Patent ID: 7539602
Filing Date: 2009-05-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for rapidly simulating behavior of an equation system by directly evaluating an evolving, linearized form of the equation system using reconfigurable logic, the method comprising: (1) compiling a textual or a graphical representation of the equation system into an intermediate form within computer hardware; (2) assigning initial values to time-dependent state variables associated with a simulation of the equation system; (3) compiling the intermediate form directly into reconfigurable logic hardware primitives representing a left hand side and a right hand side of each differential equation directly or through reuse of state or logic previously generated such that the differential equations are linearized for terminal values near a current operating point; (4) evaluating values with the reconfigurable logic hardware primitives for the left hand side and the right hand side of each compiled differential equation for producing a value for each of the state variables; (5) calculating a difference between the evaluated values of step 4 for corresponding left and right hand side values; (6) comparing the difference against a predetermined tolerance rating for determining whether the difference is within tolerance, wherein the predetermined tolerance rating is a range of values or a tolerance for convergence that is implicit or explicit in said equation system; (7) advancing a time step if the calculated difference for the differential equations is within tolerance and terminal values have been predicted for the current time step, wherein advancing comprises the steps of: (8) changing across values and through values if the calculated difference for the differential equations is not within tolerance, for decreasing the difference between the left hand side and the right hand side of each differential equation; (9) repeating steps (4) through (8) if the linearized form of the reconfigurable logic hardware primitives evaluated in step (4) approximates the intermediate form compiled in step (1); (10) repeating steps (3) through (9) if the linearized form of the reconfigurable logic hardware primitives evaluated in step (4) does not approximate the intermediate form compiled in step (1); and (11) producing an externally visible representation derived from an end value of the state variables to make the physical system behavior observable; wherein the equation system represents behavior of a physical system comprised of electronic, optical, thermal, pressure or mechanical components; and wherein the equation system comprises terminals and at least one differential equation representing continuously valued relationships between the terminals.