The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 25, 2003
Filed:
May. 08, 2000
Prakash Narain, San Carlos, CA (US);
Jay Andrew Littlefield, San Jose, CA (US);
Christopher Richard Morrison, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Rajeev Kumar Ranjan, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Real Intent, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided that facilitate analysis of the intended flow of logical signals between key points in a design. According to one aspect of the present invention, a comprehensive set of design verification checks may be formulated by applying predetermined properties to an annotated hardware design representation. Information regarding the intended flow of logical signals in the hardware design is received by way of annotations in a control file or annotations embedded in the hardware design representation itself. The annotations include (1) an indication of one or more variables in the representation of the hardware design through which the logical signals pass, and (2) an indication of one or more conditions under which each of the one or more variables are to be associated with each of a set of states. Checks are then automatically formulated based upon a predetermined set of properties that must hold true in order for the hardware design to operate in accordance with the intended flow. Each of the checks is capable of evaluation with reference to the states associated with the one or more variables during propagation of the logical signals.