March 22, 2012 -- Virtual platforms (simulation environments of SOCs) is an emerging technology for system verification enabling users development of early qualified verification software. Verification of bulk SOCs such as audio, and video architectures with existing methodologies such as emulators, FPGA, CPLD, etc. takes a long time. Virtual Platforms run much faster and provide good debugging mechanism compared to existing methodologies.

As the size of the SOC grows, a virtual platform might comprise third-party components simulated with different methodologies. Co-simulation comes in place, where components are simulated with various tools running simultaneously. These components exchange information in time steps and control signals. When running verification software stacks on co-simulation platform, higher simulation speed is expected for quick verification or debugging. However it would be limited by the component running at low simulation speed. If the time step information, data and control information from such component could be captured and reused in next simulations/re-simulation, the simulation speed of co-simulation platform would be increased for faster verification and debugging.

This article presents a method for faster co-simulation verification where the signal data and time stamp is captured and re-used in next simulations. This method introduces RPB (record and post block) for capture and reuse of the timestamps, data and control signals.

By Praveen Kondugari. (Kondugari is with Intel Mobile Communications.)