A NOVEL APPROACH TO FUNCTIONAL VERIFICATION CLOSURE USING OPTIMAL TEST SCENARIOS IN DIGITAL CIRCUITS

Abstract

Functional verification is a critical phase in digital circuit design, ensuring that a circuit operates correctly under all specified conditions. Traditional verification methods often rely on broad or random test cases, which can be inefficient and may miss critical flaws. This paper presents a novel approach to achieving functional verification closure through the use of optimal test scenarios. Our methodology focuses on selecting and utilizing test cases that provide the highest likelihood of uncovering design defects, thereby improving verification coverage and effectiveness. We implemented our approach using a combination of scenario analysis, optimization algorithms, and adaptive test generation. The approach was applied to a complex digital circuit design, and the results were compared with traditional verification methods. Our findings show that the novel approach significantly enhances coverage, increases defect detection rates, and reduces resource consumption, demonstrating greater efficiency and effectiveness in the verification process. This research offers a promising advancement in functional verification by targeting the most impactful test scenarios, paving the way for more efficient and reliable verification practices. Future work could focus on refining the optimization algorithms, integrating the approach with existing verification tools, and applying it to a broader range of circuit designs to further validate its effectiveness.