Techniques for processor/memory co-exploration at multiple abstraction levels
View Patent ↗Processor/memory co-exploration at multiple abstraction levels. An architecture description language (ADL) description of a processor/memory system is accessed. The ADL description models on one of a plurality of abstraction levels. The abstraction levels may include a functional (or bit-accurate) level and a cycle-accurate level. Further, a communication protocol for the processor/memory system is accessed. The communication protocol is formed from primitives, wherein a memory interface formed from the primitives is useable in simulation at the abstraction levels. A processor/memory simulation model is automatically generated from the description and description of the communication protocol. The processor/memory simulation model comprises a processor/memory interface comprising the primitives and based on the communication protocol. The memory interface allows simulation of the processor/memory on the appropriate abstraction level for the simulation. For example, the processor/memory interface may be a functional interface or a cycle-accurate interface.
1. A computer readable medium having embedded therein a set of application program interfaces (APIs) for use in one of a processor and memory co-simulations, said APIs comprising:
a first set of primitives operable for composition and sequencing to form a first communication protocol used with a functional level architecture description language (ADL) of a processor and a memory; and
a second set of primitives operable for composition and sequencing to form a second communication protocol used with a cycle-accurate level architecture description language (ADL) of said processor and said memory.
2. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 1 , wherein said functional level ADL description of said processor and said memory is suitable for input to an automatic simulation generation tool, wherein an automatically generated functional processor/memory simulation model comprises a functional interface comprising said first set of primitives.
3. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 1 , wherein said cycle-accurate ADL description of said processor and said memory is suitable for input to said automatic simulation generation tool, and wherein an automatically generated cycle-accurate processor/memory simulation model comprises a cycle-accurate interface comprising said second set of interfaces.
4. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 2 , wherein said functional interface comprises a read primitive, and wherein memory access is performed immediately.
5. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 4 , wherein said functional interface further comprises a write primitive, and wherein memory access is performed immediately.
6. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 2 , wherein a memory access request is achieved with a single primitive in said first set of primitives using said functional interface, and wherein said single primitive is selected between a read primitive and a write primitive.
7. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 3 , wherein said cycle-accurate interface comprises a request-based interface.
8. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 3 , wherein said cycle-accurate interface comprises separate primitives in said second set of primitives for requesting and completing a memory access.
9. A processor and memory co-simulation method comprising:
generating a first set of primitives operable for composition and sequencing to form a first communication protocol used with a functional level architecture description language (ADL) of a processor and a memory;
generating a second set of primitives operable for composition and sequencing to form a second communication protocol used with a cycle-accurate level architecture description language (ADL) of said processor and said memory; and
storing said first and second set of primitives on a computing device readable medium as a set of application program interfaces (APIs).
10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
inputting said functional level ADL description of said processor and said memory to an automatic simulation generation tool to generate a functional one of a processor and memory simulation model including a functional interface comprising said first set of primitives.
11. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
inputting said cycle-accurate ADL description of said processor and said memory to said automatic simulation generation tool to generate a cycle-accurate one of said processor and memory simulation model including a cycle-accurate interface comprising said second set of interfaces.
12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said functional interface comprises a read primitive, and wherein memory access is performed immediately.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said functional interface further comprises a write primitive, and wherein memory access is performed immediately.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein a memory access request is achieved with a single primitive in said first set of primitives using said functional interface, and wherein said single primitive is selected between a read primitive and a write primitive.
15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said cycle-accurate interface comprises a request-based interface.
16. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said cycle-accurate interface comprises separate primitives in said second set of primitives for requesting and completing a memory access.