Instruction Check Apparatus for Microcomputer I/O Simulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microcomputer debugging processes lack efficient methods to verify and correct incorrect hardware resource access during operation simulation, leading to potential bugs and inefficiencies in software execution.
Innovation Solution
An instruction check program and apparatus that utilize an I/O simulator to perform operation simulations, obtaining specification information of microcomputer hardware resources, detecting and correcting reference instructions for accurate hardware access by comparing simulation outputs with input/output conditions, and outputting error signals or correction codes as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If operation simulation is performed using an I/O simulator, then software bugs can be detected, but the process lacks efficient verification methods for hardware resource access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the I/O simulator's simulation results are automatically compared against specification information defining correct hardware resource access patterns. When discrepancies are detected between simulated access and specified requirements, error signals are generated to indicate incorrect instructions. This closed-loop feedback system enables automatic verification of hardware resource access correctness during simulation, resolving the contradiction by providing both reliability through verification and productivity through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual debugging processes with an automated instruction check system. Instead of manually verifying hardware resource access during simulation, the system automatically detects simulation operations, compares them against specification information, and generates error signals for incorrect access patterns. This substitution of manual mechanical debugging with automated computational verification improves both the reliability of bug detection and the productivity of the debugging process.
2Measurement precision
If manual debugging is performed to verify hardware resource access, then correctness can be checked, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining specification information that describes the correct input and output conditions for hardware resource access before simulation begins. This specification information serves as a reference standard that automatically guides the verification process during simulation, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual verification while maintaining high measurement precision in detecting incorrect hardware resource access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes manual verification processes with automated detection and comparison mechanisms. The instruction check apparatus automatically detects simulation operations targeting hardware resources, compares them against pre-defined specification information, and identifies incorrect access patterns without human intervention. This automation maintains precise verification accuracy while dramatically reducing the time required for debugging compared to manual methods.
3Reliability
If comprehensive simulation verification is implemented, then all hardware resource access errors can be detected, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the verification process into distinct functional components: specification information storage, simulation operation detection, comparison logic, and error signal generation. Each component handles a specific aspect of the verification task independently. This segmentation allows the system to achieve comprehensive hardware resource access verification while managing complexity through modular design, where each segment can be implemented and maintained separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal instruction check system that can verify multiple types of hardware resource access operations through a single integrated apparatus. The system handles various simulation operations (read, write, access patterns) using the same core verification mechanism that compares against specification information. This multi-functionality approach enables comprehensive verification of all hardware resource access errors without requiring separate verification systems for each operation type, thus managing system complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-readable medium encoded with an instruction check program for making a computer to check a status of execution of an instruction by an I/O simulator that performs an operation simulation according to a structure of an I/O area of a microcomputer, the instruction check program when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method including obtaining specification information of the microcomputer describing an input and an output condition of a hardware resource in the I/O area, detecting a simulation of a reference instruction to the hardware resource executed by the I/O simulator, determining correctness of the reference instruction by comparing a content of the simulation of the reference instruction detected by the detecting with the input and output condition of the hardware resource included in the obtained specification information, and outputting an error signal when it is determined that the reference instruction is incorrect.