Object-oriented development framework for distributed hardware simulation

Abstract

A base test class is defined in an object-oriented computer program development environment and members of the base test class, i.e., test objects, represent individual test processes in a computer. The base test class defines a number of attributes and member functions which are inherited by test objects including a constructor member function which is performed when a test object is created. Creation of a test object performs substantially all that is required to implement interfaces and protocols (i) for interaction between the test object and simulation systems, (ii) for synchronization of processing of the test object with processing of other test objects and with simulation systems, and (iii) for reservation by the test object of devices of simulation systems. In addition, a base device class defines a number of attributes and member functions which are inherited by device objects. Device objects represent devices of simulation systems which interact with the test process. The base device class defines read and write member functions which invoke test member functions to transfer of data between the test object and a simulation system and a device constructor member function such that merely creating a device object automatically reserves the device represented by the device object to the test object within which the device object is created. In addition, by merely deleting the device object, reservation of the represented device is automatically released.