Protocol Verification Buffering for Emulation Data Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hardware-based emulation platforms generate immense amounts of data during circuit design verification, which can lead to data loss, corruption, or inefficiencies in communication protocol testing due to the inability of computing systems to handle these data transfers effectively.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a database system with a memory layer and local storage layer to buffer and aggregate response data based on communication speed and storage capacity, using buffering criteria to optimize data transfer to a database system for efficient storage and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If response data is stored directly in local storage layer, then storage capacity is sufficient, but memory access latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is segmented into two distinct layers: a memory layer for high-speed access and a local storage layer for large-capacity storage. This segmentation allows the system to utilize the strengths of each layer independently, with the memory layer handling time-critical operations and the local storage layer providing bulk storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The memory layer acts as an intermediary between the hardware-based emulation platform and the local storage layer. It buffers response data temporarily, providing a high-speed access point that mediates between the fast emulation platform and the slower but larger-capacity local storage, thereby reducing overall access latency while maintaining sufficient storage capacity.
2Reliability
If data is transferred directly from hardware-based emulation platform to database system, then data integrity is maintained, but communication efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary buffering of response data in the memory layer before transferring it to the database system. This preliminary action organizes and prepares data in a high-speed buffer, allowing for more efficient batch transfers to the database system while maintaining data integrity through controlled data flow management.
Solution Approach 2:
The memory layer and verification system together form an intermediary layer between the hardware-based emulation platform and the database system. This intermediary buffers, aggregates, and manages data transfers, improving communication efficiency by reducing direct transfer overhead while maintaining data integrity through structured data handling protocols.
3Productivity
If aggregation of response data is performed frequently, then communication overhead to database system is reduced, but memory buffering complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The verification system performs periodic aggregation of response data from the memory layer to the local storage layer and database system. Instead of continuous or overly frequent aggregation, the system uses periodic batch transfers based on buffering criteria, which reduces communication overhead while avoiding the complexity of continuous real-time aggregation management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system aggregates only the necessary portion of buffered data that meets specific criteria (such as buffer threshold or time-based conditions) rather than aggregating all data continuously. This partial aggregation approach reduces communication overhead for database writes while avoiding the complexity of managing full continuous aggregation of all response data.
Data Source
AI summary
A system may include a hardware-based emulation platform configured to emulate operation of a design-under-test (“DUT”), a database system, and a verification system. The verification system may include a storage system which may include a memory layer and a local storage layer, where the memory layer has a lower memory access latency than the local storage layer. The verification system may also include a design verification engine configured to send test data to the hardware-based emulation platform; buffer response data received from the DUT into the memory layer and the local storage layer; determine to aggregate the response data stored in both the memory layer and local storage layer into a write transaction according to buffering criteria, and issue the write transaction to the database system to store the aggregated response data in the database system.