Analog Mixed Signal (AMS) Verification
Eliminating every imperfection in the hazy boundary between Analog and Digital. (Other than Quantization Noise.)
Analog domain is pure black magic while Digital is punishingly feature-complex. Our Mixed signal verification engineers come armed with technical understanding that starts from device physics to digital protocols, and languages and tools from Real number modeling to UVM-based methodologies, which helps them seamlessly scale the challenge of verifying the mystic bridge where Digital and Analog merge.
Do it right with Ignitarium
Ignitarium's MSV Flow
AMS Stages
Step 1
Verification Planning
- Understand the Design Specification sheet and behavior of circuits (SPICE+RTL)
- Understand system level use cases
- Identify testcases that need to be run on block level and full chip level
- Identify signoff criteria
Step 2
Modeling
- Create models from specification or block level SPICE simulations
- Support a wide array of modeling languages namely Verilog-A / Verilog-AMS / Wreal / SV-RNM
- Check model vs schematic giving same stimuli/testbench and make sure they both are behaving similarly
- Consider tradeoffs in modeling between accuracy and speed based on intent of simulation and optionally add the effects of jitter / noise
Step 3
Methodology
- Block level or full chip testcases
- AMS / CoSim methodology (SPICE+Models+RTL) (Digital + Analog Simulator). View flow diagram
- DMS methodology, (RTL+Models(Wreal / RNM)) (Digital simulator). View flow diagram
Step 4
Automation
- Automating PASS / FAIL , currents, voltages, and delays to be viewed in logs
- Automation done using
- Consider tradeoffs in modeling between accuracy and speed based on intent of simulation and optionally add the effects of jitter / noise
- Assertions
- Checkers / SV tasks / functions
- SPICE measure statements
- Through scripts like python / perl / bash
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Add coverage and randomization to cover all capabilities of digital in AMS verification
Case Studies
AMS VERIFICATION
Lithium Ion Battery Charger Mixed Signal Verification
Mixed Signal Verification using homegrown advanced AMS-verification framework for a Li-Ion battery charger ASIC.