PSL: Assertion Based Verification With

Questa - VHDL Flavor

Student Workbook

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Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Module 1
Basics of Assertion Based Verification ..............................................................1-1
Verification Trend ..............................................................................................1-2
Why Traditional Simulation Is Not Sufficient ....................................................1-3
Assertion Based Verification What Is It? ......................................................1-5
Assertion Based Verification Why? ..............................................................1-7
An Example of Assertion Usage .........................................................................1-8
Open Verification Library OVL ..................................................................1-10
Why PSL? .........................................................................................................1-11
Assertion versus Property .................................................................................1-12
What Properties Are Written About .................................................................1-13
PSL Language Structure Pyramid ....................................................................1-15
PSL Language Structure ...................................................................................1-17
PSL Flavors ......................................................................................................1-19
Flavor Differences ............................................................................................1-20
Simple Flavor Examples ...................................................................................1-23
PSL Language Structure Pyramid ....................................................................1-24
Boolean Expressions .........................................................................................1-25
Clock Expressions ............................................................................................1-27
Specifying a Default Clock ...............................................................................1-28
PSL Language Structure Pyramid ....................................................................1-29
Temporal Layer ................................................................................................1-30
Sequences .........................................................................................................1-31
Sequence Time Steps ........................................................................................1-32
Some Sequence Operators ................................................................................1-34
Examples of Sequences ....................................................................................1-36
Short Break and Questions ...............................................................................1-39
Named Sequences .............................................................................................1-40
Some Definitions ..............................................................................................1-41
PSL Language Structure Pyramid ....................................................................1-43
Properties ..........................................................................................................1-44
Logical Implications .........................................................................................1-45

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Suffix Implications ...........................................................................................1-47
Property Operators ............................................................................................1-49
Property Operator Waveforms ..........................................................................1-51
Property Terminating Operators .......................................................................1-52
Examples of Properties .....................................................................................1-54
So You Understand Properties? ........................................................................1-58
Named Properties ..............................................................................................1-59
PSL Language Structure Pyramid ....................................................................1-60
Verification Layer .............................................................................................1-61
Directives ..........................................................................................................1-62
Directives Defined ............................................................................................1-63
Directives Examples .........................................................................................1-65
Assert Directive ................................................................................................1-66
PSL Language Structure Pyramid ....................................................................1-67
PSL Embedded in VHDL Code ........................................................................1-68
vunits .................................................................................................................1-70
vunit Binding by Name .....................................................................................1-72
Modeling Layer ................................................................................................1-74
PSL Examples ...................................................................................................1-75
Design Block Diagram .....................................................................................1-76
Verify That Reset Occurs .................................................................................1-77
Verify Read & Write Responses .......................................................................1-78
Verify cs De-Asserts After R/W .......................................................................1-79
Module Summary .............................................................................................1-80
Lab 1 .................................................................................................................1-81
Architects ..........................................................................................................1-82
Designer ............................................................................................................1-83
Verification Engineer ........................................................................................1-84
Solutions to Earlier Questions ..........................................................................1-85

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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.)

Module 2
Assertion Based Verification in Questa .............................................................2-1
Questa for PSL and ABV ...................................................................................2-2
Using PSL With Questa ......................................................................................2-3
Compiling PSL for Questa ..................................................................................2-4
Simulating PSL With Questa ..............................................................................2-6
Assertion Controls Requirements ..................................................................2-8
Assertion Observability Requirements ........................................................2-10
Assertion Browser Window ..............................................................................2-12
Assertion Settings .............................................................................................2-15
Configure Selected Assertions Dialog Box ......................................................2-16
Assertions in Wave Window ............................................................................2-18
Assertion Text in Main Window ......................................................................2-20
Enabling the Assertion Thread Viewer (ATV) .................................................2-21
Viewing the ATV .............................................................................................2-22
Debugging Assertions in the ATV ...................................................................2-24
PSL Debug Process ...........................................................................................2-28
Simulator PSL Commands ...............................................................................2-36
Assertion Pass Command .................................................................................2-37
Assertion Fail Command ..................................................................................2-39
Assertion Action Command .............................................................................2-41
Assertion Count Command ...............................................................................2-42
End of Simulation Note ....................................................................................2-43
ATV Commands ...............................................................................................2-44
PSL and Simulator Performance ......................................................................2-45
Questa PSL Support Status ...............................................................................2-47
Module Summary .............................................................................................2-48
Lab 2 .................................................................................................................2-49
Graphic Symbols for ATV ................................................................................2-50

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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.)

Module 3
Functional Coverage With PSL .........................................................................3-1
Code Coverage ....................................................................................................3-2
Functional Coverage ...........................................................................................3-5
Defining Functional Coverage ............................................................................3-7
Functional Coverage Questions ..........................................................................3-8
PSL Cover Directive ...........................................................................................3-9
PSL Cover Directive Examples ........................................................................3-10
Questa PSL Functional Coverage Flow ............................................................3-12
Compiling and Simulating ................................................................................3-13
Opening Functional Coverage Window ...........................................................3-14
Configuring Functional Coverage Directives ...................................................3-15
Recursive Mode ................................................................................................3-17
Configuring Functional Coverage ....................................................................3-18
Weighting .........................................................................................................3-20
Example Weighting Scenario ...........................................................................3-21
AtLeast Counts .................................................................................................3-22
Viewing Statistics .............................................................................................3-23
Viewing Source and Waves ..............................................................................3-25
Count Mode ......................................................................................................3-26
Filtering .............................................................................................................3-27
Clearing .............................................................................................................3-28
Save Functional Coverage ................................................................................3-29
Calculating Total Functional Coverage ............................................................3-30
Functional Coverage Reports ...........................................................................3-33
Understanding Functional Coverage Statistics .................................................3-36
Example Statistics Calculation .........................................................................3-37
Functional Coverage Review ............................................................................3-38
Module Summary .............................................................................................3-39
Lab 3 .................................................................................................................3-40

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Module 4
More Assertion Techniques and Syntax ............................................................4-1
Clocks .................................................................................................................4-2
Clocked SEREs ...................................................................................................4-4
Named Sequences With Parameters ...................................................................4-5
Named Sequence Example .................................................................................4-6
Sequence Fusion Operator ..................................................................................4-7
Sequence OR Operator .......................................................................................4-8
Sequence OR Operator Example ......................................................................4-10
Sequence Non-Matching AND Operator ..........................................................4-11
Sequence Matching AND Operator ..................................................................4-12
Sequence Within Operator ................................................................................4-13
Named Properties With Parameters ..................................................................4-14
Named Property Example .................................................................................4-15
Strong versus Weak Operators .........................................................................4-17
Example of a Strong Operator ..........................................................................4-18
Example of a Weak Operator ...........................................................................4-19
Choice of Terminating Cycle ............................................................................4-20
Operator Families .............................................................................................4-21
next Family .......................................................................................................4-22
next_a and next_e Families ..............................................................................4-23
next, next_a and next_e Waveforms .................................................................4-24
next, next_a and next_e Examples ....................................................................4-25
before Families .................................................................................................4-26
before and until Waveforms .............................................................................4-28
before and until Examples ................................................................................4-30
Examples of until ..............................................................................................4-31
Logical Property Operators ...............................................................................4-34
Safety versus Liveness ......................................................................................4-35
Examples of Safety and Liveness .....................................................................4-37
Clocked Properties ............................................................................................4-38
Clock Property Examples .................................................................................4-39

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General PSL Coding Guidelines .......................................................................4-42
Module Summary .............................................................................................4-45
Lab 4 .................................................................................................................4-46
More before and until Waveforms ....................................................................4-47
Module 5
Advanced Features ..............................................................................................5-1
next_event, next_event_a, next_event_e Families .............................................5-2
next_event, next_event_a and next_event_e Waveforms ...................................5-4
next_event, next_event_a and next_event_e Examples ......................................5-5
%for Construct ....................................................................................................5-6
%if Construct ......................................................................................................5-7
Built-In Functions ...............................................................................................5-8
LTL Operators ..................................................................................................5-11
Endpoints ..........................................................................................................5-12
Endpoints With Parameters ..............................................................................5-13
Using Endpoints ................................................................................................5-14
Using Endpoints - Restrictions .........................................................................5-15
Using Endpoints - Examples ............................................................................5-16
Performance Flow .............................................................................................5-17
Performance Flow Features ..............................................................................5-18
Verification Unit Inheritance ............................................................................5-19
Vunit Inheritance Example ...............................................................................5-20
Formal Verification ..........................................................................................5-21
Modeling Layer ................................................................................................5-22
Directives in Formal Verification .....................................................................5-23
vunit, vprop and vmode ....................................................................................5-24
Module Summary .............................................................................................5-25
PSL Summary ...................................................................................................5-26
Questa PSL Support ..........................................................................................5-27
PSL IEEE 1850 Specification ...........................................................................5-29
IEEE 1850 Changes ..........................................................................................5-30

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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont.)

Summary of Where to Use Assertions ..............................................................5-36
Course Summary ..............................................................................................5-37
Lab 5 (Optional) ...............................................................................................5-38

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PSL: Assertion Based Verification With Questa - VHDL Flavor