Patent · US Active

Reducing x-pessimism in gate-level simulation and verification

US8650513B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
4References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 30, 2011
Grant dateFeb 11, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 30, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F30/3323
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are described for reducing or eliminating X-pessimism in gate-level simulation and/or formal verification. A system can identify a set of reconvergent inputs of a combinational block in a gate-level design. Next, the system can determine whether or not the combinational block is expected to exhibit X-pessimism during gate-level simulation. If the combinational block is expected to exhibit X-pessimism during gate-level simulation, the system can modify the gate-level design to reduce X-pessimism during gate-level simulation. In some embodiments, the system can build a model for the gate-level design by using unique free input variables to represent sources of indeterminate values. The system can then use the model to perform formal verification.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.