The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 13, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 13, 1999
Karl P Brummel, Ft Collins, CO (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for testing architectural compliance of processors wherein various types of cases requiring some structure can be simulated and a degree of randomness can be added to the case without destroying the structure of the case. The apparatus comprises a computer capable of being configured to execute a testing program. When the computer is executing the testing program, the computer generates instructions and simulates execution of the instructions in a processor. During simulation, the computer detects when simulation of an instruction has caused an event to occur in the processor. The computer identifies the event that has occurred and generates a list of atoms and stores the list in a memory device in communication with the computer. Each of the atoms in the list corresponds to a description of a particular event handler task to be performed by the processor in response to the occurrence of the event. The atoms are then read out of the list and instructions corresponding to the atoms are generated and simulated to handle the event. The sequence in which these instructions are simulated can be randomized by either inserting the atoms into the list with a degree of randomness or by reading the atoms out of the list with a degree of randomness. The degree of randomness is added to the case without destroying the structure of the case.