一种基于Simics的兼容微处理器系统级验证平台

高性能微处理器复杂度不断增大,验证也变得更为复杂,已成为设计过程中的瓶颈。文章就兼容微处理器的验证,提出了基于Simics构建系统级验证平台的一种设计方法。通过自行开发的控制模块把Simics提供的ISS(InstructionLevelSimulator)和相关的存储器模型、外围设备与外部仿真器相连构建了一个验证系统平台。在这个平台中Simics支持的处理器作为待验证兼容处理器的参考模型,测试使用的激励来自真实的操作系统和应用程序,自动比较运行结果。借助于Simics的快速仿真速度和现场恢复能力,该平台可大大加快验证速度。

A Verification Platform Based on Simics for Compatible Microprocessor

As the complexity of high-performance microprocessor increases,its verification becomes more difficult and emerges as the bottleneck of the design cycle.In this paper,we propose a methodology to setup a system level verification platform based on Simics for compatible microprocessor.The method builds a system,applying ISS and related memory model and peripheral devices provided by Simics connected with external simulator by the controlling module developed by us.And the microprocessor supported by Simics plays as a reference model.The test stimuli comes from the real operating system and application programs.The platform compares the results from microprocessor and the IIS automatically.Thanks to the fast simulation speed and the instant scenario recovery ability provided by Simics,the platform advances the procedure of verification quickly.