With growing system complexity and ever-increasing software content, the development of embedded software for upcoming MPSoC architectures is a tremendous challenge. Traditional ISS-based
validation becomes infeasible due to the large complexity. Addressing the need for flexible and fast simulating models, we introduce in this article our approach of abstract processor modeling in the context of multiprocessor architectures.We combine
modeling of computation on processors with an abstract RTOS and accurate interrupt handling into a versatile, multifaceted processor model with several levels of features.
Our processor models are utilized in a framework allowing designers to develop a system in a top-down manner using automatic model generation and compilation down to a given MPSoC architecture. During generation, instances of our processor models are integrated into a system
model combining software, hardware, and bus communication. The generated system model serves for rapid design space exploration and a fast and accurate system validation. Our experimental results show the benefits of our processor modeling using an actual multiprocessor
mobile phone baseband platform. Our abstract models of this complex system reach a simulation speed of 300MCycles/s within a high accuracy of less than 3% error. In addition, our
results quantify the speed/accuracy trade-off at varying abstraction levels of our models to guide future processor model designers.