Abstract: In a circuit system simulation model which may comprise a combination of physical dynamic circuit devices to be modeled, of physical static circuit devices to be modeled, and of means for controlling at least the operating sequence of the physical devices, a method is provided for exercising the circuit devices which comprises segregating strobe input signals from nonstrobe input signals to be presented to each circuit device and preserving order of strobe input transitions relative to each other and to nonstrobe input transitions while ignoring the order of nonstrobe input transitions relative to one another when presenting a sequence of input patterns to each circuit device.

Abstract: A simulation model is provided which comprises a combination of the physical device to be modeled and means for controlling the physical device at normal operating speeds so as to avoid loss of data or of accumulated functions. Specifically, the physical device to be modeled is connected through a micro-system simulation means which can accept any of a wide variety of external devices and which includes the logic circuitry and control means necessary to allow the physical device to be stimulated and the resulting behavior observed under external control. Data and logic state patterns are preserved by effective control of the starting, stopping, cycling and resetting of the physical device.