Granted Patent B2

US 8,527,254 · App. 12/068,122 · Granted Sep 3, 2013

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A simulator engine development system for developing a simulator engine of an integrated circuit, comprising at least one processor configured to perform a process including:

creating a data file storing data concerning an operation of the integrated circuit for each of a plurality of types of the integrated circuit for each update of the data, each type combining macros defining behaviors of input and output parts of the integrated circuit;

managing the data file with a file name including an updated date and time in a storage unit;

displaying a screen at a display unit for a user to select one of the plurality of types of the integrated circuit by a type name;

specifying a latest data file from a plurality of data files retrieved based on the type name by referring to the date and time included in the file name in response to a selection of the type name of the integrated circuit by the user, and generating a program source of the simulator engine to simulate the operation corresponding to the type of the integrated circuit, which type is specified by the type name;

generating an execution program by compiling the program source and evaluating the execution program by using a test program; and

determining whether or not an evaluation result by the generating the execution program indicates a state in which feedback is required to the latest data file, and displaying contents concerning the feedback based on a determination result at the display unit,

wherein the creating the data file includes:

creating a new first file every time a first file is updated, the first file indicating macro names to specify the macros corresponding to the type name for each type of the integrated circuit, and storing the new first file with a first file name including a first updated date and time in the storage unit;

creating a new second file every time a second file including a list of initial values for each of the macros is updated, and storing the new second file with a second file name including a second updated date and time in the storage unit; and

creating a new third file every time a third file storing a state transition diagram indicating a behavior of each macro is updated, and storing the new third file with a third file name including a third updated date and time in the storage unit.

2. The simulator engine development system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the determining stores the execution program as a finished product when the determination result indicates that the execution program is to be provided to a user as the finished product.

3. The simulator engine development system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the creating the data file includes a first date and time in the first file name and stores the new first file with the first file name when the first file is newly created, includes a second date and time in the second file name and stores the new second file with the second file name when the second file is newly created, and includes a third date and time in the third file name and stores the new third file with the third file name when the third file is newly created.

4. The simulator engine development system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the specifying the latest file includes:

specifying the first file having the first file name which includes a latest first updated date and time, from a plurality of the first files being stored in the storage unit, and to acquire the macro names from a combination of the macros by using the selected type name;

specifying the second file having the second file name which includes a latest second updated date and time, from a plurality of the second files being stored in the storage unit, and to acquire the list of the initial values for each macro in the combination of the macros by using the macro name acquired by the specifying the first file name; and

selecting the third file having the third file name which includes a latest third updated date and time, from a plurality of the third files storing the state transition diagram of the macro specified by the macro name acquired by the specifying the first file, and to convert the state transition diagram of the selected third file into the program source.

5. The simulator engine development system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the selecting the third file creates a specification of the type of the integrated circuit which type is specified by the type name by writing the state transition diagram stored in the selected third file having the third file name including the latest third date and time, into a document file.

6. A simulator engine development method for a computer to develop a simulator engine of an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:

creating, by using the computer, a data file storing data concerning an operation of the integrated circuit for each of a plurality of types of the integrated circuit for each update of the data, each type combining macros defining a behavior of an input and output part of the integrated circuit;

managing, by using the computer, the data file with a file name including an updated date and time in a storage unit;

displaying, by the computer, a screen at a display unit for a user to select one of the plurality of types of the integrated circuit by a type name;

specifying, by using the computer, a latest data file from a plurality of data files retrieved based on the type name by referring to the date and time included in the file name in response to a selection of the type name of the integrated circuit by the user;

generating, by using the computer, a program source of the simulator engine to simulate the operation corresponding to the type of the integrated circuit, which type is specified by the type name;

generating, by using the computer, an execution program by compiling the program source;

determining, by using the computer, whether or not an evaluation result from evaluating the execution program by using a test program indicates a state in which feedback is required to the latest data file managed in the storage unit; and

displaying, by using the computer, contents concerning the feedback based on a determination result at the display unit,

wherein the creating the data file includes:

creating, by using the computer, a new first file every time a first file is updated, the first file indicating macro names to specify the macros corresponding to the type name for each type of the integrated circuit, and storing the new first file with a first file name including a first updated date and time in the storage unit;

creating, by using the computer, a new second file every time a second file including a list of initial values for each of the macros is updated, and storing the new second file with a second file name including a second updated date and time in the storage unit; and

creating, by using the computer, a new third file every time a third file storing a state transition diagram indicating a behavior of each macro is updated, and storing the new third file with a third file name including a third updated date and time in the storage unit.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recorded with a computer program for causing a computer to perform as a simulator engine development system to develop a simulator engine of an integrated circuit, said computer program comprising codes to perform a process comprising:

creating a data file storing data concerning an operation of the integrated circuit for each of a plurality of types of the integrated circuit for each update of the data, each type combining macros defining a behavior of an input and output part of the integrated circuit;

managing the data file with a file name including an updated date and time in a storage unit;

displaying a screen at a display unit for a user to select one of the plurality of types of the integrated circuit by a type name;

specifying a latest data file from a plurality of data files retrieved based on the type name by referring to the date and time included in the file name in response to a selection of the type name of the integrated circuit by the user;

generating a program source of the simulator engine to simulate the operation corresponding to the type of the integrated circuit, which type is specified by the type name;

generating an execution program by compiling the program source;

determining whether or not an evaluation result from evaluating the execution program by using a test program indicates a state in which feedback is required to the latest data file managed in the storage unit; and

displaying contents concerning the feedback based on a determination result at the display unit,

wherein the creating the data file includes:

creating a new first file every time a first file is updated, the first file indicating macro names to specify the macros corresponding to the type name for each type of the integrated circuit, and storing the new first file with a first file name including a first updated date and time in the storage unit;

creating a new second file every time a second file including a list of initial values for each of the macros is updated, and storing the new second file with a second file name including a second updated date and time in the storage unit; and

creating a new third file every time a third file storing a state transition diagram indicating a behavior of each macro is updated, and storing the new third file with a third file name including a third updated date and time in the storage unit.

Assignments (9)