This course teaches how to create a modular, reusable verification environment using the e language and the Incisive® Enterprise Specman Elite® tool. The course is based on a coverage driven verification methodology which is applicable for a broad range of designs and goes far beyond the traditional directed-test methodology. Lessons include stimulus generation, checking results using scoreboards and assertions, collecting and analyzing functional coverage and designing for reuse. The material addresses verification methodologies for a broad range of designs. This course provides hands-on experience, with a mix of lecture and labs.
Days in Course Length
Audience
Verification Engineers
Prerequisites
- e Language Basic Training
- Knowledge/experience in simulating RTL logic designs
Software Requirements
Cadence IES (Specman Elite)
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course you will have a better understanding of verification methodologies, and be able to apply these methodologies to rapidly create an efficient environment for thorough design verification.
This course addresses:
- The design verification process
- Concepts and dynamic structures
- Automating constraint-driven random stimulus generation and variation
- Interfacing to the HDL design (driving and sampling)
- Constructing flexible and powerful stimulus sequences
- Implementing data and protocol/assertion checks
- Functional coverage
- Designing verification environments for reuse
- Debugging verification environments
Agenda
Day 1
- Architecting the Verification Environment
This section details the eRM architectural guidelines necessary to create reusable verification environments. To this end, this section also reviews in detail additional topics.
o ERM Environment architecture
o Checking architecture
o Stimulus architecture
o Partitioning of checking and stimulus
o BFMs, Monitors, Agents, sequence drivers, checker architecture, synchronizers and signal maps, envs.
o Like inheritance
o Units
o Inter-unit communication via reference
o Inter-unit communication via method_ports
o Port binding
o Elaborate phase
o Connect_pointers(), connect_ports() and check_generation() methods
o ERM file organization (eRM compliant directory structure)
o Benefits of eRM directory structure
o EDocs
o Protected, package & private
o Modules and more about imports
o Cyclic import issues
o Resolution of type names (namespaces in the e language)
o ERM legend and eRM diagrams
o Lab 7
- Lunch
- BFMs and Monitors
o Details of implementing simple_ports
o Using units to facilitate reuse (hdl_path())
o Port references
o Details of signal maps and synchronizers
o Pack/unpack
o Lab 8
Day 2
- The Sequence Environment
Unlike the earlier section on sequences, this section details the steps the environment developer will need to make to create a sequences ready verification environment. Developing sequences and additional advanced sequences topics are also covered.
o Predefined sequence constructs
o The sequence statement and associated automatically generated code
o Architecture of a sequence enabled agent
o Connecting sequence drive to BFM
o Pull mode, try and get_next_item(), item_done etc …
o Sequences as method primitives
o Interrupt sequences
o Pre-run sequence execution
o Debugging sequences
o Lab 9 – Creating a sequence capable environment
- Lunch
- Verification Environment API
This section illustrates techniques to support proper testcase architecture.
o Topology variations & topology constraints
o Family testcase files
o Default subranges (contrasting soft constraints and constraint grouping)
o Non-contiguous ranges
o Abstracted range identifiers (control fields)
o Coordinated ranges for two or more fields
o Ranges influenced by environment topology
o Constraint grouping
o Lab 10 –Control knobs and sequences (done as a group)
- Data Checking
o Data checking fundamentals and methodology
o The checking problem: Design intent, Specifications and planning
o Checking architecture and reuse
o Different types of checking (temporal vs. data)
o On-the-fly vs. post-run
o Reference models and degrees of accuracy
o Scoreboards
o Copy, deep_copy, deep_compare
o Relationships to the monitor
o Method ports
o Dut error reporting and associated actions
o Check effects
o Lab 11 – Data checking
Day 3
- Temporal Checking
o The Expect statement
o Review basic temporal expressions and temporal operators
o Advanced temporal expressions and operators including the yield operator
o Debugging temporal expressions
o Lab 12 – temporal expressions
- Advanced Coverage
o Hierarchical coverage models implemented with subtypes
o Per_instance, no_collect and weight coverage options
o Coverage grading and the effects on the coverage report
o Additional techniques for setting at_least threshold
o Per instance vs per type coverage
o Bucket set naming
o Removing coverage buckets
o Ranges
o Event coverage techniques
o Sequence coverage techniques
o Latency
o Checker coverage
o Reuse and extension of coverage groups, options and items
o Common pitfalls
o Lab 13 – Advanced Coverage
- Lunch
- Controlling the Verification Environment
This section covers three eRM topics: Modeling DUT reset in a Specman environment; coordinating the end of simulation; displaying activity messages
o Quit() method
o Rerun() method
o Methodology associated with properly resetting a verification environment with the DUT is driven through reset.
o The eRM objection mechanism
o The test done objection mechanism
o Methodology behind the objection mechanism
o Debugging the objection mechanism
o Message and messagef actions
o Message tags and verbosity
o Message loggers
o Message filtering
o Set Message
o Message output format
o Show message
o Lab 14 – Controlling the verification environment
Related Courses
e Language Basic Training