ProtoLens: Dynamic Transaction Visualization in Virtual Prototypes

Transaction-level debugging in Virtual Prototypes (VPs) remains challenging due to the sheer number and intricate nature of interactions between software and hardware components. This paper presents ProtoLens, the first open-source tool for dynamic visualization of Transaction Level Modeling (TLM) transactions in SystemC-based VPs. Integrated with the opensource RISC-V VP++, ProtoLens provides an interactive web front-end that displays architecture-aware transaction flows in real-time. It captures transaction data via a lightweight extension of the TLM bus and enriches it with peripheral-specific views through user-defined modules, so-called Transaction View Modules (TVMs). Additionally, ProtoLens supports integration with software debuggers, allowing synchronized transaction inspection and control of the simulation flow. This enables developers to efficiently analyze issues such as incorrect memory mappings, unexpected peripheral behavior, and to better understand the overall system architecture.
Two case studies highlight the capabilities of ProtoLens: one demonstrates how it complements classical debugging in a baremetal software example, and the other showcases its ability to reconstruct real-time graphics output from a Linux-based game.