Method for simulating a complex system with expansion of instance vectors, corresponding computer program product and storage means

Abstract

A method for simulating a complex system including a plurality of constituents is provided. The method includes constructing at least one complex system model, each system model including a hierarchised set of modelled constituents. The construction step includes, for each model, obtaining a multiple instance hierarchical model including at least one instance vector corresponding to a plurality of instances of one and the same modelled constituent, each instance vector being able to be located at any level of a hierarchical decomposition tree of the multiple instance hierarchical model. The construction step additionally includes, for each model, expanding the multiple instance hierarchical model into an expanded model by expansion of at least one instance vector included in the multiple instance hierarchical model.

1 . Method for the construction, within a computer system, of at least one model of a complex electronic system including a plurality of constituents, each system model including a hierarchised set of modelled constituents, said construction method comprising, for each model:
 obtaining a multiple instance hierarchical model including at least one instance vector corresponding to a plurality of instances of one and the same modelled constituent, each instance vector being able to be located at any level of a hierarchical decomposition tree of said multiple instance hierarchical model; and   expanding said multiple instance hierarchical model into an expanded model, by expansion of at least one instance vector included in said multiple instance hierarchical model.   
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of expanding said at least one multiple instance hierarchical model includes the following steps, carried out for each instance vector to be expanded corresponding to N instances of a modelled constituent:
 expanding said instance vector into a number of modelled constituents equal to said number N of instances; and   producing the input or inputs and/or the output or outputs of each of the N modelled constituents, according to a set of at least one production rule.   
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of expanding said at least one multiple instance hierarchical model includes the following steps:
 running down said hierarchical decomposition tree, recursively from a root to leaves, so that for each level of said hierarchical decomposition tree, each instance vector to be expanded is expanded into a preset number of modelled constituents;   going back up said hierarchical decomposition tree, recursively from the leaves to the root, so that for each level of said hierarchical decomposition tree, the input or inputs and/or the output or outputs of the modelled constituents resulting from the expansion of the instance vector are produced according to said set of at least one production rule.   
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of expanding is systematic and comprises an expansion of all the instance vectors. 
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of expanding is selective and comprises an expansion only of the instance vectors associated with an expansion attribute taking a value indicating that an expansion is to be carried out. 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises constructing a functional complex system model, which includes obtaining a multi-instance hierarchical functional model and expanding said multi-instance hierarchical functional model into an expanded functional model. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein said multiple instance hierarchical functional model includes at least one instance vector belonging to the group including:
 function vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled function; and   relationship vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled relationship.   
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises constructing a functional complex system model, which includes obtaining a multi-instance hierarchical functional model and expanding said multi-instance hierarchical functional model into an expanded functional model, wherein said multiple instance hierarchical functional model includes at least one instance vector belonging to the group including:
 function vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled function; and   relationship vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled relationship; and   
       wherein said set of at least one production rule includes the following rules applied to the elementary function vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled elementary function:
 if, in the multiple instance hierarchical model, an elementary function vector output is connected to a relationship vector:
 if said elementary function vector output is associated with an output selector included in a behavioural model of said modelled elementary function:
 if the output selector is defined by a parameter indicating assignment in a “1 to 1” relationship, then each instance obtained after expansion of the elementary function vector has an output connected, in said “1 to 1” relationship, to a same index instance among instances obtained after expansion of said relationship vector; and 
 if the output selector is defined by a parameter indicating assignment in a “1 to X” relationship, with X>1, then each instance obtained after expansion of the elementary function vector has X outputs, each connected to a same index instance among the instances obtained after expansion of said relationship vector; and 
 
 if said elementary function vector output is not associated with an output selector included in a behavioural model of said modelled elementary function, then each instance obtained after expansion of the elementary function vector has an output connected, in a “1 to 1” relationship, to a same index instance among the instances obtained after expansion of said relationship vector. 
 
 
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises constructing a functional complex system model, which includes obtaining a multi-instance hierarchical functional model and expanding said multi-instance hierarchical functional model into an expanded functional model, wherein said multiple instance hierarchical functional model includes at least one instance vector belonging to the group including:
 function vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled function; and   relationship vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled relationship; and   
       wherein said set of at least one production rule includes the following rules applied to the elementary function vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled elementary function:
 if, in the multiple instance hierarchical model, an elementary function vector input is connected to a relationship vector:
 if said elementary function vector input is associated with an input selector included in a behavioural model of said modelled elementary function:
 if the input selector is defined by a parameter indicating assignment in a “1 to 1” relationship, then each instance obtained after expansion of the elementary function vector has an input connected, in said “1 to 1” relationship, to a same index instance among the instances obtained after expansion of said relationship vector; 
 if the input selector is defined by a parameter indicating assignment in a “1 to X” relationship, with X>1, then each instance obtained after expansion of the elementary function vector has X inputs, each connected to a same index instance among the instances obtained after expansion of said relationship vector; 
 
 if said elementary function vector input is not associated with an input selector included in a behavioural model of said modelled elementary function, then each instance obtained after expansion of the elementary function vector has X inputs, each connected to a same index instance among the instances obtained after expansion of said relationship vector. 
 
 
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 8 , wherein the step of expanding said multiple instance hierarchical functional model includes the following step, carried out for at least one instance vector which is an elementary function vector corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled elementary function: optimising the behavioural model of said modelled elementary function, by eliminating from said behavioural model at least one of:
 any output selector associated with said modelled elementary function and indicating assignment in a “1 to 1” relationship; or   any input selector associated with said modelled elementary function and indicating assignment in a “1 to 1” relationship.   
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 8  wherein said set of at least one production rule includes the following rule applied to the non-elementary function vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled non-elementary function:
 if, in the multiple instance hierarchical model, an input, and output respectively, of a non-elementary function vector is connected to a relationship vector:
 if there is a “1 to 1” relationship for all the inputs, and outputs respectively, connected to said relationship vector and belonging to functions which are internal to said modelled non-elementary function, each instance obtained after expansion of the non-elementary function vector has an input, and output respectively, connected in a “1 to 1” relationship, to a same index instance among the instances obtained after expansion of said relationship vector; and 
 if not, each instance obtained after expansion of the non-elementary function vector has X inputs, and outputs respectively, each connected to a same index input, and output respectively, for all the instances obtained after expansion of said relationship vector. 
 
 
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises constructing a functional complex system model, which includes obtaining a multi-instance hierarchical functional model and expanding said multi-instance hierarchical functional model into an expanded functional model, wherein said multiple instance hierarchical functional model includes at least one instance vector belonging to the group including:
 function vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled function; and   relationship vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled relationship; and   
       wherein said set of at least one production rule includes the following rules:
 if, in the multiple instance hierarchical model, an elementary or non-elementary function vector output is connected to a modelled non-vectored relationship, then each instance obtained after expansion of the function vector has an output connected to said modelled relationship; and 
 if, in the multiple instance hierarchical model, an elementary or non-elementary function vector input is connected to a non-vectored modelled relationship, then each instance obtained after expansion of the function vector has an input connected to said modelled relationship. 
 
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises constructing a hierarchical platform model of the complex system, which comprises obtaining a multi-instance hierarchical platform model and expanding said multi-instance hierarchical platform model into an expanded platform model. 
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 13 , wherein said multiple instance hierarchical platform model includes at least one instance vector belonging to the group including:
 processor vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled processor;   memory vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled memory; and   communication node vectors each corresponding to a plurality of instances of a modelled communication node.   
     
     
         15 . Method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of expanding said at least one multiple instance hierarchical model includes the following steps, carried out for each instance vector to be expanded corresponding to N instances of a modelled constituent:
 expanding said instance vector into a number of modelled constituents equal to said number N of instances; and   producing the input or inputs and/or the output or outputs of each of the N modelled constituents, according to a set of at least one production rule;   
       wherein with each communication node vector is associated an expansion configuration parameter, and 
       wherein said set of at least one production rule includes the following rules, for each communication node vector connected to a processor or memory vector:
 if the expansion configuration parameter indicates “links to all”, then each communication node vector instance is connected to each of the processor or memory vector instances; 
 if the expansion configuration parameter indicates “linear”, then the instances of the processor or memory vector are connected to each other in a linear way, via instances of the communication node vector; 
 if the expansion configuration parameter indicates “ring”, then the instances of the processor or memory vector are connected to each other in a ring, via instances of the communication node vector. 
 
     
     
         16 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:
 constructing a hierarchical platform model of the complex system, which comprises obtaining a multi-instance hierarchical platform model and expanding said multi-instance hierarchical platform model into an expanded platform model; and   allocating distributively said expanded functional model on said expanded platform model, allowing an expanded architectural model of said complex system to be obtained.   
     
     
         17 . Computer program product recorded on a medium readable by a computer, wherein said computer program product includes program code instructions for the execution, when said program is run on the computer, of a method comprising:
 constructing, within a computer system, at least one model of a complex electronic system including a plurality of constituents, each system model including a hierarchised set of modelled constituents, wherein constructing comprises, for each model,
 obtaining a multiple instance hierarchical model including at least one instance vector corresponding to a plurality of instances of one and the same modelled constituent, each instance vector being able to be located at any level of a hierarchical decomposition tree of said multiple instance hierarchical model, and 
 expanding said multiple instance hierarchical model into an expanded model, by expansion of at least one instance vector included in said multiple instance hierarchical model. 
   
     
     
         18 . Storage medium, which is totally or partially removable, computer readable, and stores a set of instructions that can be executed by said computer in order to implement a method comprising:
 constructing, within a computer system, at least one model of a complex electronic system including a plurality of constituents, each system model including a hierarchised set of modelled constituents, wherein constructing comprises, for each model,
 obtaining a multiple instance hierarchical model including at least one instance vector corresponding to a plurality of instances of one and the same modelled constituent, each instance vector being able to be located at any level of a hierarchical decomposition tree of said multiple instance hierarchical model, and 
 expanding said multiple instance hierarchical model into an expanded model, by expansion of at least one instance vector included in said multiple instance hierarchical model.