Patent EP0733984A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0733984A1
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EP
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Cycle-based event-driven simulator
Assignee: Sun Microsystems Inc
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Filing: 1996-03-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-03-15
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for simulation of a hardware design using a cycle-based event-driven simulation. The present invention also provides for a measuring technique for estimating the potential performance gain obtained by using traditional simulation techniques as opposed to the cycle-based event-driven simulation technique of the present invention. The result of the measuring technique is provided for a user as a tool in determining which technique they would like to use for the simulation of their hardware design.
Inventors
- 👤 Samir S. Palnitkar
- 👤 Darrell R. Parham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:08
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/34; G06F11/3457; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; G06F30/32; G06F30/33
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
A method for simulating a hardware design for testing on an apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, said method comprising the steps of: ordering each event occurring in an evaluation clock cycle in said hardware design being simulated; and evaluating all of said each event at the end of said evaluation clock cycle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of resetting an event queue at each clock edge after each said event has been evaluated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of evaluating further comprises the step of fetching an event in said event queue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of storing each said event in said event queue as they occur in said hardware design being simulated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of evaluating said event fetched from said event queue.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of adding generated events in the order that they are generated to an event list.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of finding dependencies and looking at connectivity when adding said events in order to said event list.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of fetching the next event in said event queue if there are more events left in said event queue.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
50 words
A method for evaluating the performance gain for using a cycle base event-driven simulator; said method comprising the steps of: determining whether an event-driven simulator should be used for simulating a given hardware design; and determining performance gain achieved by using a cycle-based event-driven simulator to simulate said hardware design.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said step of determining whether an event-driven simulator should be used further comprises the step of: determining percentage of said hardware design activated every clock cycle when said hardware design is running; and determining percentage of total run time spent in a scheduler of said event-driven simulator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said step of determining the performance gain further comprises the steps of: determining performance gain from eliminating multiple evaluations at each element of said hardware design; and determining potential speedup obtained by reducing number of unnecessary evaluations at each gate in said hardware design.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
68 words
An apparatus including a processor and a memory, for providing a cycle-based event-driven simulator for simulating a given hardware design, said apparatus comprising: an event orderer for ordering events occurring while said hardware design is running in simulation, said events in an events queue and said ordering being performed for building an event list; and an evaluator for evaluating all of said events occurring in an evaluation cycle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said event orderer further comprises a connectivity finder for finding dependencies and connectivity between said events and said event list.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said event orderer further comprises a reorderer for reordering said events in said event list, and evaluating said events in said event list.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
64 words
A system including a processor and a memory, for providing a cycle-based event-driven simulator for simulating a given hardware design, said apparatus comprising: an event orderer for ordering events occurring while said hardware design is running in simulation, said events in an events queue and said ordering being performed to build an event list; and a scheduler for scheduling said events to be evaluated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said event orderer further comprises a connectivity finder for finding dependencies and connectivity between said events and said event list.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said event orderer further comprises a reorderer for reordering said events in said event list, and evaluating said events in said event list.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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