Method for automatically searching for functional defects in...

Data processing: structural design – modeling – simulation – and em – Simulating electronic device or electrical system – Circuit simulation

Reexamination Certificate

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C703S015000, C703S016000, C716S030000

Reexamination Certificate

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06885983

ABSTRACT:
A programmed computer searches for functional defects in a description of a circuit undergoing functional verification in the following manner. The programmed computer simulates the functional behavior of the circuit in response to a test vector, automatically restores the state of the simulation without causing the simulation to pass through a reset state, and then simulates the functional behavior of the circuit in response to another test vector. A predetermined rule can be used to identify test vectors to be simulated, and the predetermined rule can depend upon a measure of functional verification, including the number of times during simulation when a first state transition is performed by a first controller at the same time as a second state transition is performed by a second controller. During simulation of the test vectors, manually generated tests or automatically generated checkers can monitor portions of the circuit for defective behavior.

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