Virtualized Hardware Simulation Framework for Early Software Development
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Solution Overview
Problem
Developing software for new hardware is challenging due to the close link between software components and underlying hardware, leading to market delays, costly late-stage hardware issues, and supply constraints, with existing simulation technologies limited by fidelity, language handling, and integration capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A customizable hardware simulation framework with configurable modules, virtual machines, and a virtual machine orchestrator allows for flexible hardware simulations, enabling hardware-free software development and testing, with selectable fidelity levels and integration into a distributed production software stack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If software development waits until hardware is completed and stable, then hardware reliability is improved, but market time and productivity are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements hardware simulation technology that allows software development to begin before the actual hardware is completed. A simulation environment replicates hardware behavior, enabling developers to write, test, and debug software in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the waiting period while maintaining development quality, as the simulation accurately models hardware responses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the hardware system through simulation. This digital replica includes simulated hardware components that mimic the behavior, interface, and response characteristics of the physical hardware. Software can be developed and tested against this copy, achieving the same validation purposes without requiring the actual hardware to be ready.
2Productivity
If software development starts early on incomplete hardware, then productivity is improved, but hardware stability and reliability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of developing software on unstable, incomplete hardware, the patent uses a simulated hardware environment that provides stable, predictable behavior. The simulation creates a consistent virtual platform that eliminates hardware instability issues, allowing developers to work with confidence as if the hardware were complete and stable.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware simulation acts as an intermediary between the software development process and the physical hardware. This intermediate layer absorbs the instability and incompleteness of early hardware development, presenting a stable interface to software developers. The simulation mediates between the need for early software development and the reality of incomplete hardware.
3Measurement precision
If hardware simulation uses high fidelity, then measurement precision is improved, but processing speed and productivity are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic fidelity adjustment in the hardware simulation system. Users can modify the simulation fidelity level based on their specific needs - selecting higher fidelity when accurate hardware behavior is critical, and lower fidelity when faster processing is needed. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize between accuracy and speed in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The simulation system allows changing key parameters that control fidelity versus speed trade-offs. By adjusting simulation parameters such as detail level, model complexity, or abstraction degree, users can shift the balance between measurement precision and processing speed according to their current development stage and requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Generally disclosed herein is a customizable hardware simulation framework implemented with configurable modules to allow for flexible fidelity. The hardware simulation framework may configure various components of the system to be either simulated, emulated, or real. The flexibility in this reconfigurability may provide means to balance the velocity and accuracy of each component's performance. The system allows developers to use upper-level software that relies on the system software in a manner that appears identical to the underlying physical hardware. Moreover, the components of the system may interact via remote procedure calls (RPC) even though the components were originally constructed in different manners using different languages.