Non-redundant collection of harvest events within a batch simulation farm network

• US 7,143,018 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Roesner, Wolfgang, Williams, Derek Edward, Gabele, Carol Ivash
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Kamini
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAY, HERNG DER
• Application Number:
  US09/997,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 703/13, 703/17, 703/14, 703/15, 703/16
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318307 computer-aided, e.g. automatic test program generator [ATPG], program translations, test program debugging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318314 Tools, e.g. program interfaces, test suite, test bench, simulation hardware, test compiler, test program languages simulation software G01R31/318357; emulators G06F11/261
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318357 Simulation computer simulation of digital circuits G06F30/3308
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking

Abstract

A method and system for minimizing redundancy in collected harvest event testcases from a batch simulation farm which includes a harvest testcase server that collects simulation data for a simulation model from at least one simulation client. In accordance with the method of the present invention, a testcase is executed on the simulation model within a simulation client. Responsive to the testcase triggering a harvest event, the harvest event is compared with a list of harvest events that have previously been triggered within the simulation model. In response to determining that the harvest event has not been previously triggered within the simulation model, the testcase is delivered to the harvest testcase server.

Claims

1. In a batch simulation farm environment that facilitates computer-aided simulation of hardware design, a method for minimizing redundancy in collected harvest event testcases, wherein said batch simulation farm includes a harvest testcase bucket that collects testcases for a simulation model from at least one simulation client, said batch simulation farm further including an instrumentation server that includes a network harvest hit table which records harvest events that have been triggered during testcase simulation of said simulation model, said method comprising:

delivering a copy of said network harvest hit table as a local harvest hit table to said at least one simulation client;

executing a testcase on said simulation model by one of said at least one simulation client;

examining harvest event flags within said simulation model to identify harvest events triggered during said testcase execution, wherein triggering of said harvest events results in setting corresponding harvest event flags;

comparing the setting of the harvest event flags with said local harvest hit table to determine whether any preliminarily non-redundant harvest events have occurred; and

responsive to determining that preliminarily non-redundant harvest events have occurred, delivering a copy of said testcase to said harvest testcase bucket.

2. In a batch simulation farm environment that facilitates computer-aided simulation of hardware design, a system for minimizing redundancy in collected harvest event testcases, wherein said batch simulation farm includes a harvest testcase bucket that collects testcases for a simulation model from at least one simulation client, said batch simulation farm further including an instrumentation server that includes a network harvest hit table which records harvest events that have been triggered during testcase simulation of said simulation model, said system comprising:

processing means for delivering a copy of said network harvest hit table as a local harvest hit table to said at least one simulation client;

processing means for executing a testcase on said simulation model by one of said at least one simulation client;

processing means for examining harvest event flags within said simulation model to identify harvest events triggered during said testcase execution, wherein triggering of said harvest events results in setting corresponding harvest event flags;

processing means for comparing the setting of the harvest event flags with said local harvest hit table to determine whether any preliminarily non-redundant harvest events have occurred; and

processing means responsive to determining that preliminarily non-redundant harvest events have occurred for delivering a copy of said testcase to said harvest testcase bucket.

3. In a batch simulation farm environment that facilitates computer-aided simulation of hardware design, a computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions for minimizing redundancy in collected harvest event testcases, wherein said batch simulation farm includes a harvest testcase bucket that collects testcases for a simulation model from at least one simulation client, said batch simulation farm further including an instrumentation server that includes a network harvest hit table which records harvest events that have been triggered during testcase simulation of said simulation model, said computer-executable instructions performing a method comprising:

delivering a copy of said network harvest hit table as a local harvest hit table to said at least one simulation client;

executing a testcase on said simulation model by one of said at least one simulation client;

examining harvest event flags within said simulation model to identify harvest events triggered during said testcase execution, wherein triggering of said harvest events results in setting corresponding harvest event flags;

comparing the setting of the harvest event flags with said local harvest hit table to determine whether any preliminarily non-redundant harvest events have occurred; and

responsive to determining that preliminarily non-redundant harvest events have occurred, delivering a copy of said testcase to said harvest testcase bucket.