Emulation System Interconnect Redundancy for Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Processor-based hardware emulation systems face reliability issues due to communication channel failures, leading to system downtime and asymmetries between emulation systems, as they require recompilation to bypass failed channels, which disrupts the verification process.
Innovation Solution
Implementing redundant communication channels by duplicating data signals across multiple channels and using dynamic instructions to select working channels, allowing data to be stored and processed in separate memory locations, thereby ensuring continuous operation even if one channel fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If communication channels are implemented in cable connections, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of communication channel status before execution. The status detection unit detects whether communication channels are normal or abnormal in advance, and the execution unit selects alternative channels before failures occur, preventing system downtime
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system comprising a status detection unit and an execution unit that mediates between the communication channels and the emulation system. This intermediary layer dynamically selects working channels based on detected status, isolating failures from the main system
2Reliability
If communication channel failures are detected and alternative routes are selected, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to recompilation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-detects and pre-selects alternative communication channels before failures impact productivity. By having alternative routes ready and detecting channel status continuously, the system avoids time-consuming recompilation processes
Solution Approach 2:
The execution unit dynamically adjusts channel selection based on real-time status detection without requiring system recompilation. This dynamic adaptation maintains productivity while improving reliability through automatic failover to alternative channels
3Reliability
If redundant communication channels are implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The status detection unit and execution unit serve multiple functions: detecting channel status, selecting alternative channels, and maintaining system operation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each reliability function
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-diagnosis and self-reconfiguration through the status detection unit and execution unit. The emulation system automatically detects communication failures and reroutes data flow without external intervention, reducing the complexity of external monitoring and control systems
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for redundant communication channels in an emulation system is disclosed. A processor-based emulation system has a plurality of emulation chips on an emulation board. The emulation chips have a plurality of processor clusters. Signals are sent over one or more communication channels between processor clusters, including from a processor cluster on one emulation chip to a processor cluster on another emulation chip. Copies of the same signal may be sent in duplicate over separate communication channels. If a communication channel failure is detected, instruction memory is modified so that a processor cluster's instructions no longer address a first cluster memory location, but instead address a second cluster memory location of a non-failed communication channel. By using redundant communication channels, emulation system interconnect reliability is increased and recompilation of the design under verification may be avoided.