Debugging simulation with partial design replay

Abstract

A virtual platform simulates behavior of a modular circuit based on a circuit design including both high-level and low-level models of circuit modules. A compiler that converts the high-level and low-level models into executable models prior to an initial simulation also generates a separate 'replay engine' corresponding to each low-level module for use during subsequent replay simulations. During the initial simulation, the virtual platform simulates circuit behavior by concurrently executing the high-level and low-level executable models and recording data representing behavior of output signals of the low-level design modules modeled by the executable models. To speed up subsequent replays of the simulation, the virtual platform executes one or more of the replay engines in lieu of executing their corresponding low-level executable models. Each executed replay engine simulates behavior of each output signal of a corresponding low-level module in response to the data recorded during the initial simulation representing the behavior of that output signal.