David R. Martin
EECS Department
University of California, Berkeley
Technical Report No. UCB/CSD-98-1025
December 1998
http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/1998/CSD-98-1025.pdf
In a microprocessor project such as the Berkeley Intelligent RAM (IRAM) Project, there needs to be a golden architectural model that is simple, precise, and verifiable. For these reasons, the golden model is written as a computer program so that it can be compared to other models (e.g. RTL or gate-level) in an operational manner. Furthermore, the architectural model is often used for compiler, operating system, and application development, and consequently needs to be very fast. Thus, fast languages such as C++ or even assembly are common choices. In addition to a fast simulation environment, developers need good documentation. In a microprocessor project, the documentation needs to be up-to-date and correct with a high degree of confidence. This paper describes the approach taken in the IRAM project to derive the architectural simulator and architecture manual from a single source. This method disallows many types of inconsistencies between the model and the documentation of the model that can remain undetected in traditional approaches.
BibTeX citation:
@techreport{Martin:CSD-98-1025, Author = {Martin, David R.}, Title = {Design and Implementation of the IRAM Architecture Manual and Functional Simulator}, Institution = {EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley}, Year = {1998}, Month = {Dec}, URL = {http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/1998/6406.html}, Number = {UCB/CSD-98-1025}, Abstract = {In a microprocessor project such as the Berkeley Intelligent RAM (IRAM) Project, there needs to be a golden architectural model that is simple, precise, and verifiable. For these reasons, the golden model is written as a computer program so that it can be compared to other models (e.g. RTL or gate-level) in an operational manner. Furthermore, the architectural model is often used for compiler, operating system, and application development, and consequently needs to be very fast. Thus, fast languages such as C++ or even assembly are common choices. In addition to a fast simulation environment, developers need good documentation. In a microprocessor project, the documentation needs to be up-to-date and correct with a high degree of confidence. This paper describes the approach taken in the IRAM project to derive the architectural simulator and architecture manual from a single source. This method disallows many types of inconsistencies between the model and the documentation of the model that can remain undetected in traditional approaches.} }
EndNote citation:
%0 Report %A Martin, David R. %T Design and Implementation of the IRAM Architecture Manual and Functional Simulator %I EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley %D 1998 %@ UCB/CSD-98-1025 %U http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/1998/6406.html %F Martin:CSD-98-1025