[sv-ec] usage of overgroup variables

We would appreciate some clarification on the usage of Covergroup
variables.

Covergroup variable usage:
1) Can a covergroup variable be created (ie assigned 'new') other
than as a part of the declaration of the variable?
2) Can NULL be assigned to a covergoup variable?
3) Can a covergroup variable be assigned 'new' more than once?
4) Can a covergroup variable be assigned another covergroup variable?
5) Can a covergroup be a parameter to a task or function? Are there
any limits on the direction?
6) Can a function return a covergroup (ie the function return type
is a covergroup)?

Coverage Data lifetime:
7) If a covergroup instance is deleted or goes out of scope, is it's
coverage data still included in the type coverage? A covergroup
instance might go out of scope or be deleted when:
    a) The covergroup variable is assigned NULL (if allowed).
    b) The instance variable is declared and assigned new in a class
       and the class instance is assigned NULL.
    c) The covergroup variable is declared within a task or function.
       In this case, each time the task or function is entered, is
       additional type coverage data accumulated?

Thanks,
Ray
Received on Mon Oct 25 09:57:19 2004