[sv-bc] RE: [sv-ac] SV-AC feedback for the next PAR

Hi all,

Here is the list of enhancements that I suggest for the coming PAR. Though all suggested enhancements are targeted for assertions, some of them are generic, and do not belong to assertions only. Therefore, I am sending this proposal also to SV-BC and SV-EC.

Checkers
Remove or relax restrictions imposed on checkers:
* Allow checker instantiation in functions and tasks
* Allow checker instantiation in classes
* Allow output arguments in checkers
* Allow design variable forcing from checkers
* Allow continuous assignments in checkers
* Allow procedural control and looping statements in checkers
* Refine definition of checker argument sampling

Multiple Arguments
Support variable number of arguments in SV constructs: macro, assertions, and checkers. Since this mechanism is generic, it makes sense to expand it also to modules, interfaces, programs, functions, and tasks.

Types
Introduce a generic integral type and provide explicit means to check type cast compatibility
* Introduce generic type integral (the name is tentative) to specify any integral type in arguments of assertions and checkers.
* Introduce a system function with two arguments that are type expressions, returning true if the first type expression is cast-compatible with the second one.

Bit-vector System Functions
Clarify usage of existing bit-vector functions ($onehot, etc.) and introduce new ones
* State explicitly that the argument of bit-vector functions may be unpacked
* Introduce bit-vector system functions for efficient work with 4-valued data types

AMS Assertions (tentative)
Enhance SVA with AMS assertions. This requires merging SV and VerilogAMS.

Temporal Coverage (tentative)
Bridge gap between SVA and SV functional coverage by introducing temporal coverage.

I filled a new Mantis 2979 where I uploaded a presentation containing examples and motivation. The solution directions and the syntax proposed in the presentation do not necessarily address all the aspects of the language, and they are provided for illustration purposes only.

Thanks,
Dmitry

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-sv-ac@eda.org [mailto:owner-sv-ac@eda.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Thatcher
Sent: Thursday, February 11, 2010 3:50 AM
To: sv-ac@eda.org
Subject: [sv-ac] SV-AC feedback for the next PAR

Hello Everyone,

We need to give feedback to the working group on the scope of the next
PAR, which will be discussed at the next working group. Anyone who has
suggestions about assertion-related enhancements to be worked on in the
next PAR should send them to the SV-AC alias. I will attempt to compile
a prioritized list to present to the working group.

Thanks,

Tom

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