Cadence Announces Comprehensive Assertion-Based Verification Solution; Expanded Support of PSL and SystemVerilog Assertions Enables More Efficient Verification
SAN JOSE, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Oct. 18, 2004—
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CDN)(Nasdaq:CDN)
today announced a comprehensive assertion-based verification (ABV)
solution as a part of its Incisive(TM) functional verification
platform. The solution speeds verification of complex designs by
creating an environment that helps users define assertions correctly,
enables early detection of bugs close to the source, and monitors for
completeness through assertion coverage. This functionality has been
integrated into the platform's Incisive Unified Simulator.
The Cadence ABV environment brings together tools, language, IP,
debug and coverage. It includes broad, native assertion support for
Property Specification Language (PSL), SystemVerilog Assertions (SVA)
and Open Verification Library (OVL). In addition to these Accellera
standards, Cadence is also introducing an extended open-source library
of assertions.
"Having a verification platform support multiple design and
assertion languages is very important to us," said Ulrich Hummel,
manager of CAD/CAE for Micronas in Freiburg, Germany. "As we develop
new design IP and integrate that with existing designs as well as 3rd
party IP, we need to be able to simulate all the standard design
languages. The Incisive platform allows us to do that in a common,
integrated, single debug environment that supports our complete
verification flow."
The new Incisive Assertions Library included in the ABV
environment incorporates 50 complex assertion statements and code for
customization. This enables users to specify powerful assertion
statements quickly, resulting in faster verification time and,
ultimately, faster time-to-market. This library will be available in
both PSL and SVA languages. A sample set of library elements is
available for review at
http://www.cadence.com/products/functional_ver/abv_dt.aspx.
The ABV solution naturally captures design knowledge in the user's
hardware description language. The combination of assertion-driven
functional coverage, enhanced unified graphical user interface and
debug environment for assertion functionality within the Incisive
platform all greatly improves ease-of-use for the designer.
This announcement underscores the strong commitment that Cadence
has for standard languages. In addition to supporting PSL assertions
with Verilog and VHDL code for over two years, the Incisive Unified
Simulator now supports PSL within SystemC code, OVL, and SystemVerilog
Assertions. This gives customers the flexibility to use assertions in
the language of their choice.
"Our assertion solution, based on open standards, provides the
most advanced verification techniques available on the market today,"
said Mitch Weaver, vice president and general manager, Systems and
Functional Verification division, Cadence. "Our customers love the
fact that the Incisive approach to assertions provides a unified
environment based on an integrated platform for increased verification
productivity."
The comprehensive assertion solution in the Incisive Unified
Simulator and the PSL-based Incisive Assertions Library will be
available in December 2004.
About Cadence
Cadence is the largest supplier of electronic design technologies
and engineering services. Cadence solutions are used to accelerate and
manage the design of semiconductors, computer systems, networking and
telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, and a variety of
other electronics-based products. With approximately 4,850 employees
and 2003 revenues of approximately $1.1 billion, Cadence has sales
offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world. The
company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and traded on the New
York Stock Exchange under the symbol CDN. More information about the
company, its products and services is available at www.cadence.com.
Cadence and the Cadence logo are registered trademarks and
Incisive is a trademark of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. in the U.S.
and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
Contact:
The Hoffman Agency for Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Kristin Hehir, 408-975-3098
khehir@hoffman.com
