This book describes in detail all required technologies and methodologies needed to create a comprehensive, functional design verification strategy and environment to tackle the toughest job of guaranteeing first-pass working silicon. The author first outlines all of the verification sub-fields at a high level, with just enough depth to allow an engineer to grasp the field before delving into its detail. He then describes in detail industry standard technologies such as UVM (Universal Verification Methodology), SVA (SystemVerilog Assertions), SFC (SystemVerilog Functional Coverage), CDV (Coverage Driven Verification), Low Power Verification (Unified Power Format UPF), AMS (Analog Mixed Signal) verification, Virtual Platform TLM2.0/ESL (Electronic System Level) methodology, Static Formal Verification, Logic Equivalency Check (LEC), Hardware Acceleration, Hardware Emulation, Hardware/Software Co-verification, Power Performance Area (PPA) analysis on a virtual platform, Reuse Methodology from Algorithm/ESL to RTL, and other overall methodologies.
This book provides a hands-on, application-oriented guide to the language and methodology of both SystemVerilog Assertions and SystemVerilog Functional Coverage. Readers will benefit from the step-by-step approach to functional hardware verification using SystemVerilog Assertions and Functional Coverage, which will enable them to uncover hidden and hard to find bugs, point directly to the source of the bug, provide for a clean and easy way to model complex timing checks and objectively answer the question ‘have we functionally verified everything’. Written by a professional end-user of ASIC/SoC/CPU and FPGA design and Verification, this book explains each concept with easy to understand examples, simulation logs and applications derived from real projects. Readers will be empowered to tackle the modeling of complex checkers for functional verification, thereby drastically reducing their time to design and debug. This updated second edition addresses the latest functional set released in IEEE-1800 (2012) LRM, including numerous additional operators and features. Additionally, many of the Concurrent Assertions/Operators explanations are enhanced, with the addition of more examples and figures. · Covers in its entirety the latest IEEE-1800 2012 LRM syntax and semantics; · Covers both SystemVerilog Assertions and SystemVerilog Functional Coverage language and methodologies; · Provides practical examples of the what, how and why of Assertion Based Verification and Functional Coverage methodologies; · Explains each concept in a step-by-step fashion and applies it to a practical real life example; · Includes 6 practical LABs that enable readers to put in practice the concepts explained in the book.
As design complexity in chips and devices continues to rise, so, too, does the demand for functional verification. Principles of Functional Verification is a hands-on, practical text that will help train professionals in the field of engineering on the methodology and approaches to verification.In practice, the architectural intent of a device is necessarily abstract. The implementation process, however, must define the detailed mechanisms to achieve the architectural goals. Based on a decade of experience, Principles of Functional Verification intends to pinpoint the issues, provide strategies to solve the issues, and present practical applications for narrowing the gap between architectural intent and implementation. The book is divided into three parts, each building upon the chapters within the previous part. Part One addresses why functional verification is necessary, its definition and goals. In Part Two, the heart of the methodology and approaches to solving verification issues are examined. Each chapter in this part ends with exercises to apply what was discussed in the chapter. Part Three looks at practical applications, discussing project planning, resource requirements, and costs. Each chapter throughout all three parts will open with Key Objectives, focal points the reader can expect to review in the chapter.* Takes a "holistic" approach to verification issues* Approach is not restricted to one language* Discussed the verification process, not just how to use the verification language
This book provides a hands-on, application-oriented guide to the entire IEEE standard 1800 SystemVerilog language. Readers will benefit from the step-by-step approach to learning the language and methodology nuances, which will enable them to design and verify complex ASIC/SoC and CPU chips. The author covers the entire spectrum of the language, including random constraints, SystemVerilog Assertions, Functional Coverage, Class, checkers, interfaces, and Data Types, among other features of the language. Written by an experienced, professional end-user of ASIC/SoC/CPU and FPGA designs, this book explains each concept with easy to understand examples, simulation logs and applications derived from real projects. Readers will be empowered to tackle the complex task of multi-million gate ASIC designs. Provides comprehensive coverage of the entire IEEE standard SystemVerilog language; Covers important topics such as constrained random verification, SystemVerilog Class, Assertions, Functional coverage, data types, checkers, interfaces, processes and procedures, among other language features; Uses easy to understand examples and simulation logs; examples are simulatable and will be provided online; Written by an experienced, professional end-user of ASIC/SoC/CPU and FPGA designs. This is quite a comprehensive work. It must have taken a long time to write it. I really like that the author has taken apart each of the SystemVerilog constructs and talks about them in great detail, including example code and simulation logs. For example, there is a chapter dedicated to arrays, and another dedicated to queues - that is great to have! The Language Reference Manual (LRM) is quite dense and difficult to use as a text for learning the language. This book explains semantics at a level of detail that is not possible in an LRM. This is the strength of the book. This will be an excellent book for novice users and as a handy reference for experienced programmers. Mark Glasser Cerebras Systems
Based on the highly successful second edition, this extended edition of SystemVerilog for Verification: A Guide to Learning the Testbench Language Features teaches all verification features of the SystemVerilog language, providing hundreds of examples to clearly explain the concepts and basic fundamentals. It contains materials for both the full-time verification engineer and the student learning this valuable skill. In the third edition, authors Chris Spear and Greg Tumbush start with how to verify a design, and then use that context to demonstrate the language features, including the advantages and disadvantages of different styles, allowing readers to choose between alternatives. This textbook contains end-of-chapter exercises designed to enhance students’ understanding of the material. Other features of this revision include: New sections on static variables, print specifiers, and DPI from the 2009 IEEE language standard Descriptions of UVM features such as factories, the test registry, and the configuration database Expanded code samples and explanations Numerous samples that have been tested on the major SystemVerilog simulators SystemVerilog for Verification: A Guide to Learning the Testbench Language Features, Third Edition is suitable for use in a one-semester SystemVerilog course on SystemVerilog at the undergraduate or graduate level. Many of the improvements to this new edition were compiled through feedback provided from hundreds of readers.
How should I prepare for a Digital VLSI Verification Interview? What all topics do I need to know before I turn up for an interview? What all concepts do I need to brush up? What all resources do I have at my disposal for preparation? What does an Interviewer expect in an Interview? These are few questions almost all individuals ponder upon before an interview. If you have these questions in your mind, your search ends here as keeping these questions in their minds, authors have written this book that will act as a golden reference for candidates preparing for Digital VLSI Verification Interviews. Aim of this book is to enable the readers practice and grasp important concepts that are applicable to Digital VLSI Verification domain (and Interviews) through Question and Answer approach. To achieve this aim, authors have not restricted themselves just to the answer. While answering the questions in this book, authors have taken utmost care to explain underlying fundamentals and concepts. This book consists of 500+ questions covering wide range of topics that test fundamental concepts through problem statements (a common interview practice which the authors have seen over last several years). These questions and problem statements are spread across nine chapters and each chapter consists of questions to help readers brush-up, test, and hone fundamental concepts that form basis of Digital VLSI Verification. The scope of this book however, goes beyond technical concepts. Behavioral skills also form a critical part of working culture of any company. Hence, this book consists of a section that lists down behavioral interview questions as well. Topics covered in this book:1. Digital Logic Design (Number Systems, Gates, Combinational, Sequential Circuits, State Machines, and other Design problems)2. Computer Architecture (Processor Architecture, Caches, Memory Systems)3. Programming (Basics, OOP, UNIX/Linux, C/C++, Perl)4. Hardware Description Languages (Verilog, SystemVerilog)5. Fundamentals of Verification (Verification Basics, Strategies, and Thinking problems)6. Verification Methodologies (UVM, Formal, Power, Clocking, Coverage, Assertions)7. Version Control Systems (CVS, GIT, SVN)8. Logical Reasoning/Puzzles (Related to Digital Logic, General Reasoning, Lateral Thinking)9. Non Technical and Behavioral Questions (Most commonly asked)In addition to technical and behavioral part, this book touches upon a typical interview process and gives a glimpse of latest interview trends. It also lists some general tips and Best-Known-Methods to enable the readers follow correct preparation approach from day-1 of their preparations. Knowing what an Interviewer looks for in an interviewee is always an icing on the cake as it helps a person prepare accordingly. Hence, authors of this book spoke to few leaders in the semiconductor industry and asked their personal views on "What do they look for while Interviewing candidates and how do they usually arrive at a decision if a candidate should be hired?". These leaders have been working in the industry from many-many years now and they have interviewed lots of candidates over past several years. Hear directly from these leaders as to what they look for in candidates before hiring them. Enjoy reading this book. Authors are open to your feedback. Please do provide your valuable comments, ratings, and reviews.
This book describes RTL design using Verilog, synthesis and timing closure for System On Chip (SOC) design blocks. It covers the complex RTL design scenarios and challenges for SOC designs and provides practical information on performance improvements in SOC, as well as Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) designs. Prototyping using modern high density Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) is discussed in this book with the practical examples and case studies. The book discusses SOC design, performance improvement techniques, testing and system level verification, while also describing the modern Intel FPGA/XILINX FPGA architectures and their use in SOC prototyping. Further, the book covers the Synopsys Design Compiler (DC) and Prime Time (PT) commands, and how they can be used to optimize complex ASIC/SOC designs. The contents of this book will be useful to students and professionals alike.
The first edition of Principles of Verifiable RTL Design offered a common sense method for simplifying and unifying assertion specification by creating a set of predefined specification modules that could be instantiated within the designer's RTL. Since the release of the first edition, an entire industry-wide initiative for assertion specification has emerged based on ideas presented in the first edition. This initiative, known as the Open Verification Library Initiative (www.verificationlib.org), provides an assertion interface standard that enables the design engineer to capture many interesting properties of the design and precludes the need to introduce new HDL constructs (i.e., extensions to Verilog are not required). Furthermore, this standard enables the design engineer to `specify once,' then target the same RTL assertion specification over multiple verification processes, such as traditional simulation, semi-formal and formal verification tools. The Open Verification Library Initiative is an empowering technology that will benefit design and verification engineers while providing unity to the EDA community (e.g., providers of testbench generation tools, traditional simulators, commercial assertion checking support tools, symbolic simulation, and semi-formal and formal verification tools). The second edition of Principles of Verifiable RTL Design expands the discussion of assertion specification by including a new chapter entitled `Coverage, Events and Assertions'. All assertions exampled are aligned with the Open Verification Library Initiative proposed standard. Furthermore, the second edition provides expanded discussions on the following topics: start-up verification; the place for 4-state simulation; race conditions; RTL-style-synthesizable RTL (unambiguous mapping to gates); more `bad stuff'. The goal of the second edition is to keep the topic current. Principles of Verifiable RTL Design, A Functional Coding Style Supporting Verification Processes, Second Edition tells you how you can write Verilog to describe chip designs at the RTL level in a manner that cooperates with verification processes. This cooperation can return an order of magnitude improvement in performance and capacity from tools such as simulation and equivalence checkers. It reduces the labor costs of coverage and formal model checking by facilitating communication between the design engineer and the verification engineer. It also orients the RTL style to provide more useful results from the overall verification process.
This book is about security in embedded systems and it provides an authoritative reference to all aspects of security in system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The authors discuss issues ranging from security requirements in SoC designs, definition of architectures and design choices to enforce and validate security policies, and trade-offs and conflicts involving security, functionality, and debug requirements. Coverage also includes case studies from the “trenches” of current industrial practice in design, implementation, and validation of security-critical embedded systems. Provides an authoritative reference and summary of the current state-of-the-art in security for embedded systems, hardware IPs and SoC designs; Takes a "cross-cutting" view of security that interacts with different design and validation components such as architecture, implementation, verification, and debug, each enforcing unique trade-offs; Includes high-level overview, detailed analysis on implementation, and relevant case studies on design/verification/debug issues related to IP/SoC security.
