Presentation
Advanced Automation Framework for Clock and Reset Management in SoC Designs – Bridging Design Intent, Verification, Test and Implementation
DescriptionAbstract
• Modern SOCs typically have dozens of clock domains, multi‑phase clock‑generation structures and dividers, complex reset-architecture and numerous exception constraints. This information must be handled consistently from RTL design to verification (DV) testbenches, DFT clock/reset architecture and finally to the timing constraints used for physical‑design implementation. Current practices rely on manual extraction of clocking, constraints and reset data from multiple documents, leading to long turnaround times, human error, and fragmented management of inconsistent data.
• This paper presents an advanced automation framework that is built on a Template Clock & Reset Management (CRM) document defined for a given family of devices. It generates timing constraints as well as the verification testcases from the CRM document, leveraging a lightweight parsing engine. The framework automatically generates UVM‑compatible DV testbench components (clock drivers, reset sequencers) and timing constraint files (source and generated clock definitions, case analysis, exceptions like multicycle path, false path, clock groups, etc.), ensuring strict traceability between design intent, verification, test and implementation. The automation framework also generates the DFT clock planner directly from the functional clock planner, which derives test frequency, test clock domains, shaping ICG creation and DFT overrides test structures ensuring error-free DFT RTL for higher quality, fewer iterations, and faster pre-silicon verification.
Motivation
• Increase productivity and reduce human error – By consolidating all clock, reset and exception related metadata (clock definitions, MCP entries, exception rules, reset ordering) into a single, version‑controlled document, the same data can be consumed automatically by scripts that generate DV test‑bench components, DFT clocking planner and PD constraint files. This eliminates repetitive iterations and ensures that any change is reflected everywhere instantly.
• Establish a single source of truth – A centrally maintained document provides traceability and auditability. Designers can track who modified a clock parameter, when it was changed, and what downstream artefacts were regenerated, supporting robust change‑impact analysis. It also enforces strict alignment between functional and DFT clock domain plans by streamlining DFT clocking to ensure DFT clocks follow related functional clocks. This in-turn helps in reducing any DFT timing overheads.
• Accelerate timing closure – Automated generation of SDC constraints, DFT case analysis and exception scripts shorten the PD flow, while automatically produced UVM‑compatible clock drivers and reset sequencers speed up verification. Early detection of mismatches between design intent and implementation reduces the risk of late‑stage bugs.
• Demonstrated maturity and extensibility – The tool has already evolved through multiple releases (e.g., addition of clock‑mode columns, MCP value fields, reset‑polarity handling, and auto‑generation flags), highlighting continuous improvement and real‑world applicability of template. Once the updates are made, all downstream collaterals can be updated using scripts which saves a huge chunk of effort across all domains, while maintaining high quality standards.
• Facilitate collaboration across domains – Because the document template is editable by both verification and physical‑design engineers, it encourages cross‑team communication and aligns expectations early in the design cycle.
• Create a foundation for future enhancements – With the data model in place, extensions such as power‑aware clock gating, dynamic frequency scaling, or integration with a broader "SOC timing data hub" can be added with minimal effort.
• Modern SOCs typically have dozens of clock domains, multi‑phase clock‑generation structures and dividers, complex reset-architecture and numerous exception constraints. This information must be handled consistently from RTL design to verification (DV) testbenches, DFT clock/reset architecture and finally to the timing constraints used for physical‑design implementation. Current practices rely on manual extraction of clocking, constraints and reset data from multiple documents, leading to long turnaround times, human error, and fragmented management of inconsistent data.
• This paper presents an advanced automation framework that is built on a Template Clock & Reset Management (CRM) document defined for a given family of devices. It generates timing constraints as well as the verification testcases from the CRM document, leveraging a lightweight parsing engine. The framework automatically generates UVM‑compatible DV testbench components (clock drivers, reset sequencers) and timing constraint files (source and generated clock definitions, case analysis, exceptions like multicycle path, false path, clock groups, etc.), ensuring strict traceability between design intent, verification, test and implementation. The automation framework also generates the DFT clock planner directly from the functional clock planner, which derives test frequency, test clock domains, shaping ICG creation and DFT overrides test structures ensuring error-free DFT RTL for higher quality, fewer iterations, and faster pre-silicon verification.
Motivation
• Increase productivity and reduce human error – By consolidating all clock, reset and exception related metadata (clock definitions, MCP entries, exception rules, reset ordering) into a single, version‑controlled document, the same data can be consumed automatically by scripts that generate DV test‑bench components, DFT clocking planner and PD constraint files. This eliminates repetitive iterations and ensures that any change is reflected everywhere instantly.
• Establish a single source of truth – A centrally maintained document provides traceability and auditability. Designers can track who modified a clock parameter, when it was changed, and what downstream artefacts were regenerated, supporting robust change‑impact analysis. It also enforces strict alignment between functional and DFT clock domain plans by streamlining DFT clocking to ensure DFT clocks follow related functional clocks. This in-turn helps in reducing any DFT timing overheads.
• Accelerate timing closure – Automated generation of SDC constraints, DFT case analysis and exception scripts shorten the PD flow, while automatically produced UVM‑compatible clock drivers and reset sequencers speed up verification. Early detection of mismatches between design intent and implementation reduces the risk of late‑stage bugs.
• Demonstrated maturity and extensibility – The tool has already evolved through multiple releases (e.g., addition of clock‑mode columns, MCP value fields, reset‑polarity handling, and auto‑generation flags), highlighting continuous improvement and real‑world applicability of template. Once the updates are made, all downstream collaterals can be updated using scripts which saves a huge chunk of effort across all domains, while maintaining high quality standards.
• Facilitate collaboration across domains – Because the document template is editable by both verification and physical‑design engineers, it encourages cross‑team communication and aligns expectations early in the design cycle.
• Create a foundation for future enhancements – With the data model in place, extensions such as power‑aware clock gating, dynamic frequency scaling, or integration with a broader "SOC timing data hub" can be added with minimal effort.
Event Type
Engineering Poster
TimeWednesday, July 293:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
LocationDAC Pavilion, Exhibit Floor