A Temporal Logic for Multi-Level Reasoning About Hardware,

Abstract : The paper describes a logical notation for reasoning about digital circuits. The formalism provides a rigorous and natural basis for device specification as well as for proving properties such as correctness of implementation. Conceptual levels of circuit operation ranging from detailed quantitative timing and signal propagation up to functional behavior are integrated in a unified way. A temporal predicate calculus serves as the formal core of the notation, resulting in a versatile tool that has more descriptive power than any conventional hardware specification language. The logic has been applied to specifying and proving numerous properties of circuits ranging from delay elements up to the AM2901 ALU bit slice. Presentations of a delay model and a multiplication circuit illustrate various features of the notation.