Programmatic use of software debugging to redirect hardware related operations to a hardware simulator

A method of performing hardware software co-verification, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a software component having a plurality of lines of software code, and having at least one of said lines of software code capable of making a hardware device interaction when executed;
• executing said line of software code within said software component;
• flagging said line with a breakpoint, if said line requires a hardware device interaction, wherein said breakpoint for indicating said line requires said hardware device interaction when executed;
• associating said line with an interface module by a plug-in, if said line requires said hardware device interaction;
• simulating said hardware device with a hardware model running under simulation;
• using said interface module to make a request for a hardware operation from said hardware model running under simulation when said line requires said hardware device interaction;
• and
• providing data generated by said hardware model running under simulation in response to said request;
• and
• executing a next line of software code according to an execution flow corresponding to said software component.

A method for determining whether a software component and a hardware device are properly designed to interact with each other, comprising the steps of:

• preparing a hardware software co-verification system for operation by obtaining a software component having a plurality of lines of software code, and flagging at least one line of software code within said software component, said line of software code capable of making a hardware call when executed;
• executing said software component;
• sensing by a debugging program during said step of executing whether said line of software code within said software component has been flagged;
• associating by a plug-in an interface module and a hardware model that are suitable for servicing said hardware call and redirecting said hardware call to said interface module for servicing, if said step of sensing results in identifying said line of software code previously flagged, wherein said line of software code requiring said hardware call;
• using said interface module to receive and modify said hardware call into a compatible device specific format with said hardware model, and to provide necessary signals to communicate said hardware call to said hardware model according to said device specific format, said hardware model responding to said hardware call by simulating signals responsive to said hardware call;
• and
• returning execution to the next line of software code awaiting execution within said hardware model running under simulation.