TOPICS

Course materials
LearnChase course materials are renowned for being the most comprehensive and user friendly available. Their style, content and coverage is unique in the HDL training world, and has made them sought after resources in their own right. The materials include:
Fully indexed class notes creating a complete reference manual
Lab files comprising the complete SystemVerilog/UVM source files and scripts
a UVM Golden Reference Guide.
Structure and content
Introduction to UVM
What is UVM? • Why UVM? • The UVM Family Tree • Versions of UVM • Constrained Random Verification • Tests versus Testbench • Configurable Verification Components • UVM Class Hierarchy • Simulation Phases • Customization – The Factory • Transaction Level Modelling • Required / Provided Interfaces • Push vs Pull Connections • Layered Sequential Stimulus • Virtual Sequences • Hierarchical Configuration • Easier UVM • Subject Areas for the UVM Adopter
Getting Started with UVM
Simple Testbench Architecture • Sequence Item Class • Methods of a Transaction • Overriding do_compare • Alternative – Field Macros • Sequence Class • Alternatives: Do Macros or Function Calls • Objections • Driver • Driver run_phase Task • Simple Testbench Architecture • DUT Interface • Environment – Constructor • Build Phase • Connect Phase • The Config Database • Environment – run_phase • Test Class – build_phase • Top-Level Module • uvm_top • Running a Test • Exercise – Stimulus Generator and Driver
Monitors and Reporting
Driver versus Monitor • Monitor Class • Monitor Run Task • Reporting • Report Macros • Controlling Verbosity • Setting Actions • Severity and Actions • Scope of Actions • Writing to a Log File • The Reporting Set Methods • The Report Catcher • Registering Report Catchers
Transaction-Level Modeling
TLM Connections • Blocking put, get, and peek • Blocking versus Non-Blocking Methods • TLM Ports, Exports, and Imps • Child Port Connection • Child Export Connection • Implementing an Export • Monitor with Devolved Tasks • Analysis Ports • Monitor with Analysis Port • Subscriber • Registering Subscribers • uvm_tlm_analysis_fifo • Subscriber with uvm_tlm_analysis_fifo • Subscriber with FIFO Implementation • Debugging Connections • Exercise – Monitors and Subscribers
Checkers and Scoreboards
Example Design • Separating Test from Test Harness • Interfaces • Parameters & Interfaces • Modports • Bus Properties • Adding ISS Reference Model • Sampling Bus in Interface • Bus Monitor Class • Detecting Bus Sequence • Bus Monitor Run Task • Verification Environment • Scoreboard • Comparator Input Requirements • Field Macros • Field Macro Flags • Overriding do_compare • Field Macros and Overridden Methods • Using Policy Objects • print and sprint • Flags, Methods and Printers • Overriding do_pack • Packing Bits and Bytes • Redirecting Reports • Exercise – Checkers
Functional Coverage
How Much Coverage? • Coverage Collection • Detecting States in Bus Monitor • Property-Based Coverage • Transferring Coverage Data to Monitor • Controlling Cross Coverage • Coverage Collector Class • Subscriber Classes • Plumbing the Coverage Collector Class • TLM imp Macros • Coverage on Internal States of DUT • Exercise – Coverage collection
Random Stimulus Generation
Random Stimulus • The Example • Instruction Class • Instruction Sequence and Sequencer • Starting a Sequence • Instruction Driver • Sequencer-Driver Interface • Constraining the Instruction • The dist Constraint Operator • Run-Time Phasing • Stimulus Phases • Sequence Body Method • Sequence Macros • Using the Sequence Macros • Exercise – Constrained random
Factory and Configuration
UVM Component Names • Searching for Component Instances • Globs and Regular Expressions • Iterating the Children • Factory Overrides “By Type” • Parameterized Objects and Components • Factory Overrides “By Name” • Constrained Random Generation • The Configuration Database • Verilog / VHDL versus UVM • Setting Configuration Table Entries • Getting Configuration Table Entries • Multiple Configuration Tables • Debugging Configuration Settings • Configuration Objects • Configuring the Component Hierarchy • Working with Multiple Tests • UVM Command Line Processor • Standard Command Line Arguments • Exercise – Configuration
Agent Architecture
UVM Agent • Agent Build • Connecting Agent Components • Configuring an Agent • Using the Built-in “is_active” Field • Overriding get_is_active • Exercise – Agents
Objections
Objection Mechanism • Objections from a Component • Automatic Objections • Objections from a Sequence • Raise/Drop Objections Per-Cycle • Objection Drain Time versus Time-out • Extending a Phase • Propagating Objections • set_propagate_mode • Stopping a Test – OVM Legacy
Sequences
Class uvm_sequence • Sequence/Driver Interaction • Overriding the Callbacks • Sequence Callbacks • Starting a Sequence Manually • Starting from a Parent Sequence • Starting a Sequence Automatically • Sequences-of-Sequences • Sequence Control Knobs • Nested Sequences • Finding Sequencer from Sequence • `uvm_declare_p_sequencer • Configuration of Control Knobs • Transaction Recording • Marking the Start & End of Transactions • Reports within Sequences • Virtual Sequences and Sequencers • Virtual Sequencer • Virtual Sequence on Sequencer • Standalone Virtual Sequence • Test with null Sequencer • Exercise – Sequences and virtual sequences
Layered Sequences and Agents
Multi-Layer Sequences • Extended Sequences • Low-Level Sequence • High-Level Frame Transaction • High-Level Sequence • Layered Sequencers • Low-Level Sequencer • High-Level Sequence • Layering Sequence • Starting with a Virtual Sequence • Direct Connection to the Sequencer • Alternative Layering Sequence • Request and Response • The Driver Response • Pipelined Responses in the Driver • Pipelined Responses in the Sequence • Matching Requests and Responses • Reponses with Layered Sequencers • Layering Agents • Multiple Agents / Sequencer Stacks • Driver calls try_next_item
Events and Barriers
uvm_event • Event Action • Passing Data with Event Trigger • Event Pools • uvm_event_pool • UVM Event Callbacks • Event Callback Class • Register Callbacks with Component • uvm_barrier • Setting Barrier
Advanced Sequencer Topics
Interleaved Sequences • Sequence Priority • The Arbitration Queue • Setting the Arbitration Algorithm • Arbitration Algorithms and Priority • User-Defined Arbitration Algorithm • Irrelevant Sequences • Virtual Sequences Revisited • Sequencer Lock • Lock versus Grab • Push Sequencer and Driver • Push Driver Implementation • The UVM Sequence Library • Sequence Library = Fancy Sequence • Controlling Sequence Selection • Setting Properties with the Config DB • Exercise – Advanced sequences
UVM Register Layer
UVM Tests and DUT Registers • UVM Register Layer • Register Layer Architecture • UVM Register Layer Features • Register Layer Organisation • Accessing Registers By Name • Integrating the Register Model • Frontdoor Register Access • Backdoor Register Access • Mirroring • Code Example • Updating • Register Model • An Example – Serial I/O • Serial I/O Memory-Mapped Registers • Unit-Level Register Model Integration • Define Registers and Fields • Configure the Register • Create the Register Block • Build the Registers • Create the Address Map • Register Adapter • Provide a Driver Response • Using Byte Enables • Integration into the Environment • Accessing the Register Model • Register Test Case • Random Register Testing • Built-in Sequences • Using Built-in Tests • Exercise – Register Layer
Advanced Register Topics
Indirect Register Access • System-Level Register Model Integration • Front Door Sequence • Front Door Sequence Integration • Responses • Predictor • Predictor Integration • Direct Access Through Backdoor • Adding the HDL Path • HDL Backdoor Access • Memory Access within an Address Map • Adding Memory to an Address Map • Coverage Models • Instantiate Coverage Model during Build • Enable/Disable Coverage • Coverage in a Register Block • Sample Method in a Register Block • Enabling Coverage • Special Register Behaviors • Register Access Flow and Callbacks • Example: Register Aliasing • Exercise – Frontdoor sequence and predictor
Appendix – Callbacks and Heartbeat
Callbacks • Callback Base Class • Insert Callbacks into Component • Implement Specific Callbacks • Add the Specific Callbacks • uvm_heartbeat • Adding Heartbeat to Driver • Enabling Heartbeat from Test
Appendix – UVM Run-Time Phasing
Motivation • Background • The Common Phases of UVM • Phase Methods & Objects • The UVM Run-Time Phases • Default Synchronization • Phase Method Synch • Domains • Unsynchronized Domains • Explicit Synchronization • Synchronized Phases • User-Defined Phases • Extended Schedule • Add after_phase • Add before_phase • Add with_phase • A Schedule from Scratch • set_domain / define_domain • Overriding define_domain • Calling set_domain • Start and End of each Phase • phase_started • phase_ready_to_end • phase_ended • Making Sequences Phase-Aware • Reactive Stimulus • Phase Jumping • VIP Creation • VIP Integration • User-Defined Phases • Phase Ordering • Recommendations
Appendix – UVM 1.2
New Features • UVM 1.1d-to-1.2 Pitfalls • Features Deprecated in UVM 1.2 • UVM_NO_DEPRECATED • UVM_POST_VERSION_1_1
Related courses
Comprehensive SystemVerilog
Modular SystemVerilog (in-house delivery only).