Functional abstraction in switch-level simulation
Switch-level simulation has become an indispensable tool in the verification of large MOS circuits. In this dissertation, a new approach to switch-level simulation is proposed. The presented approach is based on the observation that most switch-level phenomena, such as bidirectional signal flow, charge sharing, and charge storage, occur infrequently in a design. The circuit is, therefore, analyzed with functional abstraction algorithms prior to the simulation. The functional abstraction algorithms analyse the circuit and abstract from it a high-level model of its operation. This abstracted model is then used as the basis for the simulation of the circuit. Since the operation of the overall circuit, rather than the full functionality of each individual circuit component is modeled during the simulation, the performance of the simulation is greatly increased. However, the full switch-level behavior is captured by the functional abstraction algorithms, and the accuracy of the simulation is maintained.
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign