title: “FLASH_CTRL DV Plan”

Goals

  • DV
    • Verify all FLASH_CTRL IP features by running dynamic simulations with a SV/UVM based testbench
    • Develop and run all tests based on the testplan below towards closing code and functional coverage on the IP and all of its sub-modules
  • FPV
    • Verify TileLink device protocol compliance with an SVA based testbench

Current status

  • [Design & verification stage]({{< relref “hw” >}})
    • [HW development stages]({{< relref “doc/project/development_stages” >}})
  • Simulation results

Design features

For detailed information on FLASH_CTRL design features, please see the [FLASH_CTRL HWIP technical specification]({{< relref “hw/ip/flash_ctrl/doc” >}}). The design under test is a wrapper that instantiates the flash protocol controller, the flash phy controller and the TLUL SRAM adapter. This wrapper is currently maintained as a part of the DV testbench tentatively - its reorganization is under review.

Testbench architecture

FLASH_CTRL testbench has been constructed based on the [CIP testbench architecture]({{< relref “hw/dv/sv/cip_lib/doc” >}}).

Block diagram

Block diagram

Top level testbench

Top level testbench is located at hw/ip/flash_ctrl/dv/tb/tb.sv. It instantiates the FLASH_CTRL DUT module hw/ip/flash_ctrl/rtl/flash_ctrl.sv. In addition, it instantiates the following interfaces, connects them to the DUT and sets their handle into uvm_config_db:

  • [Clock and reset interface]({{< relref “hw/dv/sv/common_ifs” >}})
  • [TileLink host interface for the flash controller]({{< relref “hw/dv/sv/tl_agent/README.md” >}})
  • [TileLink host interface for the eflash]({{< relref “hw/dv/sv/tl_agent/README.md” >}})
  • Interrupts ([pins_if]({{< relref “hw/dv/sv/common_ifs” >}})
  • Alerts ([pins_if]({{< relref “hw/dv/sv/common_ifs” >}})

Common DV utility components

The following utilities provide generic helper tasks and functions to perform activities that are common across the project:

  • [dv_utils_pkg]({{< relref “hw/dv/sv/dv_utils/README.md” >}})
  • [csr_utils_pkg]({{< relref “hw/dv/sv/csr_utils/README.md” >}})

Global types & methods

All common types and methods defined at the package level can be found in flash_ctrl_env_pkg. Some of them in use are:

[list a few parameters, types & methods; no need to mention all]

TL_agent

FLASH_CTRL testbench instantiates (already handled in CIP base env) [tl_agent]({{< relref “hw/dv/sv/tl_agent/README.md” >}}) which provides the ability to drive and independently monitor random traffic via TL host interface into FLASH_CTRL device.

UVM RAL Model

The FLASH_CTRL RAL model is created with the [ralgen]({{< relref “hw/dv/tools/ralgen/README.md” >}}) FuseSoC generator script automatically when the simulation is at the build stage.

It can be created manually (separately) by running make in the the hw/ area.

Stimulus strategy

Test sequences

All test sequences reside in hw/ip/flash_ctrl/dv/env/seq_lib. The flash_ctrl_base_vseq virtual sequence is extended from cip_base_vseq and serves as a starting point. All test sequences are extended from flash_ctrl_base_vseq. It provides commonly used handles, variables, functions and tasks that the test sequences can simple use / call. Some of the most commonly used tasks / functions are as follows:

  • task 1:
  • task 2:

Functional coverage

To ensure high quality constrained random stimulus, it is necessary to develop a functional coverage model. The following covergroups have been developed to prove that the test intent has been adequately met:

  • cg1:
  • cg2:

Self-checking strategy

Scoreboard

The flash_ctrl_scoreboard is primarily used for end to end checking. It creates the following analysis ports to retrieve the data monitored by corresponding interface agents:

  • analysis port1:
  • analysis port2:

Assertions

  • TLUL assertions: The tb/flash_ctrl_bind.sv binds the tlul_assert [assertions]({{< relref “hw/ip/tlul/doc/TlulProtocolChecker.md” >}}) to the IP to ensure TileLink interface protocol compliance.
  • Unknown checks on DUT outputs: The RTL has assertions to ensure all outputs are initialized to known values after coming out of reset.
  • assert prop 1:
  • assert prop 2:

Building and running tests

We are using our in-house developed [regression tool]({{< relref “hw/dv/tools/README.md” >}}) for building and running our tests and regressions. Please take a look at the link for detailed information on the usage, capabilities, features and known issues. Here's how to run a basic sanity test:

$ cd hw/ip/flash_ctrl/dv
$ make TEST_NAME=flash_ctrl_sanity

Testplan

{{</* testplan “hw/ip/flash_ctrl/data/flash_ctrl_testplan.hjson” */>}}