Messages in this thread | | | Date | Wed, 07 Sep 2005 07:40:41 -0400 | From | Jeff Garzik <> | Subject | Re: 'virtual HW' into kernel (SystemC) |
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Màrius Montón wrote: > Hello all, > > I'm a PhD student and I'm focusing on HW/SW co-design. > > First of all, a brief introduction to problem: > Nowadays, we can use C++ libraries, called SystemC, to describe HW > behavior, and synthesize with commercial tools. > > A SystemC description can be simulated using its own simulator kernel, > and we can indeed wrap a module with its simulator kernel into a C++ > class, so we can use it as a 'normal' C++ code... > > Our main problem now appears: if we develop a PCI device using SystemC > we cannot start to develop and test the device driver until we have a > real prototype, > and hence, we cannot test our HW with SW. > > Our proposal is to develop a set of tools (kernel module, daemon, ...) in > order to use a SystemC model of HW as a virtual device. > > With this set of code, when we have SystemC description finished (and > only SystemC code, nor prototype, nor real HW), we will able to start > developing driver, and testing our "virtual HW" with complete SW suite. > > At this point, we plan to develop a pci device driver to act as a bridge > between kernel PCI subsystem and SystemC simulator (in user space).
No need for a set of tools. As long as your SystemC simulator simulates an entire platform -- CPU, DRAM, etc. -- then you can boot Linux on the simulated platform.
If you can boot Linux on the simulated platform, then you can easily develop a Linux driver long before real HW is available.
Jeff
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