which is operated independently of the plurality of simulators.

17. The multi-processor simulation method according to claim 16, wherein the process simulates a connection which is established between the plurality of processors through a common bus connecting the plurality of processors together.

18. A simulation method for simulation of a multi-processor system in which a plurality of processors are connected to each other and operated at the same time, comprising the steps of:

preparing a plurality of software simulators each of which are operated independently of the others;

simulating, at the same time, both communication processing which each of the plurality of processors conducts with others of the plurality of processors and internal processing which each of the plurality of processors conducts, the internal processing not depending upon said communication processing; and

carrying out, in the simulation of the communication processing, synchronous communication processing by which each of the plurality of software simulators transmits contents of the communication processing to others of the plurality of software simulators and asynchronous communication processing by which each of the plurality of software simulators informs a start of the synchronous communication processing to others of the plurality of software simulators, both synchronous and asynchronous communication being performed without communicating between two of the plurality of processors.

19. The simulation method according to claim 18, whereby each of the plurality of simulators carries out the synchronous and asynchronous communication processing through a process which is operated independently of said plurality of simulators.

20. A simulation method in a simulation of a plurality of apparatuses which is achieved by a plurality of software simulators operated at the same time, comprising the steps of:

operating each of the plurality of software simulators independently of others of the software simulators;

simulating communication processing between the plurality of processors without communicating between two of the plurality of apparatuses; and

carrying out both synchronous communication processing by which each of the plurality of software simulators transmits contents of the communication processing to others of the plurality of software simulators and asynchronous communication processing by which each of the plurality of software simulators informs a start of the synchronous communication processing to the others.

21. A program debug method in a simulation of a plurality of apparatuses which is achieved by a plurality of software simulators operated at the same time, comprising the steps of:

operating each of the plurality of software simulators independently of others of the plurality of software simulators;

holding identification information relating to corresponding communication apparatuses needed to carry out communication processing with others of the plurality of software simulators without communicating between two of the plurality of apparatuses;

carrying out internal processing not dependent upon the communication processing, by executing a program; and

debugging the program based on results obtained when each of the plurality of software simulators executes the program.

22. A simulation apparatus for simulating a multi-processor system with a plurality of processors connected to each other and operated in parallel, said simulation apparatus comprising:

an information processing apparatus to prepare a plurality of software simulators, each software simulator operating independently of others of the software simulators to simulate, at the same time, both internal processing of one of the processors and communication processing of the one of the processors with others of the processors, the internal processing not depending upon the communication processing and the communication processing not requiring communication between separate processing units of said information processing apparatus, each of the software simulators holding identification information relating to the others of the processors used in simulating the communication processing.

23. A method for simulating a multi-processor system having a plurality of processors connected to each other and operated in parallel, said method comprising:

preparing a plurality of simulator programs for execution by an information processing apparatus, each simulator program simulating both internal processing of one of the processors and communication processing of the one of the processors with others of the processors, the internal processing not depending upon the communication processing and the communication processing not requiring communication between separate processing units of the information processing apparatus, each of the simulator programs holding identification information relating to the others of the processors used in simulating the communication processing; and

executing the simulator programs in parallel to simulate the multi-processor system, each of the simulator programs operating independently of others of the simulator programs.