SABLE: A Tool for Generating Structured, Multi-Level Simulations

Abstract

SABLE (Structure And Behavior Linking Environment) is a system currently being developed at Stanford to support structured, multi-level behavior specification and simulation of digital systems. SABLE accepts information about the nesting and interconnectivity of components, and combines it with descriptions of their behavior, which are written in a new language called ADLIB (A Design Language for Indicating Behavior). ADLIB allows users to define the "data level" at which each component operates, and to specify mechanisms for translating information between these levels. The facilities provided by SABLE are general and flexible, making it feasible to simulate a large system at several levels of abstraction simultaneously. Examples are included that illustrate: the' use of ADLIB for behavior specification, techniques for data level translations, and a design methodology that makes use of multi-level simulation.