JP2007213232A - Design support system and document generation method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically execute a test in IP configurations when a user determines the design parameter of IP, and to automatically generate a document on which the change of the design parameter is reflected when the IP configurations prepared by the user is appropriate. <P>SOLUTION: The combination configurations of the internal submodules of a hardware design or the parameter value of each sub-module is changed by a design parameter, and the changed combination configurations of the submodules or the changed parameter value of each submodule are tested. As the result of the test, when there is no error, a document is generated based on the changed combination configurations of the submodules or the changed parameter value of each submodule. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a design support system and a document generation method.

  With regard to LSI development methods, IP-based design has been put into practical use in which designed functional blocks are positioned and utilized as intellectual property (IP) of LSI design in order to improve design productivity.

  Some IPs provide a required function by dividing an internal configuration into a plurality of submodules and changing a combination of submodules with design parameters. Such an IP is provided in a package format including a hardware design composed of a plurality of submodules whose parameter settings can be changed, and documents such as their test benches, typical tests and their specifications. There is a case.

  Such parameterized IP specifications and test specifications documents increase with the number and types of parameters and submodules. When provided as an IP, it is common to provide a document that describes all the configurations and parameters that the IP can take.

  Conventionally, there has been a technique for improving the efficiency of document creation by converting a document into parts and storing it in a database, and extracting and synthesizing the parts at the time of document creation. In a conventional document creation support system, document parts designated by a user are extracted from a database, and a document is determined by combining these parts. This document is laid out in a predetermined format, and the result is output (for example, see Patent Document 1).

In addition, as a document automatic generation technique related to LSI development, a technique is disclosed in which, when an IP used in an LSI is changed, those parameters are automatically reflected in the document, and the document is automatically generated (for example, patents). Reference 2).
JP-A-5-101054 JP 2004-199347 PR

  When the IP in the form as described above is provided and the user actually uses the IP, the user uniquely selects the parameters and configuration in accordance with his / her required specifications. Thereafter, the user creates a document such as a specification document for the user's own design based on the IP document for the user's own IP configuration design.

  However, since all the configurations and parameters that can be taken by the IP are described in the document, many items unnecessary for the user may be described.

  Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult and cumbersome for a user to extract necessary documents and description items and create a document for his design.

  Furthermore, as in Patent Document 2, even if a document is generated at the time of change, if the combination of designs and design parameter values generated by the user are not correct, the generated document itself is wasted. there were.

  An object of the present invention is to perform a test by changing a hardware design according to a design parameter, and automatically generate a document reflecting the change if appropriate.

  The present invention is a design support system, and includes a change means for changing a combination configuration of internal submodules of a hardware design and a parameter value of each submodule according to a design parameter, and a combination configuration of each of the changed submodules and each submodule. A test means for testing a parameter value of the module; and a generation means for generating a document based on the combined configuration of the changed submodules and the parameter value of each submodule when there is no error as a result of the test. It is characterized by.

  According to the present invention, a test can be performed by changing the hardware design according to the design parameters, and if appropriate, a document reflecting the change can be automatically generated.

  The best mode for carrying out the invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a document generation system in the present embodiment. The IP is composed of a plurality of sub-modules that can change the combination of internal sub-modules and the parameter values of each sub-module according to design parameters and the like, thereby providing various functions. In addition, the document generation system includes hardware design data 108, test data 109, and document data 110 such as their specifications.

  The design data 108 stores the source code of the submodule for configuring the IP. The test data 109 stores test data for testing the user design 111 configured by the user, and a list in which design parameters and tests are associated with each other. The test data 109 is a list using the submodules and design parameters included in the IP as keys, and it is possible to search and refer to tests corresponding to the submodules and design parameters.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a list associated with the test data 109. The list shown in FIG. 2 includes a submodule ID field 201, a parameter field 202, a value field 203, and a test ID field 204. Here, the submodule ID field 201 is a field that represents the name and number of the submodule that constitutes the IP. The parameter field 202 is a field indicating the type of design parameter such as a channel, an internal FIFO, and a target bus. The value field 203 is a field that represents a possible value of the design parameter. The test ID field 204 is a field indicating an ID indicating the name and number of the test corresponding to the design parameter.

  Here, referring back to FIG. 1, the document data 110 stores the specification of a document including all IP functions realized by a combination of all IP sub-modules and design parameters. The document data 110 is classified into a function description part, a block diagram part, and a signal waveform diagram part.

  First, in the function description section, an index indicating a description start and a description end is inserted in advance using the name of a submodule having the described function as a keyword. In addition, an index for inserting from the design parameter is inserted in advance in a portion where the description changes depending on the design parameter value.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a function description unit in the document data 110. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the description part regarding the module B and the internal FIFO is shown. The submodule names that are keywords are “module_B” and “internal_fifo”. Also, the index indicating the start is <#module_B> and <#internal_fifo>, and the index indicating the end is <#>.

  In addition, the value representing the design parameter that can be selected by the user is determined by the user design, and when the simulation is finished, [$ n] is an index indicating that the selected parameter value is inserted. Has been inserted. An index as in this example is inserted in advance into a function description portion of a module in an IP document, and the document is converted into parts.

  Next, in the block diagram part in the document data 110, a block diagram which is the maximum as an IP configuration is inserted. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a block diagram part in the document data 110. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the block diagram section is composed of a module A 402 having an internal FIFO 401, an A bus interface 403, and an A bus 404.

  Next, in the signal waveform portion in the document data 110, an index for insertion from the design parameter is inserted in advance in a portion where the description changes depending on the design parameter value. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a signal waveform portion in the document data 110. In FIG. 5, values representing design parameters that can be selected by the user are indices indicating that the selected parameter values are inserted when the user design is determined and the simulation is completed <$ n>. Has been inserted.

  Here, referring back to FIG. 1, reference numeral 102 denotes an IP design unit, which is a GUI or the like for the user to change the combination configuration of IP internal submodules and the parameter values of each submodule according to his / her required specifications based on the IP. Is provided. Reference numeral 111 denotes a user design created by the user by the IP design unit 102.

  Reference numeral 103 denotes an IP design parameter extraction unit, which extracts combinations of internal submodules configured by the IP design unit 102 and changed IP design parameter values. Reference numeral 107 denotes an IP design parameter list, which is a list that outputs combinations of internal submodules extracted by the IP design parameter extraction unit 103 and changed IP design parameter values.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the IP design parameter list 107. As shown in FIG. 6, the IP design parameter list 107 includes an ID field 601, a parameter field 602, and a value field 603. Here, the ID field 601 is a field representing the name or number of a submodule or the like in IP. The parameter field 602 is a field that represents the type of design parameter that each submodule has. The value field 603 is a field for storing a parameter value selected by the user.

  Here, referring back to FIG. 1, reference numeral 104 denotes a test selection unit which refers to the IP design parameter list and test data and selects a test suitable for the user design from the test data. Reference numeral 112 denotes a test selected by the test selection unit 104. Reference numeral 105 denotes a logic simulator, which performs a simulation with an IP design and test designed by the user.

  A document generation unit 106 refers to the IP design data list for the IP design designed by the user, and extracts a function description portion of the selected module from the IP document data. Then, the corresponding design data is changed, and a document is automatically generated.

  Next, a process for testing a user-created IP configuration and automatically generating a document reflecting a design parameter change determined by the user in the document generation system will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing document generation processing in the present embodiment. First, in step S701, the user selects a submodule from the IP by the IP design unit 102 in accordance with his / her required specifications. Next, after the user selects a submodule necessary for the design, the design parameters that can be changed are changed in each submodule, and the user design 111 is created.

  When the user finishes changing the configuration and design parameters of the user's own IP design, the process advances to step S702, and the IP design parameter extraction unit 103 extracts the combination of submodules selected by the user and the changed design parameters. Specifically, the IP design parameter extraction unit 103 refers to the combination of submodules selected by the user and the changed design parameters from the IP design unit 102, and creates an IP design parameter list 107.

  In step S <b> 703, the test selection unit 104 refers to the IP design parameter list 107 and selects a test 112 suitable for the design selected by the user from the IP test data 109. Here, the test selection unit 104 refers to the IP design parameter list 107 in the order of the submodule ID field 601, the submodule parameter field 602, and the parameter value field 603. Then, the test data association list is searched in the order of reference.

  For example, referring to the design parameter list shown in FIG. 6 and selecting a test with the test data shown in FIG. 2, the tests of “module_B”, “channel”, and “1” are “single test”. Further, the tests “A_Bus_IF”, “ABus”, “data width”, “32”, “burst”, and “wrap8” are “Abus I / F test”.

  Next, in step S704, the logic simulator 105 starts simulation using the test 112 selected by the test selection unit 104 and the user design 111. In step S705, when the logic simulation is completed, the process proceeds to step S706 to determine whether a test error has occurred due to the logic simulation. Here, if a test error has occurred, the user is informed of the error. Thereby, the user repeats the procedure from step S701 to step S706 again from the IP design stage.

  In step S706, if a test error has not occurred as a result of the logic simulation, the process proceeds to step S707. In step S707, the document generation unit 106 refers to the IP design parameter list 107, changes the design parameter value of the IP document data 110, and extracts a description portion related to the selected submodule. Then, a document of the user design 111 designed by the user is created.

  For example, when a document is created with reference to the IP design parameter list 107 shown in FIG. 6, the sub-module selected by the user is the module B. Therefore, the IP function description part shown in FIG. To extract. Specifically, in the function description part, the function description part delimited by the end index <#> is extracted from the start index <#module_B>.

  Further, in the IP design parameter list 107, the user design 111 has the channel number 1 of module B selected. Therefore, the selected design parameter value 1 is inserted at a position where [$ n], which is an index indicating insertion of the selected parameter value, is inserted.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a document obtained by performing extraction and insertion into the function description unit illustrated in FIG. Further, in the configuration of the block diagram part shown in FIG. 4, since the parameter field indicating the internal FIFO does not exist in the module B selected by the user, the internal FIFO 401 is deleted from the entire block diagram of the IP. Then, the module A402 is changed to a module B901 as shown in FIG. These deletion and change techniques use conventional document generation techniques.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the module A 402 illustrated in FIG. 4 is deleted and changed. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which the change of the design parameter is reflected in the signal waveform diagram shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, since the user has selected the data width 32 of the A bus interface, the selected design parameter value 32 is inserted in the [$ n] position of the index indicating the insertion of the selected parameter value. To do.

  As described above, when the work of reflecting the design parameter values of the user design in the document data is completed, the document generation unit 106 outputs these. When outputting, a conventional document creation description is used, and the document is formed and output.

According to this embodiment, when a user designs his / her IP design, a test and a test bench are automatically selected from the IP and a logic simulation is performed. Since the IP design document designed by the user can be automatically created only when no error occurs in the logic simulation, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When a user design is used in development of a user-designed driver designed by a user in a later process, only the submodules, functions, and design parameters that are implemented are described in the document. Therefore, it is not necessary to spend time for classifying necessary information and unnecessary information, which leads to a shortened development period.
(2) When a user creates a unique design, it is not necessary to create a new user-designed document from an IP document. Therefore, the design is facilitated and the design period is shortened.
(3) Since the document is generated after the quality of the design is guaranteed by the simulation, there is no need to rework the creation of the document due to the discovery of a defect in a later process.

  Even if the present invention is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), it is applied to an apparatus (for example, a copier, a facsimile machine, etc.) composed of a single device. It may be applied.

  In addition, a recording medium in which a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the program code stored in the recording medium. Read and execute. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by this.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the recording medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

  In addition, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the following cases are included. That is, when the OS (operating system) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  Further, the program code 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. After that, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing. Needless to say.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the document production | generation system in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the list | wrist with which the test data 109 were linked | related. It is a figure which shows an example of the function description part in the document data. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the block diagram part in the document data. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the signal waveform part in the document data. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an IP design parameter list 107. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the document production | generation process in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the document obtained by extracting and inserting in the function description part shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example which deleted and changed to module A402 shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example which reflected the change of the design parameter in the signal waveform diagram shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

102 IP design unit 103 IP design parameter extraction unit 104 test selection unit 105 logic simulation 106 document generation unit 107 IP design parameter list 108 design data 109 test data 110 document data 111 user design 112 test

Claims (8)

A design support system,
Change means to change the combination configuration of internal submodules of hardware design and parameter values of each submodule according to design parameters,
Test means for testing the combined configuration of the changed submodules and the parameter value of each submodule;
When there is no error as a result of the test, generation means for generating a document based on the combined configuration of the changed submodules and the parameter value of each submodule;
A design support system characterized by comprising:   The document is composed of a function description part, a block diagram, and a waveform diagram of the hardware design. An index indicating start and end is inserted in the function description part, and a parameter value changed by the design parameter is inserted. The design support system according to claim 1, wherein an index indicating insertion is inserted.   2. The design support system according to claim 1, wherein the design parameter is a list including an identifier representing a submodule and a parameter value included in the submodule.   The design support system according to claim 1, wherein the test unit tests a test item for the submodule by logic simulation.   2. The generating unit refers to the design parameter, extracts a document part related to the changed submodule from a generated document, inserts the design parameter value, and generates a document. The design support system described in 1. A document generation method,
The process of changing the combination configuration of internal submodules of the hardware design and the parameter value of each submodule according to the design parameters,
Testing the modified sub-module combination configuration and the parameter value of each sub-module;
If there is no error as a result of the test, generating a document based on the combined configuration of the changed submodules and the parameter value of each submodule;
A document generation method characterized by comprising:   A program for causing a computer to execute the document generation method according to claim 6.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 7 is recorded.

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