Verification Methodology Manual for SystemVerilog

Provides a reference methodology that can be adopted by designers and verification engineers for all types of System-on-a-Chip projects. With authors from ARM® and Synopsys®, it combines ARM’s expertise in the verification of complex, configurable IP from transaction-level SystemC to timing-critical register-transfer level (RTL) implementation, and Synopsys’ strength in delivering an integrated RTL and system verification platform, including tools and verification IP. Verification Methodology Manual for SystemVerilog describes SystemVerilog language features relevant to functional verification and provides a blueprint for a robust, scalable verification architecture based on industry best practices. This book also specifies a standard set of libraries for assertions and commonly used verification functions, such as stimulus generation, simulation control and coverage analysis, to help implement the recommended methodology. The Manual can help SoC development teams achieve faster and more effective design verification. It also guides verification IP providers to follow a consistent and well-documented architecture, enabling end users to easily integrate verification IP from multiple sources.

Janick Bergeron is a Scientist at Synopsys, Inc. He is the author of the best-selling book Writing Testbenches: Functional Verification of HDL Models and the moderator of the Verification Guild. Prior to joining Synopsys, Janick worked on verification methodology at Qualis Design Corporation and Bell-Northern Research. He holds a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the Université du Québec, and an MBA degree granted through the University of Oregon.

Eduard Cerny is a Principal Engineer, R&D, in the Verification Group at Synopsys, Inc. He joined Synopsys in 2001 after 25 years in academia, as Professor of Computer Science at the Université de Montréal. Eduard has a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Loyola College in Montreal, Canada, and a M.Eng. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. His interests have been in design, verification and test of hardware, and he is author of many articles in these areas.

Alan Hunter, BEng(Hons), MSc, is the Design Verification Methodology Programme manager at ARM Ltd. and is leading the design verification methodology work for ARM worldwide. This work covers all areas from CPU design verification through systems and system component design verification. His main areas of interest include optimizing design verification efficiency and quality, formal methods, and determinism in the design verification flow. Prior to joining ARM, Alan worked for a small formal verification company specializing in property and equivalence checking.

Andy Nightingale, BEng(Hons), MBCS CITP, is a consultant engineer at ARM Ltd and has led the SoC Verification group in ARM’s Cambridge and Sheffield design centers for the past four years. The group covers ARM PrimeXSys platforms and PrimeCell development, including advanced AXI- and AHB-based system backplanecomponents such as bus interconnects and high-performance memory controllers. Prior to working at ARM, Andy worked as a real-time embedded systems engineer for a successful scientific instrument company, primarily serving the semiconductor industry.