Abstract: An integrated prototyping system (IPS) is proposed for verifying and validating an electronic system design (ESD) with hierarchical design elements (HDEs). The IPS has: a) A reprogrammable logic device (RPLD) having an emulation timing base and an RPLD-interface for programming and simulating HDEs under validation while transacting exchanging vectors. The RPLD is also switchably coupled to numerous external peripheral electronic devices (PED), b) An EDA simulator for simulating then verifying selected HDEs while transacting exchanging vectors. The EDA simulator also has a simulator interface; and c) An IPS controller bridging the RPLD and the EDA simulator. The IPS controller has an IPS executive for progressively verifying and validating the ESD. The IPS executive further includes a co-emulation software for jointly and simultaneously running the RPLD and the EDA simulator with an event-based synchronization scheme for interchanging exchanging vectors on demand between the RPLD and the EDA simulator.

Abstract: A prototype debugging system controlled by a host processor over a host bus includes: (a) a vector processor interface bus; (b) one or more programmable logic circuits, at least one of which provided to implement: (i) a logic circuit under verification; (ii) one or more programmable embedded debug circuits each receiving a first group of selected signals from the logic circuit under verification and providing control signals for (1) selecting a portion of the first group of selected signals, or (2) affecting the values of a second group of selected signals in the logic circuit under verification based on a portion of the first group of selected signals satisfying a predetermined triggering condition, wherein the programmable embedded debug circuits each including a built-in memory for storing signal vectors, the programmable embedded debug circuits each being configured according to a trigger specification defining one or more trigger states and triggering conditions; and (iii) a local debugging controller th

Abstract: A prototyping system includes (i) a vector processor having an interface for communicating with a host processor and a second interface (e.g., a vector processor bus) for dispatching vectors; (ii) a number of programmable logic circuits each coupled to the second interface to receive the dispatched vectors; and (iii) a compiler for (a) partitioning an electronic circuit into multiple partitions, assigning each partition to one of the programmable logic circuits, (b) providing multiple connections each provided for connecting signals among the partitions, (c) providing in each programmable logic circuit an interface circuit module that manages the connections among partitions using a virtual interconnection technique, and (d) assigning the physical interconnection resources, such as pins of the programmable logic circuits and physical wires on the boards. First and further assigns at least one virtual interconnection (secondary I/O) between partitions to realize the connections among partitions.

Abstract: A method for prototyping and validating a customer's electronic system design (ESD) with design data is proposed. The design data is partitioned into hierarchical design elements (HDEs) plus their respective test benches. The ESD couples with customer's customer peripheral devices CPDs via their peripheral interface terminals PITs thus forming interconnected hierarchical system elements (HSEs) interacting with one another according to a functional validation specification. The HSEs form numerous system hierarchy levels (SHLs). The method includes: a) Providing a reprogrammable logic device (RPLD) with an RPLD-interface and programmable external interfaces PXIFs respectively connected to the PITs. b) Providing a simulation software tool. c) Disabling all PXIFs via RPLD-interface. (For each disabled PXIF, identifying HDEs connected to the PXIF and appending their test benches with stimuli and responses to form appended test benches.

Abstract: A method for verifying a logic circuit in a prototyping system includes (a) configuring programmable logic circuits of the prototyping system to implement the logic circuit and to implement probe circuits for accessing internal nodes of the logic circuit; (b) preparing emulation vectors for use in a vector emulation of the logic circuit in the prototyping system; (c) setting one or more vector substitution points; (d) preparing one or more packet vectors at each vector substitution point for replacing emulation vectors in the vector emulation; (e) performing the vector emulation using the emulation vectors until one of the vector substitution points is reached; and (f) substituting packet vectors for the corresponding emulation vectors at vector substitution point and continuing the vector emulation.

Abstract: Using a vector-based emulation technique, a hardware-based prototyping system reduces time-consuming recompilation and reduces the iteration time for a verification run. The vector-based emulation technique takes advantage of information derived from user-defined probe points, automatically generated probe points and low-latency snapshots. Using a bounded-cycle simulation technique, the hardware-based prototyping system can provide complete or partial simulation traces covering interested signals and can efficiently evaluates assertions. A user is therefore able to debug in a real system test and to identify causes of fault conditions interactively under a controlled vector debugging environment.

Abstract: An integrated prototyping system (IPS) is proposed for verifying and validating an electronic system design (ESD) with hierarchical design elements (HDEs). The IPS has: a) A reprogrammable logic device (RPLD) having an emulation timing base and an RPLD-interface for programming and simulating HDEs under validation while transacting exchanging vectors. The RPLD is also switchably coupled to numerous external peripheral electronic devices (PED), b) An EDA simulator for simulating then verifying selected HDEs while transacting exchanging vectors. The EDA simulator also has a simulator interface; and c) An IPS controller bridging the RPLD and the EDA simulator. The IPS controller has an IPS executive for progressively verifying and validating the ESD. The IPS executive further includes a co-emulation software for jointly and simultaneously running the RPLD and the EDA simulator with an event-based synchronization scheme for interchanging exchanging vectors on demand between the RPLD and the EDA simulator.

Abstract: A method for prototyping and validating a customer's electronic system design (ESD) with design data is proposed. The design data is partitioned into hierarchical design elements (HDEs) plus their respective test benches. The ESD couples with customer's customer peripheral devices CPDs via their peripheral interface terminals PITs thus forming interconnected hierarchical system elements (HSEs) interacting with one another according to a functional validation specification. The HSEs form numerous system hierarchy levels (SHLs). The method includes: a) Providing a reprogrammable logic device (RPLD) with an RPLD-interface and programmable external interfaces PXIFs respectively connected to the PITs. b) Providing a simulation software tool. c) Disabling all PXIFs via RPLD-interface. (For each disabled PXIF, identifying HDEs connected to the PXIF and appending their test benches with stimuli and responses to form appended test benches.