JP2006285860A - Simulation model generation method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily generate a simulation model for allowing execution of system simulation by optimum speed and accuracy. <P>SOLUTION: A simulation model configuration of the whole system is generated by: designating at least one function module constituting the system so as to generate the simulation model for simulating the whole system (S401); designating a purpose of the simulation to the designated function module (S402); designating an abstraction degree of the simulation model to the designated function module on the basis of the designated purpose (S403); and designating a test vector used in the simulation using the simulation model (S404). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a simulation model generation method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a simulation model generation method and apparatus for generating a simulation model configuration for simulating the entire system.

  Advances in process technology have increased the degree of integration of LSIs, and it has become possible to mount a system that has been implemented as a board on a single chip as a system LSI. The functional modules mounted on the chip are also diversified and the circuit scale is increasing. Along with this, as a method for efficiently designing system LSIs, the design using hardware description languages such as Verilog-HDL and VHDL is shifting to the design using system description languages such as SystemC and SpecC. .

  Synopsys CoCentric and CoWare n2c are known as design support tools using system description languages. The system LSI is designed by inputting the modules described in these system description languages on the block diagram input screen. When the design of the system LSI is completed, the function and performance of the system LSI can be confirmed by generating a simulation model with a design support tool, starting the simulator, and performing system simulation.

  In general, three types of description levels are known as module descriptions in the system description language depending on the level of abstraction of the description.

  i) Transaction level (TL): This is the level of abstraction that describes communication between modules. Since it operates according to the communication start and end time and communication data, the accuracy with respect to the clock is very low. The simulation speed is very fast because the function is simulated by the event.

  ii) Bus cycle accurate (BCA): A level of abstraction that describes functions as module input and output events. The operation clock can be accurately simulated at the input and output units.

  iii) Register transfer level (RTL): An abstraction level for describing a circuit by capturing synchronous transfer between register files. The function operation can be accurately simulated with respect to the operation clock, and the accuracy is very high. Since the function is simulated every clock, the simulation speed is very slow.

Thus, the higher the abstraction level of the description, the faster the simulation speed, and the lower the abstraction level, the higher the simulation accuracy. In system LSI design, module functions are gradually refined from descriptions with a high level of abstraction to descriptions with a low level of abstraction. In general, a system LSI designer selects and designs modules described with various degrees of abstraction.
For example, Patent Document 1 relates to a delay calculation device for a logic circuit, and in particular, to a logical structure expression expressed in a logic notation having a higher abstraction level than a detailed circuit diagram using logic components, and an arrangement at a floor plan level. A technique relating to a delay calculation apparatus for a logic circuit that performs a typical delay calculation is disclosed.
JP 05-174093 A

  However, in the conventional system LSI design described above, the user has to select a simulation model in accordance with the purpose of the simulation. For this reason, it is difficult for an inexperienced designer, a verification engineer who does not design, a software development engineer, etc., to select the optimal simulation model configuration, and the simulation results are obtained with an accuracy suitable for the purpose of the simulation. It was difficult to get.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a simulation model generation method and apparatus for easily generating a simulation model for enabling system simulation with optimum speed and accuracy. With the goal.

  As a technique for achieving the above object, the simulation model generation method of the present invention includes the following steps.

  That is, a simulation model generation method for generating a simulation model for simulating the entire system, the module specifying step for specifying at least one functional module constituting the system, and the purpose of the simulation for the specified functional module A purpose designating step for designating, an abstraction designating step for designating the abstraction level of the simulation model for the functional module designated in the functional module designating step based on the designated purpose, and a simulation using the simulation model And a test vector designating step for designating a test vector to be used in.

  According to the present invention, a simulation model configuration of the entire system can be obtained only by the user selecting the purpose of simulation, and simulation with optimum speed and accuracy can be easily executed.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<First Embodiment>
First, FIG. 1 shows a screen display example as a user interface in the simulation model generation processing of the system LSI in the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a block diagram display unit for inputting and editing a block diagram. That is, the block diagram shown in the block diagram display unit 101 represents the design data of the system LSI. The user selects a functional module that constitutes the system LSI on the block diagram display unit 101 using a mouse, a keyboard, or the like.

  Reference numeral 102 denotes a simulation purpose selection unit that selects the purpose of simulation for the selected functional module. The user selects the simulation purpose for the selected module. The simulation purpose selection unit 102 is displayed when at least one of symbols constituting the block diagram in the block diagram display unit 101 is selected.

  Here, FIG. 3 shows a screen display example when a plurality of functional modules are selected in the block diagram display unit 101. As can be seen from the comparison with Fig. 1 that shows the state where one functional module is selected, the simulation purpose that can be selected when multiple functional modules are selected is the same as when one functional module is selected. Is different. This is because the purpose of system evaluation is increased by selecting a plurality of functional modules.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system configuration for executing a system LSI simulation model generation process in the present embodiment. Note that the simulation model generation processing in the present embodiment is preferably realized as a function of the system LSI design tool.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes a block diagram edit control unit, which controls addition / deletion and editing of a block diagram representing design data of a system LSI with respect to the block diagram display shown in FIG. 1, and designs edited design data. Store in database 203. The block diagram input / deletion / editing function of the block diagram editing control unit 201 is the same as that of the well-known CAD technology, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted here. The block diagram edit control unit 201 includes a screen edit control unit 2011, a model selection control unit 2012, and a simulation purpose selection control unit 2013 therein.

  The screen editing control unit 2011 controls addition / deletion and editing of symbols and lines constituting a block diagram to be designed, and selects a function module. Here, a symbol represents a functional module, and a line represents a bus or signal line. On the block diagram display unit 101, symbols representing functional modules are displayed in a box shape, and lines representing buses and signal lines are displayed in a line shape.

  The model selection control unit 2012 selects and manages simulation models having various degrees of abstraction for the functional modules or buses added, deleted, and edited by the screen editing control unit 2011. The selectable simulation models are held in the design database 203 as a library. The simulation model of the abstraction level selected by the model selection control unit 2012 is the abstraction level selected by the user, and this is held in preference to the abstraction level of the simulation model selected according to the simulation purpose described later. Will not be changed to other levels of abstraction.

  The simulation purpose selection control unit 2013 selects the purpose of the simulation for the functional module selected by the screen edit control unit 2011.

  The design database 203 stores design information as a database. Here, the design information includes a block diagram created by the block diagram editing control unit 201, existing module design information, various simulation models corresponding to each functional module, bus design information, various simulation models corresponding to the bus, etc. Is stored.

  Reference numeral 202 denotes a simulation model abstraction level selection control unit. When the purpose of simulation for the selected functional module is selected in the block diagram editing control unit 201, the template in the template database 204 is used for each functional module constituting the system according to the selected simulation purpose. Determine the abstraction level of the simulation model. This determination method will be described in detail later.

  A user interface control unit 205 serves as an interface between the user and the block diagram editing control unit 201. The output unit 206 is means for displaying design information on the monitor 207, the input unit 208 is means for receiving information input by the user from the keyboard 209 and the mouse 210, and the keyboard 209 and mouse 210 are block diagrams by the user. This is an input means for executing addition / deletion and editing, and selecting a simulation model and a simulation purpose. That is, the user interface control unit 205 displays design information on the monitor 207 via the output unit 206 and accepts input from the user via the input unit 208.

  The test vector selection control unit 211 selects and manages a test vector used for system LSI simulation. Selectable test vectors are held in the test database 212.

  Hereinafter, the simulation model generation process according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of simulation model generation processing in the present embodiment.

  First, in step S401, the user selects at least one of the functional modules constituting the block from the block diagram displayed on the block diagram display unit 101. Then, the simulation purpose selection unit 102 for the selected functional module is displayed on the screen, and the user selects the simulation purpose of the functional module in step S402.

  In step S403, the simulation model abstraction level selection control unit 202 reads the template corresponding to the selected purpose from the template database 204, and determines the abstraction level of the simulation model of each functional module constituting the system according to the read template. To do. Note that when the abstraction level of the simulation model for the selected functional module is selected by the user, the user's selection is given priority.

  Here, FIG. 5 shows a description example of the template held in the template database 204, which will be described below. FIG. 5 shows an example for the purpose of developing driver software for the selected function module. In the figure, each item is distinguished by “;”.

  First, the purpose of the simulation is described. Following “PURPOSE” indicating that the purpose is described, “DEVICE DRIVER” that is a keyword for the purpose of simulation is described. Note that “PURPOSE” and “DEVICE DRIVER” are separated by “:”.

  Next, the abstraction level of the simulation model is designated for each module. In the example of FIG. 5, “CPU”, “memory”, “selected module”, and “other modules” are specified as modules. Here, the specification for “selected module” will be described as an example.

  Following “SELECTED MODULE”, which indicates the selected module, the abstraction level of the simulation model is designated. A plurality of model abstractions can be described in descending order of priority, but the highest priority is the abstraction level selected by the user, and “USER SELECTED” is described as a keyword. Next, the cycle approximate transaction level model “CYCLE APPROXIMATE TLM” is specified, and the cycle accuracy transaction level model “CYCLE ACCURATE TLM”, register accuracy untime model “REGISTER ACCURATE UT”, bus cycle accuracy model “BCA” Is specified. Keywords representing each degree of abstraction are separated by “,”.

  After the abstraction level specification for each module is described in this way, the abstraction level used when there is no model of the specified abstraction level is “DEFAULT”, and the register transfer level “RTL” is specified. .

  The simulation model abstraction level selection control unit 202 determines the abstraction level of the simulation model for each functional module from the design database 203 according to a template as shown in FIG. At this time, if there is no model with the abstraction level designated with the highest priority, the model with the abstraction level designated with the next priority is selected. Furthermore, if there is no model with the lowest priority, the model with the abstraction level specified by “DEFAULT” is used.

  When the simulation model abstraction level for each functional module is determined as described above, in step S404, the user selects a test vector. That is, a test vector used for system simulation is selected from the test database 212. When the user finishes selecting test vectors, a simulation model of the entire system LSI is generated.

  FIG. 6 shows a description example of the simulation model. For each functional module, the simulation model description of the abstraction level selected by the simulation model abstraction level selection control unit 202 is instantiated, and a simulation model reflecting the connection information displayed on the block diagram display unit 101 is generated I understand. The user can execute a simulation of the entire system LSI using the generated simulation model.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, in a design tool capable of adding, deleting, and editing a block diagram, if a user selects a purpose of simulation, a simulation model having an abstraction level that meets the selected purpose is obtained. By realizing a configuration that can be used to perform simulation, the following effects can be obtained. First, according to the simulation purpose, it is possible to always execute a simulation based on a combination of simulation models having an optimal abstraction level. For this reason, the problem that the simulation time is too long or the accuracy is insufficient due to the shortened simulation time is eliminated.

  Furthermore, even if the user is an inexperienced designer, a verification engineer with no design experience, or a software development engineer, it is not necessary to select the abstraction level of the simulation model of each module. The simulation by can be executed.

<Other embodiments>
Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the present invention can take embodiments as, for example, a system, an apparatus, a method, a program, or a storage medium (recording medium). The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a single device or an apparatus composed of a single device.

  In the present invention, a software program (in the embodiment, a program corresponding to the flowchart shown in the figure) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment is directly or remotely supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer of the system or apparatus Is also achieved by reading and executing the supplied program code.

  Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  In that case, as long as it has the function of a program, it may be in the form of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, or the like.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card , ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R).

  As another program supply method, a client computer browser is used to connect to an Internet homepage, and the computer program of the present invention itself or a compressed file including an automatic installation function is downloaded from the homepage to a recording medium such as a hard disk. Can also be supplied. It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. It is also possible to execute the encrypted program by using the key information and install the program on a computer.

  In addition to the functions of the above-described embodiments being realized by the computer executing the read program, the OS running on the computer based on the instructions of the program is a part of the actual processing. Alternatively, the functions of the above-described embodiment can be realized by performing all of them and performing the processing.

  Furthermore, after the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board or The CPU or the like provided in the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are also realized by the processing.

It is a figure which shows the example of a screen display in the simulation model production | generation process which is one Embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the system configuration | structure which performs the simulation model production | generation process in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen display which selected the some functional module in this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the simulation model production | generation process in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a description of the template in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the simulation model description example in this embodiment.

Claims (10)

A simulation model generation method for generating a simulation model for simulating the entire system,
A module designating step for designating at least one functional module constituting the system;
A purpose specifying step for specifying the purpose of simulation for the specified function module;
An abstraction level specifying step of specifying an abstraction level of the simulation model for the functional module specified in the functional module specifying step based on the specified purpose;
A test vector designating step for designating a test vector used in a simulation using the simulation model;
A simulation model generation method characterized by comprising:   2. The simulation model generation method according to claim 1, wherein, in the module designation step, at least one is selected from a plurality of functional modules constituting the system.   3. The simulation model generation method according to claim 1, wherein, in the purpose specifying step, a purpose of simulation for all the function modules specified in the function module specifying step is specified.   4. The simulation model generation method according to claim 3, wherein, in the purpose designating step, one purpose of simulation for the functional module is selected from a plurality of predetermined purposes.   5. The level of abstraction is specified by using a template file in which the level of abstraction of a simulation model for each functional module is described for each purpose of simulation. The simulation model generation method described in 1.   In the abstraction level specifying step, when the abstraction level based on a user instruction is not specified for the functional module specified in the functional module specifying step, the abstraction level specification based on the template file is performed. The simulation model generation method according to claim 5. 7. The simulation model generation method according to claim 1, wherein the system is a system LSI.
A simulation model generation device that generates a simulation model for simulating the entire system,
Module specifying means for specifying at least one functional module constituting the system;
Purpose specifying means for specifying the purpose of simulation for the specified function module;
Based on the designated purpose, an abstraction degree designating means for designating an abstraction level of the simulation model for the functional module designated by the functional module designation means;
Test vector designating means for designating a test vector used in a simulation using the simulation model;
A simulation model generation apparatus comprising:   A program for causing a simulation model generation method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 to be executed on an information processing apparatus by controlling the information processing apparatus.   A recording medium on which the program according to claim 9 is recorded.

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