Programmatic use of software debugging to redirect hardware related operations to a hardware simulator
First Claim
1. A method of performing hardware software co-verification, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a software component having a plurality of lines of software code, and having at least one of said lines of software code capable of making a hardware device interaction when executed;
executing said line of software code within said software component;
flagging said line with a breakpoint, if said line requires a hardware device interaction, wherein said breakpoint for indicating said line requires said hardware device interaction when executed;
associating said line with an interface module by a plug-in, if said line requires said hardware device interaction;
simulating said hardware device with a hardware model running under simulation;
using said interface module to make a request for a hardware operation from said hardware model running under simulation when said line requires said hardware device interaction; and
providing data generated by said hardware model running under simulation in response to said request.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a method that uses breakpoints in a debugging program to signify to a hardware software co-verification tool when to redirect hardware calls to a hardware simulator. The method includes executing a line of software code within a software component, determining whether the line of software code requires interaction with a hardware device, associating the line of software code with an interface module if the line of software code requires interaction with a hardware device, simulating the hardware device with a hardware model running under simulation, using the interface module to request a hardware operation from the hardware model when the line of software code requires a hardware operation; and providing data generated by the hardware model running under simulation in response to the request.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method of performing hardware software co-verification, comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining a software component having a plurality of lines of software code, and having at least one of said lines of software code capable of making a hardware device interaction when executed;
executing said line of software code within said software component;
flagging said line with a breakpoint, if said line requires a hardware device interaction, wherein said breakpoint for indicating said line requires said hardware device interaction when executed;
associating said line with an interface module by a plug-in, if said line requires said hardware device interaction;
simulating said hardware device with a hardware model running under simulation;
using said interface module to make a request for a hardware operation from said hardware model running under simulation when said line requires said hardware device interaction; and
providing data generated by said hardware model running under simulation in response to said request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of performing hardware software co-verification, comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining a software component having a plurality of lines of software code, and having at least one of said lines of software code capable of making a hardware device interaction when executed;
executing said line of software code within said software component;
flagging said line with a breakpoint, if said line requires a hardware device interaction, wherein said breakpoint for indicating said line requires said hardware device interaction when executed;
associating said line with an interface module by a plug-in, if said line requires said hardware device interaction;
simulating said hardware device with a hardware model running under simulation;
using said interface module to make a request for a hardware operation from said hardware model running under simulation when said line requires said hardware device interaction; and
providing data generated by said hardware model running under simulation in response to said request; and
executing a next line of software code according to an execution flow corresponding to said software component. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method for determining whether a software component and a hardware device are properly designed to interact with each other, comprising the steps of:
-
preparing a hardware software co-verification system for operation by obtaining a software component having a plurality of lines of software code, and flagging at least one line of software code within said software component, said line of software code capable of making a hardware call when executed;
executing said software component;
sensing by a debugging program during said step of executing whether said line of software code within said software component has been flagged;
associating by a plug-in an interface module and a hardware model that are suitable for servicing said hardware call and redirecting said hardware call to said interface module for servicing, if said step of sensing results in identifying said line of software code previously flagged, wherein said line of software code requiring said hardware call;
using said interface module to receive and modify said hardware call into a compatible device specific format with said hardware model, and to provide necessary signals to communicate said hardware call to said hardware model according to said device specific format, said hardware model responding to said hardware call by simulating signals responsive to said hardware call; and
returning execution to the next line of software code awaiting execution within said hardware model running under simulation. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification