Enhanced verification by closely coupling a structural overapproximation algorithm and a structural satisfiability solver

A system for performing verification, said system comprising:

• means for creating and designating as a current abstraction a first abstraction of an initial design netlist containing a first target;
• means for unfolding said current abstraction by a selectable depth;
• means for verifying a composite target using a satisfiability solver;
• and
• means for, in response to determining that said verifying step has hit said composite target, determining whether said composite target is unreachable;
• means for, in response to determining whether said composite target is unreachable, increasing said selectable depth;
• means for, in response to determining that said verifying step has hit said composite target:
• examining a counterexample to identify one or more reasons for said first target to be asserted, wherein said counterexample is a sequence of assignments to inputs of said current abstraction in every cycle leading up to a fail event;
• building one or more refinement pairs by examining said counterexample;
• building a second abstraction of the initial design netlist by composing said refinement pairs, wherein said second abstraction is less overapproximate than the first abstraction;
• porting one or more learned clauses and one or more invariants encountered during verification of said current abstraction to said second abstraction to facilitate verification of said second abstraction by said satisfiability solver by reducing a number of cases said satisfiability solver examines during said verification of said second abstraction;
• choosing as said current abstraction said second abstraction;
• and
• verifying said current abstraction with said satisfiability solver.