Richard Ho, Principal Engineer, 0-In Functional Verification Business Unit, Mentor Graphics Corporation

Assertions and functional coverage are really two sides of the same coin. Both provide detailed observation points within a register-transfer level design. Assertions provide functional checking of correctness and functional coverage points provide measurement of design activity. Both represent specifications of design intent that must be verified in simulation or using formal verification.This paper describes several methods of maximizing the synergies that exist between assertions and coverage points to achieve the highest possible functional verification efficacy when using a simulation-based coverage-driven verification methodology. Detailed examples using a network processor design are given.