Method for verifying functional equivalence between a reference IC design and a modified version of the reference IC design

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including program instructions for checking functional equivalence between a reference integrated circuit (IC) design and a modified version of the reference IC design, the program instructions are executable by a processor to:

• simulate the reference IC design using a simulation stimulus on a test bench, wherein the reference IC design corresponds to an IC design model having visibility to comprehensive internal device state, which is visible at any node in the reference IC design;
• save a reference IC design simulation output;
• simulate the modified version of the reference IC design using a same simulation stimulus on a same test bench;
• save a simulation output of the modified version of the reference IC design;
• compare the modified version simulation output to the reference IC design simulation output to create a comparison result;
• determine whether the modified version of the reference IC design is functionally equivalent to the reference IC design based upon the comparison result.

A system comprising:

• a memory storing program instructions for checking functional equivalence between a reference integrated circuit (IC) design and a modified version of the reference IC design;
• a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, in response to executing the instructions is configured to:
• simulate the reference IC design using a simulation stimulus on a test bench, wherein the reference IC design corresponds to an IC design model having visibility to comprehensive internal device state, which is visible at any node in the reference IC design;
• save a reference IC design simulation output;
• simulate the modified version of the reference IC design using a same simulation stimulus on a same test bench;
• save a simulation output of the modified version of the reference IC design;
• compare the modified version simulation output to the reference IC design simulation output to create a comparison result;
• determine whether the modified version of the reference IC design is functionally equivalent to the reference IC design based upon the comparison result.

A method comprising:

• simulating, by a computer, a reference integrated circuit (IC) design using a simulation stimulus on a test bench, wherein the reference IC design corresponds to an IC design model having visibility to comprehensive internal device state, which is visible at any node in the reference IC design;
• saving a simulation output of the reference IC design;
• simulating, by a computer, one or more modified versions of the reference IC design using a same simulation stimulus on a same test bench;
• saving a simulation output of each of one or more modified versions of the reference IC design;
• comparing the simulation output of each modified version to the simulation output of the reference IC design to create a comparison result corresponding to each comparison;
• determining whether any of the modified versions of the reference IC design are functionally equivalent to the reference IC design based upon the comparison results.