An automatic ABV methodology enabling PSL assertions across SLD flow for SOCs modeled in SystemC

Property specification languages and ABV (assertion-based verification) driven by simulation are being recognized by many as essential for verification of today's increasingly complex designs. In addition, there are few mature approaches that concentrate on improving assertion integration with high-level designs modeled in SystemC. This paper discusses the issues faced within SystemC environments to incorporate PSL (property specification language) assertions. It also proposes an automatic solution that enhances SOC (system on chip) SLD (system level design) flow with PSL assertions embedded into SystemC designs.

[1]  Takayuki Sasaki,et al.  A practical approach for bus architecture optimization at transaction level , 2003, 2003 Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition.

[2]  Xi Chen,et al.  Logic of constraints: a quantitative performance and functional constraint formalism , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems.

[3]  David L. Dill What's between simulation and formal verification? , 1998, Proceedings 1998 Design and Automation Conference. 35th DAC. (Cat. No.98CH36175).

[4]  Robert P. Kurshan,et al.  A Practical Approach to Coverage in Model Checking , 2001, CAV.

[5]  Armin Biere,et al.  Verifiying Safety Properties of a Power PC Microprocessor Using Symbolic Model Checking without BDDs , 1999, CAV.

[6]  Claudio Turchetti,et al.  Transaction-level models for AMBA bus architecture using SystemC 2.0 [SOC applications] , 2003, 2003 Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition.

[7]  Ilan Beer,et al.  FoCs: Automatic Generation of Simulation Checkers from Formal Specifications , 2000, CAV.

[8]  Nikil D. Dutt,et al.  Extending the transaction level modeling approach for fast communication architecture exploration , 2004, Proceedings. 41st Design Automation Conference, 2004..

[9]  Fred Kröger,et al.  Temporal Logic of Programs , 1987, EATCS Monographs on Theoretical Computer Science.

[10]  C. Eisner,et al.  RuleBase: an industry-oriented formal verification tool , 1996, 33rd Design Automation Conference Proceedings, 1996.

[11]  Rached Tourki,et al.  Co-simulation and communication synthesis approach for intellectual properties based SoCs , 2004, Comput. Electr. Eng..

[12]  Daniel Geist,et al.  Combining system level modeling with assertion based verification , 2005, Sixth international symposium on quality electronic design (isqed'05).

[13]  Jiang Long,et al.  Smart simulation using collaborative formal and simulation engines , 2000, IEEE/ACM International Conference on Computer Aided Design. ICCAD - 2000. IEEE/ACM Digest of Technical Papers (Cat. No.00CH37140).

[14]  Joao Marques-Silva,et al.  Combinational equivalence checking using satisfiability and recursive learning , 1999, Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition, 1999. Proceedings (Cat. No. PR00078).

[15]  D. Dill,et al.  Deriving a simulation input generator and a coverage metric from a formal specification , 2002, Proceedings 2002 Design Automation Conference (IEEE Cat. No.02CH37324).

[16]  Kenneth L. McMillan,et al.  Symbolic model checking , 1992 .

[17]  Wolfgang Rosenstiel,et al.  Simulation-guided property checking based on multi-valued AR-automata , 2001, Proceedings Design, Automation and Test in Europe. Conference and Exhibition 2001.

[18]  K. Keutzer,et al.  System-level design: orthogonalization of concerns andplatform-based design , 2000, IEEE Trans. Comput. Aided Des. Integr. Circuits Syst..

[19]  Janick Bergeron,et al.  Writing Testbenches: Functional Verification of HDL Models , 2000 .

[20]  Gerard J. Holzmann,et al.  The Model Checker SPIN , 1997, IEEE Trans. Software Eng..

[21]  Dominique Borrione,et al.  Design Automation and Test in Europe - DATE'99 , 1999 .

[22]  Grant Martin,et al.  IP Reuse Hardening via Embedded Sugar Assertions , 2002 .

[23]  Thorsten Grotker,et al.  System Design with SystemC , 2002 .