SystemVerilog -- 11.1 SystemVerilog Immediate Assertions

SystemVerilog Immediate Assertions

Immediate Assertions基于模拟事件语义执行，并且需要在过程块中指定。在模拟过程中，它的处理方式与语句中的表达式相同。if

如果表达式在执行语句时为true，则Immediate Assertions将通过，如果表达式的计算结果为false(X、Z或0)，则Immediate Assertions将失败。这些Assertions旨在用于仿真，不适合进行形式验证。它可以在RTL代码和测试平台中使用，以标记仿真中的错误。

Syntax

// Simple assert statement
assert(<expression>);

// Assert statement with statements to be executed for pass/fail conditions
assert(<expression>) begin
  // If condition is true, execute these statements
end else begin
  // If condition is false, execute these statements
end
// Optionally give name for the assertion
[assert_name] : assert(<expression>);

Immediate Assertion in Design

下面是一个示例，其中设计具有Immediate Assertion，用于检查在FIFO已满时是否未向FIFO发出推送请求。如果语句中的表达式的计算结果为true，则将执行第一个块，如果表达式的计算结果为false，则计算该部分。这与构造非常相似，不同之处在于用户不需要放置display语句来标记错误。assert begin end else if

module my_des (my_if _if);
  always @(posedge _if.clk) begin
    if (_if.push) begin
      // Immediate assertion and ensures that fifo is not full when push is 1
      a_push: assert (!_if.full) begin
        $display ("push when fifo not full !");
      end else begin
        $display ("[FAIL] push when fifo full !");
      end
    end

    if (_if.pop) begin
      // Immediate assertion and ensures that fifo is not empty when pop is 1
      a_pop: assert (!_if.empty) begin
        $display ("[PASS] pop when fifo not empty !");
      end else begin
        $display ("[FAIL] pop when fifo empty !");
      end
    end
  end
endmodule

如果没有这种Immediate Assertions，就需要使用concurrent assertions来复制导致该特定点的逻辑，这可能需要额外的努力和资源。

interface my_if(input bit clk);
  logic pop;
  logic push;
  logic empty;
  logic full;
endinterface

module tb;
  bit clk;
  always #10 clk <= ~clk;

  my_if _if(clk);
  my_des u0 (.*);

  initial begin
    for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) begin
      _if.push  <= $random;
      _if.pop   <= $random;
      _if.empty <= $random;
      _if.full  <= $random;
      $strobe ("[%0t] push=%0b full=%0b pop=%0b empty=%0b",
               $time, _if.push, _if.full, _if.pop, _if.empty)
      @(posedge clk);
    end
    #10 $finish;
  end
endmodule

看到assertion失败的时间和行显示为*E。

模拟日志

ncsim> run
[0] push=0 full=1 pop=1 empty=1
ncsim: *E,ASRTST (./design.sv,13): (time 10 NS) Assertion tb.u0.a_pop has failed
[FAIL] pop when fifo empty !
[10] push=1 full=0 pop=1 empty=1
[PASS] push when fifo not full !
ncsim: *E,ASRTST (./design.sv,13): (time 30 NS) Assertion tb.u0.a_pop has failed
[FAIL] pop when fifo empty !
[30] push=1 full=1 pop=1 empty=0
ncsim: *E,ASRTST (./design.sv,5): (time 50 NS) Assertion tb.u0.a_push has failed
[FAIL] push when fifo full !
[PASS] pop when fifo not empty !
[50] push=1 full=0 pop=0 empty=1
[PASS] push when fifo not full !
[70] push=1 full=1 pop=0 empty=1
ncsim: *E,ASRTST (./design.sv,5): (time 90 NS) Assertion tb.u0.a_push has failed
Simulation complete via $finish(1) at time 100 NS + 0
./testbench.sv:25    #10 $finish;
ncsim> exit

Immediate Assertion in Testbench

假设创建了一个名为Packet的类并随机化。但是，此示例存在约束错误，随机化将失败。但是，失败将显示为警告消息，如果用户不够小心，测试可能会显示不正确的行为，甚至可能看起来通过。

class Packet;
  rand bit [7:0] addr;
  constraint c_addr {addr > 5; addr < 3;};
endclass

module tb;
  initial begin
    Packet m_pkt = new();
    m_pkt.randomize();
  end
endmodule

模拟日志

ncsim> run
  m_pkt.randomize();

ncsim: *W,SVRNDF (); The randomize method call failed. The unique id of the failed randomize call is 0.
Observed simulation time : O FS + 0
ncsim: *W,RNDOCS: These constraints contribute to the set of conflicting  constraints:

rand variables:
    addr [./testbench.sv, 2]

ncsim: *W,RNQUIE: Simulation is complete.

相反，可以在随机化方法调用上放置一个Immediate Assertion，以确保返回值始终为1，表示随机化成功。如果Assertion失败，它会提供用户首先查看失败，从而减少调试工作。

class Packet;
  rand bit [7:0] addr;
  constraint c_addr {addr > 5; addr < 3;}
endclass

module tb;
  initial begin
    Packet m_pkt = new();
    assert(m_pkt.randomize());
  end
endmodule

Simulator assigns a generated name for the assertion if the user has not specified one.

模拟日志

ncsim> run
  assert(m_pkt.randomize());

ncsim: *W,SVRNDF (./testbench.sv,11|25); The randomize method call failed. The unique id of the failed randomize call is 0.
Observed simulation time : O FS + 0
ncsim: *W,RNDOCS: These constraints contribute to the set of conflicting  constraints:

  constraint c_addr {addr > 5; addr < 3} (./testbench.sv,4)
ncsim: *W,RNDOCS:These varibles contribute to the set of conflicting constraints:

rand variables:
    addr [./testbench.sv, 2]

ncsim: **E,ASRTST (./testbench.sv,11): (time 0 FS) Assertion tb.unmblk1._assert_1  has failed
ncsim: *W,RNQUIE: Simulation is complete.
ncsim> exit

以类似的方式，可以与过程快中计算结果为true或false的任何表达式一起使用。assert