System LSI Evaluation Device Using Virtual Hardware Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Evaluating system LSI with added functions is challenging due to the lack of developed hardware, making accurate evaluations difficult, especially when software development needs to start early and proceed in parallel with architecture studies.
Innovation Solution
An evaluation device with processors that simulate hardware performance, interrupt application execution, set memory access patterns, and collect profiles using a hypervisor and simulation model to virtually activate and evaluate new hardware without physical implementation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If hardware corresponding to new functions is not developed, then software development can start early and proceed in parallel with architecture studies, but accurate evaluation of system LSI becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtualization layer that copies the interface and behavior characteristics of physical hardware into a virtual environment. This allows software to interact with and evaluate hardware functions without requiring actual physical hardware implementation, thereby enabling early software development while maintaining evaluation accuracy through virtual hardware models.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtualization layer as an intermediary between software and physical hardware. This intermediary layer provides virtual hardware representations that simulate actual hardware behavior, allowing software to be developed and evaluated independently of physical hardware availability while still achieving accurate evaluation results.
2Measurement precision
If physical hardware is required for evaluation, then evaluation accuracy can be maintained, but development time is extended due to hardware manufacturing and preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of physical hardware that replicate hardware interfaces and operational characteristics. These virtual hardware models enable accurate evaluation without requiring actual physical hardware manufacturing and preparation, significantly reducing development time while maintaining evaluation precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary evaluation of hardware functions through virtualization before physical hardware is manufactured. By creating virtual representations of hardware components, the system allows early-stage evaluation and validation activities to proceed in parallel with hardware design, eliminating the sequential dependency that extends development time.
3Loss of time
If virtual hardware simulation is implemented, then evaluation can proceed without physical hardware, but system complexity increases due to virtualization layers and simulation models
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal virtualization framework that can represent multiple types of hardware through a common virtual environment. This multi-functional approach allows different hardware components to be evaluated using the same virtualization infrastructure, reducing overall system complexity despite the added virtualization layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses standardized virtual hardware models that copy essential hardware characteristics without replicating entire physical systems. By creating simplified virtual representations that capture critical interfaces and behaviors, the system achieves hardware-independent evaluation while minimizing the complexity increase from virtualization infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an evaluation device includes one or more processors. The one or more processors performs detecting a process of activating a hardware of a system LSI from an application, interrupting execution of the application when the process of activating the hardware is detected, setting, as a load, a memory access pattern of the hardware estimated by simulating performance of the hardware, adding the load to resume the execution of the application, and collecting a profile related to a memory access during the execution of the application, including the load when the execution of the application is resumed.