Data processing: structural design – modeling – simulation – and em – Simulating electronic device or electrical system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-24
2001-11-20
Teska, Kevin J. (Department: 2123)
Data processing: structural design, modeling, simulation, and em
Simulating electronic device or electrical system
C703S006000, C709S241000, C709S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321181
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating and distributing simulation tasks for parallel simulation.
2. Description of Related Art
Parallel simulation is commonly used to increase simulation speed and thus improve simulation turn around time. One type of parallel simulation takes advantage of multiple processors to perform independent simulations of the same entity where each of the processors simulate the entity using different simulation parameters. For example, in circuit simulation, it is often necessary to simulate the circuit using various power supply voltages and circuit temperatures. Instead of using a single processor to serially perform the independent circuit simulations, multiple processors are used to perform the simulations in parallel and thus shorten the time required to obtain simulation results. In such a parallel simulation environment, every assistance to the user may further reduce the amount of time required to achieve a total simulation task. Thus, new technology is needed to further enhance the parallel simulation environment to optimally reduce simulation turn around times.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides for a system and method for performing parallel simulations. The system includes a plurality of processors separated into groups and locating each of the groups in mutually exclusive time zones. The groups may also be located in a single physical place but allocated to mutually exclusive time zones for different purposes, one of which may be for parallel simulation. If each of the time zones corresponds to regular working hours for an associated geographic location, then processors of one group would be most likely idle while processors of other groups are more heavily loaded supporting tasks during working hours. Thus, processors of other time zones may be used for parallel simulation tasks during working hours of a particular group of processors.
The system includes a network that couples the plurality of processors together. Thus, simulation tasks may be assigned and transmitted by any processor to any other processor via the network.
The system may also include a parallel simulation coordination device that coordinates parallel simulation jobs. The parallel simulation coordination device includes a memory, a controller, a network interface and a database interface. The parallel simulation coordination device receives calls from callers that wish to register a processor to make the processor available for parallel simulation. The parallel simulation coordination device collects information relating to the processor and stores the information in a database and issues to the caller an identification to be used when the caller wishes to execute a parallel simulation job.
The parallel simulation coordination device may also receive a call to perform a parallel simulation job. The parallel simulation coordination device validates an identification retrieved from the request and then retrieves information from the database that relates to the requested parallel simulation such as information for all the processors of other time zones. The retrieved information is transmitted to the caller and the caller assigns simulation tasks to the processors contained in the transmitted information and returns a list of the assigned processors to the parallel simulation coordination device. The parallel simulation coordination device sends authorizations to the processors in the list. After the simulation tasks are completed, each of the processors returns to the parallel simulation coordination device the actual processor use times so that the parallel simulation coordination device may bill the caller and credit the respective processor for performing the simulation tasks.
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Agere Systems Guardian Corp.
Broda Samuel
Oliff & Berridge PLC.
Teska Kevin J.
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