An Integrated Digital System Design Framework with On-Chip Functional Verification and Performance Evaluation

Abstract

This paper introduces a design and on-chip verification framework for IPCores in FPGA platforms. The methodology of the proposed framework is based on the development of a high level software model, an HDL description of the IPCore and the verification of the system under test by the Autotest Core, an on-chip verification core developed for this framework. The test pattern generation is done at the high level in software and used throughout the design and verification process. HDL simulation results can then be compared to on-chip results and get performance measurements from the Autotest Core. The Off-line testing is possible by using standard low-cost Flash storage (SD card). The proposed framework and methodology applied to PRESENT and SPONGENT cryptographic algorithms has shown over two orders of magnitude better performance than commercial tools like Xilinx's VIO and a hardware footprint of the verification cored below 3% of the available FPGA resources.