Patent ID: 8280713
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for automatically creating compliance test suites for a processor, comprising the steps of: constructing a generic model set for a plurality of implementations of a processor architecture, said generic model set comprising one or more parametric models and being adapted to a model-based test generator, wherein said processor architecture specifies selectable options which, when selected, produce respective alternative behaviors of said implementations; establishing a deviation model that indicates a selection of at least one of the options, wherein said deviation model comprises a set of deviation parameters that are reflective of said one option, and wherein said parametric models are responsive to said deviation parameters of said deviation model so as to enable respective alternative behaviors of the implementations that embody the one option; based on said generic model set, establishing specific coverage model sets to correspond to said respective alternative behaviors of said implementations; responsively to said deviation model, modifying said generic model set and said coverage model sets by setting respective values of parameters for said parametric models and said coverage model sets; producing test specifications using said parametric models and said coverage model sets; submitting said test specifications to said test generator; and generating respective architectural compliance test suites for said implementations with said test generator using said test specifications, wherein said test generator is cooperative with said parametric models using said values to predict expected outcomes in an execution of said respective architectural compliance test suites by a simulator of said implementations.