Hardware and software co-simulation including executing an analyzed user program

(54) HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

CO-SIMULATION INCLUDING EXECUTING
AN ANALYZED USER PROGRAM

(75) Inventors: Graham R. Hellestrand, Foster City,
CA (US); Ricky L. K. Chan, East
Lindfield (AU); Ming Chi Kam,
Kingsford (AU); James R. Torossian,

Whale Beach (AU)

(73) Assignee: Vast Systems Technology

Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 09/430,855

(22) Filed: Oct. 29, 1999

(51) Int. CI.7 G06F 17/50; G06F 9/455

(52) U.S. CI 703/13; 703/16; 703/17;

703/23; 714/28

(58) Field of Search 703/6, 15, 16,

703/17, 14, 21, 23, 26, 28; 710/7; 712/223, 226, 227; 717/2, 4, 5, 35, 38; 714/28, 33

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Primary Examiner—Kevin J. Teska

Assistant Examiner—Lonnie A. Knox

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Dov Rosenfeld; Inventek

(57) ABSTRACT

A co-simulation design system that runs on a host computer system is described that includes a hardware simulator and a processor simulator coupled via a interface mechanism. The execution of a user program is simulated by executing an analyzed version of the user program on the host computer system. The analysis adds timing information to the user program so that the processor simulator provides accurate timing information whenever the processor simulator interacts with the hardware simulator.

71 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets

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* cited by examiner