Simulator architecture

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein at least one said executable object generates an immediate stimulus to be immediately applied to another executable object, and further comprising applying said immediate stimulus to said other executable object prior to said step of awaiting completion of execution of all executable objects.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said executable objects include channel objects simulating a connection in said computing system, and transition objects and event function objects simulating a computational structure of said computing system.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein said event function objects, during execution, produce one or more immediate stimuli to be immediately applied to said channel objects, and one or more delayed stimuli to be applied later in time to said channel objects, and one or more delayed stimuli to be applied later in time to other event function objects, said channel objects, during execution, produce one or more immediate stimuli to be immediately applied to said transition objects, and said transition objects, during execution, apply conditions to stimuli applied thereto, and conditionally produce stimuli to be applied to said event function objects.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein one said transition object requires application of multiple stimuli thereto prior to producing stimuli to be applied to an event function object.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4 wherein providing said executable objects comprises translating module definitions defining operations of a computational structure of said computing system, into transition objects and event function objects.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4 wherein providing said executable objects comprises translating connection lists defining connections in said computing system into channel objects.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 wherein a given segment of a given module definition requests production of a delayed stimulus at a later time, and translating said given module definition further comprises generating a first event function object and producing in response to said given segment, executable code in said first event function object that, during execution, will store said delayed stimulus for retrieval and execution after said step of awaiting completion of execution of all executable objects.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6 wherein a given module definition requests delayed execution of a given segment thereof, and translating said given module definition further comprises generating a first event function object and generating, in response to said given segment, executable code in said first event function object that, during execution, will deliver a stimulus to a second event function object, and generating said second event function object and executable code in said second event function that, during execution, will execute said given segment.

Claim 11

The method of claim 6 wherein a given segment of a given module definition requests production of an immediate stimulus, and translating said given module definition further comprises generating a first event function object and producing in response to said given segment, executable code in said first event function object that, during execution, will produce said immediate stimulus.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 further comprising applying stimuli produced by execution of all executable objects, to another simulation system prior to applying said stored delayed stimulus to an executable object.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 further comprising applying stimuli produced by another simulation system to executable objects after awaiting completion of execution of all executable objects.

Claim 14

A program product for simulating the operation of a computing system, comprising digital data media, said media storing a plurality of executable objects, each during execution simulating an operation of a component of said computing system in response to a stimulus, at least one said object generating an indication of a stimulus to be applied at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, a core which during execution of a current cycle of simulation, applies a stimulus to cause execution of some but not all of said executable objects, at least one executable object producing an indication of a delayed stimulus to be applied at a time identified by reference to a subsequent cycle of simulation, stores the produced indication of said delayed stimulus, awaits completion of execution of all executable objects, and thereafter in said subsequent cycle of simulation applies said stored delayed stimulus to an executable object.

Claim 15

A program product for simulating the operation of a computing system, comprising digital data media, said media storing a plurality of executable objects, each during execution simulating an operation of a component of said computing system in response to a stimulus, at least one said object generating an indication of a stimulus to be applied at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, a core which during execution of a current cycle of simulation, applies a stimulus to cause execution of some but not all of said executable objects, at least one executable object producing an indication of a delayed stimulus to be applied at a time identified by reference to a subsequent cycle of simulation, stores the produced indication of said delayed stimulus, awaits completion of execution of all executable objects, and thereafter in said subsequent cycle of simulation applies said stored delayed stimulus to an executable object.

Claim 16

The program product of claim 13 wherein at least one said executable object, during execution, generates an immediate stimulus to be immediately applied to another executable object, and where said core applies said immediate stimulus to said other executable object prior to said step of awaiting completion of execution of all executable objects.

Claim 17

The program product of claim 13 wherein said executable objects include channel objects simulating a connection in said computing system, and transition objects and event function objects simulating a computational structure of said computing system.

Claim 18

The program product of claim 15 wherein said event function objects, during execution, produce one or more immediate stimuli to be immediately applied to said channel objects, and one or more delayed stimuli to be applied later in time to said channel objects, and one or more delayed stimuli to be applied later in time to other event function objects, said channel objects, during execution, produce one or more immediate stimuli to be immediately applied to said transition objects, and said transition objects, during execution, apply conditions to stimuli applied thereto, and conditionally produce stimuli to be applied to said event function objects.

Claim 19

The program product of claim 16 wherein one said transition object, during execution, requires application of multiple stimuli thereto prior to producing stimuli to be applied to an event function object.

Claim 20

The program product of claim 13 wherein said core further applies stimuli produced by execution of all executable objects, to another simulation system prior to applying said stored delayed stimulus to an executable object.

Claim 21

The program product of claim 13 wherein said core further applies stimuli produced by another simulation system to executable objects after awaiting completion of execution of all executable objects.

Claim 22

The program product of claim 13 wherein said digital data media is a transmission type media.

Claim 23

The program product of claim 13 wherein said digital data media is a storage type media.

Claim 24

A computing apparatus for simulating the operation of a computing system, comprising a memory device storing a plurality of executable objects, each simulating an operation of a component of said computing system in response to a stimulus, at least one said object generating an indication of a stimulus to be applied at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, a computing system: in a current cycle of simulation, applying a stimulus to cause execution of some but not all of said executable objects, at least one executable object producing an indication of a delayed stimulus to be applied at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, storing the produced indication of said delayed stimulus, awaiting completion of execution of all executable objects, and thereafter in said subsequent cycle of simulation, applying said stored delayed stimulus to an executable object.

Claim 25

A computing apparatus for simulating the operation of a computing system, comprising a memory device storing a plurality of executable objects, each simulating an operation of a component of said computing system in response to a stimulus, at least one said object generating an indication of a stimulus to be applied at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, a computing system: in a current cycle of simulation, applying a stimulus to cause execution of some but not all of said executable objects, at least one executable object producing an indication of a delayed stimulus to be applied at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, storing the produced indication of said delayed stimulus, awaiting completion of execution of all executable objects, and thereafter in said subsequent cycle of simulation, applying said stored delayed stimulus to an executable object.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein at least one said executable object, during execution, generates an immediate stimulus to be immediately applied to another executable object, said computing system applying said immediate stimulus to said other executable object prior to awaiting completion of execution of all executable objects.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said executable objects include channel objects simulating, during execution, a connection in said computing system, and transition objects and event function objects simulating, during execution, a computational structure of said computing system.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said event function objects, during execution, produce one or more immediate stimuli to be immediately applied to said channel objects, and one or more delayed stimuli to be applied later in time to said channel objects, and one or more delayed stimuli to be applied later in time to other event function objects, said channel objects, during execution, produce one or more immediate stimuli to be immediately applied to said transition objects, and said transition objects, during execution, apply conditions to stimuli applied thereto, and conditionally produce stimuli to be applied to said event function objects.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein one said transition object requires application of multiple stimuli thereto prior to producing stimuli to be applied to an event function object.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said computer system further applies stimuli produced by execution of all executable objects, to another simulation system prior to applying said stored delayed stimulus to an executable object.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said computer system further applies stimuli produced by another simulation system to executable objects after awaiting completion of execution of all executable objects.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said memory device is a mass storage device.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said computing system is a general purpose computer.

Claim 36

The method of claim 31 further comprising providing connection lists defining connections in said computing system, and translating said connection lists into executable code in channel objects.

Claim 37

The method of claim 31 wherein said given module definition requests delayed execution of a given segment thereof, and further comprising translating said given module definition into a second executable object, and producing, in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will deliver a stimulus to said second executable object, and executable code in said second executable that, during execution, will execute said given segment.

Claim 38

The method of claim 31 wherein said given module definition requests production of an immediate stimulus, and further comprising producing, in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will produce said immediate stimulus.

Claim 39

A program product for simulating the operation of a computing system, comprising a digital data media, said media storing: module definitions defining operations of a computational structure of said computing system, wherein a given segment of a given module definition requests delayed activity at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, and a core which during execution translates said given module definition into a first executable object, and produces in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will store a description of said delayed activity with reference to a subsequent cycle of simulation for later retrieval and execution in said subsequent cycle of simulation.

Claim 40

A program product for simulating the operation of a computing system, comprising a digital data media, said media storing: module definitions defining operations of a computational structure of said computing system, wherein a given segment of a given module definition requests delayed activity at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, and a core which during execution translates said given module definition into a first executable object, and produces in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will store a description of said delayed activity with reference to a subsequent cycle of simulation for later retrieval and execution in said subsequent cycle of simulation.

Claim 41

The program product of claim 35 wherein said media further stores connection lists defining connections in said computing system, and said core during execution translates said connection lists into executable code in channel objects.

Claim 42

The program product of claim 35 wherein said given module definition requests delayed execution of a given segment thereof, and wherein said core, during execution, translates said given module definition into a second executable object, and produces, in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will deliver a stimulus to said second executable object, and executable code in said second executable that, during execution, will execute said given segment.

Claim 43

The program product of claim 35 wherein said given module definition requests production of an immediate stimulus, and wherein said core, during execution, produces, in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will produce said immediate stimulus.

Claim 44

The program product of claim 35 wherein said digital data media is a transmission type media.

Claim 45

The program product of claim 35 wherein said digital data media is a storage type media.

Claim 46

A computing apparatus for simulating the operation of a computing system, comprising: a memory device storing module definitions defining operations of a computational structure of said computing system, wherein a given segment of a given module definition requests delayed activity at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, and a computing system: translating said given module definition into a first executable object, and producing in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will store a description of said delayed activity with reference to a subsequent cycle of simulation for later retrieval and execution in said subsequent cycle of simulation.

Claim 47

A computing apparatus for simulating the operation of a computing system, comprising: a memory device storing module definitions defining operations of a computational structure of said computing system, wherein a given segment of a given module definition requests delayed activity at a time identified by reference to a cycle of simulation, and a computing system: translating said given module definition into a first executable object, and producing in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will store a description of said delayed activity with reference to a subsequent cycle of simulation for later retrieval and execution in said subsequent cycle of simulation.

Claim 48

The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said memory device stores connection lists defining connections in said computing system, and said computing system translates said connection lists into executable code in channel objects.

Claim 49

The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said given module definition requests delayed execution of a given segment thereof, and said computing system further translates said given module definition into a second executable object, and produces, in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will deliver a stimulus to said second executable object, and executable code in said second executable that, during execution, will execute said given segment.

Claim 50

The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said given module definition requests production of an immediate stimulus, and further said computing system further produces, in response to said given segment, executable code in said first executable object that, during execution, will produce said immediate stimulus.

Claim 51

The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said memory device is a mass storage device.

Claim 52

The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said computing system is a general purpose computer.