Remote IP simulation modeling

• US 6,970,814 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Choukalos, Charles N., Ashley, Carl L., Tetreault, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, W.
• Application Number:
  US09/539,020
• Time in Patent Office: 2,070 Days
• Field of Search: 703/13, 703/14, 703/15, 703/16, 703/17, 703/20, 703/21, 703/22, 703/23, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 716/1, 716/4, 716/10, 716/2, 716/3, 716/17, 716/18
• US Class Current: 703/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2115/08 Intellectual property [IP] blocks or IP cores
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking

Abstract

A method and structure for simulating a circuit comprising inputting, from a customer site, initial memory states, and initial input signals to core logic within a host site, simulating the circuit utilizing the host site and the customer site connected though a wide area network (wherein the host site contains the core logic and the customer site contains customer logic, the core logic and the customer logic forming the circuit), comparing test output signals with the desired output signals, and altering the customer logic until the test output signals are consistent with the desired output signals.

Claims

1. A process for simulating a circuit comprising:

inputting, from a customer site, initial memory states, and initial input signals to core logic within a host site;

simulating said circuit utilizing said host site and said customer site connected though a wide area network, wherein said host site contains said core logic and said customer site contains customer logic, wherein a combination of said core logic and said customer logic form said circuit, and wherein said simulating process is divided between said customer site and said host site such that said customer site and said host site simultaneously simulate said circuit;

comparing test output signals with said desired output signals;

altering said customer logic until said test output signals are consistent with said desired output signals; and

altering said core logic based on customer site usage of said core logic.

2. The process in claim 1, wherein said core logic comprises design elements used in said customer logic.

3. The process in claim 1, wherein said core logic is only accessible by said host site and is protected by said host site.

4. The process in claim 1, wherein said host site supplies device output signals from said core logic to said customer site.

5. The process in claim 4, wherein said customer site applies said device output signals to said customer logic to produce said test output signals.

6. The process in claim 1, wherein said host site tracks usage of said core logic.

7. The process in claim 1, wherein said core logic comprises physical hardware devices.

8. A process for simulating an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) comprising:

inputting, from a customer site, initial memory states, and initial input signals to core logic within a host site;

simulating said ASIC utilizing said host site and said customer site connected though a wide area network, wherein said host site contains said core logic and said customer site contains customer logic, wherein a combination of said core logic and said customer logic form said ASIC, and wherein said simulating process is divided between said customer site and said host site such that said customer site and said host site simultaneously simulate said ASIC;

comparing test output signals with said desired output signals;

altering said customer logic until said test output signals are consistent with said desired output signals; and

altering said core logic based on customer site usage of said core logic.

9. The process in claim 8, wherein said core logic comprises design elements used in said customer logic.

10. The process in claim 8, wherein said core logic is only accessible by said host site and is protected by said host site.

11. The process in claim 8, wherein said host site supplies device output signals from said core logic to said customer site.

12. The process in claim 11, wherein said customer site applies said device output signals to said customer logic to produce said test output signals.

13. The process in claim 8, wherein said host site tracks usage of said core logic.

14. The process in claim 8, wherein said core logic comprises physical hardware devices.

15. A system for simulating an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) comprising:

an interface;

a host site connected to said interface, said host site including core logic; and

a customer site connected to said host site though said interface, said customer site including customer logic,

wherein said host site and said customer site are adapted to divide simulation of said ASIC and simultaneously simulate said circuit,

wherein said customer site inputs, initial memory states and initial input signals to said core logic through said interface and said host site returns device output signals to said customer site,

wherein said customer site processes said device output signals through said customer logic to produce test output signals, and

wherein said customer site compares test output signals with desired output signals and alters said customer logic until said test output signals are consistent with said desired output signals; and

wherein said host site alters said core logic based on customer site usage of said core logic.

16. The system in claim 15, wherein said core logic comprises design elements used in said customer logic.

17. The system in claim 15, wherein said core logic is only accessible by said host site and is protected by said host site.

18. The system in claim 15, wherein said host site tracks usage of said core logic.

19. The system in claim 15, wherein said core logic comprises physical hardware devices.

20. The system in claim 15, wherein said interface connects said host site and said customer site through a wide area network.

21. A program storage device readable by machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by machine to perform a method for simulating a circuit comprising:

inputting, from a customer site, initial memory states, and initial input signals to core logic within a host site;

simulating said circuit utilizing said host site and said customer site connected though a wide area network, wherein said host site contains said core logic and said customer site contains customer logic, wherein a combination of said core logic and said customer logic form said circuit, and wherein said simulating process is divided between said customer site and said host site such that said customer site and said host site simultaneously simulate said circuit;

comparing test output signals with said desired output signals;

altering said customer logic until said test output signals are consistent with said desired output signals; and

altering said core logic based on customer site usage of said core logic.

22. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said core logic comprises design elements used in said customer logic.

23. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said core logic is only accessible by said host site and is protected by said host site.

24. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said host site supplies device output signals from said core logic to said customer site.

25. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said customer site applies said device output signals to said customer logic to produce said test output signals.

26. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said host site tracks usage of said core logic.

27. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said core logic comprises physical hardware devices.