Virtual prototyping of heterogeneous dynamic platforms using Open Virtual Platforms

Abstract

Heterogeneous dynamic computing platforms are one of the big trends in today's electronic world. These platforms typically feature different General-Purpose-Processors (GPP) combined with accelerators on a reconfigurable layer. However, this necessitates specialized programming models and an Operating System (OS) for dealing with the dynamicity. To allow the early development of the system software, the tool-chain and to help in the design space exploration, high-level simulations offer a possible solution. In this paper we evaluate the application of Open Virtual Platforms (OVP) for the modelling of a heterogeneous dynamic platform. The OVP high-level simulations are extended by introducing peripherals to model the abilities of such a platform. Specifically, a generic I/O device, a communication device for a distributed platform and an accelerator interface with a reconfigurable accelerator model is implemented and integrated into a simulated platform. Different approaches are presented and the insights and results gained during the development process are discussed regarding speed and applicability to the use case.