Teaching Functional Verification
– Course Organization
Design Automation Conference
Sunday, June 9, 2002
Course Goals

Learn to use verification tools and experiment
on actual designs used in industry
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Verisity Specman, IBM Rulebase
Cadence NC-Sim VHDL simulation framework
Learn to plan and carry out effective functional
verification of a design
Learn to work in teams to debug designs
Desired Outcome
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By the end of the course the student
will
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Have verified three example designs
provided by IBM
Have an understanding of why verification
is important
Have an understanding of the complexity
of verifying modern computer systems
Grading
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Grade breakdown (Used at Penn State)
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Midterm Exam:
20%
Final Exam:
20%
Verification Projects (~4): 45%
(3 Calc Labs + 1 ruleBase)
Homework (~3):
15%
(VHDL Background Check; e coding; rulebase)
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Exams replaced with lab-oriented grading at UPitt
Final Exam was lab-based at Penn State
Prerequisites
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Hardware description language
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Use of modern EDA tools
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VHDL or Verilog (MANDATORY)
simulation, synthesis, validation (Synopsys)
schematic capture tools (LogicWorks)
Logic design/Computer architecture

logical minimization, FSMs, component
design, pipelining, ISA design
Prerequisites - Instructors

Find a good T.A.
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Tools: Licensing Information
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Familiar with HDL;willing to explore tools
Interfaced Specman with Mentor Graphics
(Pitt, NC State) and Cadence tools (Penn
State)
Quick Start

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Specman - CPU tutorial; ebasics slides
Rulebase – Buffer tutorial
Course Textbook/Notes
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Janick’s textbook was used
Pitt and Penn State – “e based”
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Covered first 3 chapters
Relied on Specman/Verification Advisor
IBM slides for rulebase
NCState – “VHDL based”
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Supplemented with VHDL reference books
Course Outline – Penn State
Week 1: What is verification? (Chapt 1 of Janick's book; industry perspective)
Week 2: Behavioral VHDL - refresher and writing testbenches – HW1 (VHDL)
Week 3: Verification tools; Coverage metrics (Chap 2 of Janick’s book)
Week 4: Behind the simulation engine – event and cycle simulation
Week 5: Introduction to Specman and e language basics – (ebasics slides) – HW2 (e basics)
Week 6: Lab 1 introduction/Specman – CPU tutorial
Week 7: Verification plan – strategies/testcases/testbenches (Chap 3; VA)
Week 8: Lab 1 solution discussion + Lab 2 introduction + Exam 1
Week 9: More e language constructs
Week 10: Modeling structs;I/O blocks; data items– (VA)
Week 11: Lab 2 Solutions and Lab 3 discussion
Week 12: Modeling input relations/intervals/events – (VA)
Week 13: Lab 3 solutions + Introduction to Formal Verification + Lab 4
Week 14: Introduction to Rulebase/ Rulebase lab
Week 15: Exam review
Course Outline – Pittsburgh
Week 1: What is verification? (Chapt 1 of Janick's book; industry perspective)
Week 2: Hardware Functional Verification; review of Modelsim
Week 3: Verification tools; Coverage metrics (Chap 2 of Janick’s book)
Week 4: Behind the simulation engine – event and cycle simulation
Week 5: Introduction to Specman and e language basics – Verisity Tutorial
Week 6: Calc 1 Lab
Week 7: Verification plan – strategies/testcases/testbenches (Chap 3; VA)
Week 8: Calc 1 solution discussion + Calc 2 introduction
Week 9: More e language constructs
Week 10: Modeling structs;I/O blocks; data items– (VA)
Week 11: Calc 2 Solutions and Calc 3 discussion
Week 12: Modeling input relations/intervals/events – (VA)
Week 13: Calc 3 solutions + Introduction to Formal Verification + Lab 4
Week 14: Introduction to Rulebase/ Rulebase lab
Week 15: Rulebase lab
Course Outline – NC State
Lectures 1-2
Lecture 3
Lectures 4-6
Lectures 7-11
Lecture 12
Lecture 13
Lecture 14
Lecture 15
Lectures 16-19
Lectures 20,26
Lecture 21
Lectures 22-23
Lecture 24
Lecture 25
Lecture 27
Lecture 28
What is Verification?
Chapter 1
Verification Tools
Chapter 2
Verification Plan – Strategies/Testcases/Testbenches
Chapter 3
Architecting Testbenches
Chapter 6
Lab 1 Solution Discussion / Architecting Testbenches
Chapter 6
EXAM #1 –
Chapters 1,2,3,6
Lab 2 Overview / Stimulus and Response
Chapter 5
Review EXAM #1
Stimulus and Response
Chapter 5
Special Topic Day - Online NetSeminar on new verification technologies
Lab 2 Solution Discussion
Behavioral HDL
Chapter 4
Lab 3 Overview / Behavioral HDL
Chapter 4
Simulation Management
Chapter 7
EXAM #2 – Chapters 5,4,7 Chapter 6
Lab Day
Student Feedback
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More quizzes/homework on “e” language
More time with labs especially “lab 3”
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Start earlier with Specman/e
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Work in groups on labs
Access to VA
Appreciate change from VHDL testbench to Specman
environment (when doing lab 1 in dual form)
Appreciate change to Rulebase from Specman
Labs were most interesting part
More time with Rulebase