Skip to main content
Log in

Translating VHDL into functional symbolic finite-state models

  • Published:
Formal Methods in System Design Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper we present a method to translate VHDL into symbolic finite-state models. Our method can handle those aspects of VHDL which have a finite representation obtaining the semantics defined in the IEEE statndard. We describe an intermediate representation based on finite automata and its translation into a BDD-based reperesentation. Our model interfaces VHDL with a BDD-based functional symbolic model checker.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S.B. Akers, “Binary Decision Diagrams, Transactions on Computers,”IEEE, 6(C-27):509–516, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  2. J.R. Burch, E.M. Clarke, K.L. McMillan, D.L. Dill, and J. Hwang, “Symbolic Model Checking: 1020 States and Beyond,”Proceedings of the Fifth Annual IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science, 1990.

  3. J.R. Burch, E.M. Clarke, K.L. McMillan, and D.L. Dill, “Sequential Circuit Verification using Symbolic Model Checking,”ACM IEEE Design Automation Conference, 1990.

  4. D. Borrione, H. Eveking, and L. Pierre, “Formal proofs from HDL description,” Technical Report, 1993.

  5. P.T. Breuer, L. Sanches Fernandes, and C.D. Cloos, “Clean formal semantics for VHDL,”EDAC, 1994.

  6. D. Borrione, L. Pierre, and A. Salem, “PREVAIL: A proof environment for VHDL environments,”Proceedings of the Advanced Research Workshop on Correct Hardware Design Methodologies, 1991.

  7. K.S. Brace, R.L. Rudell, and R.E. Bryant, “Efficient implementation of a BDD package,”ACM/IEEE Proceedings 27th Design Automation Conference, Orlando, Florida, pp. 40–45, 1990.

  8. R.E. Bryant, “Graph Based Algorithms for Boolean Function Manipulation,”Transaction on Computers, C-35:677–691, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  9. E.M. Clarke, O. Grumberg, and D.E. Long, “Model checking and abstraction,”Proceedings of the 19th ACM Symposium on Principles of Programming Languages, pp. 343–354, 1992.

  10. D. Deharbe and D. Borrione, “Symbolic model checking of VHDL design entities,” Technical Report RR 9925-I-, Laboratoire ARTEMIS, Grenoble, 1993.

  11. D. Dams, G. Döhmen, R. Gerth, R. Herrmann, P. Kelb, and H. Pargmann, “Design of a VHDL/S model checker based on adaptive state and data abstraction,”CAV, 1994.

  12. D. Dams, O. Grumberg, and R. Gerth, “Generation of reduced models for checking fragments of CTL,” C. Courcoubetis, ed.,Computer Aided Verification, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 697, Springer Verlag, 1993, pp. 479–490.

  13. G. Döhmen, R. Herrmann, and H. Pargmann, “A Case Study for the Generation of a Symbolic Model from VHDL,” Technical Report, 1994.

  14. W. Damm, B. Josko, and R. Schlör, “Linking VHDL with formal verification tools: How to generate finite-state models out of VHDL designs,” ESPRIT Project No. 6128, OFFIS-1992-1, September 1992.

  15. W. Damm, B. Josko, and R. Schlör, “A net-based semantics for VHDL,”Eurodac, 1993.

  16. W. Damm, B. Josko, and R. Schlör, “Specification and Verification of VHDL-based System-Level Hardware Designs,”Specification and Validation Methods for Programming Languages and Systems, Oxford University Press, 1994.

  17. G. Döhmen, “Petri nets as intermediate representation between VHDL and symbolic transition systems,”EURO VHDL, 1994.

  18. W. Damm and R. Schlör, “Specification and verification of system-level hardware designs using timing diagrams,”EDAC-EUROASIC, 1993.

  19. T. Filkorn, “Functional Extension of Symbolic Model Checking,”CAV, Aalborg, 1991.

  20. T. Filkorn, “A Method for Symbolic Verification of Synchronous Circuits,”Proc. 10th Int. Symp. on Computer Hardware Description Languages and Their Applications, 1992.

  21. L.S. Fermandes and C.D. Kloos, “Functional Description of VHDL,”Segundo Congreso de Programacion Declarativa PRODE'93, Spain, 1993.

  22. E. Felt, G. York, R. Brayton, and A. Sangiovanni-Vincentelli, “Dynamic Variable Reordering for BDD Minimization,”Proceedings of EURO-DAC'93, 1993.

  23. R. Herrmann and H. Pargmann, “Computing binary decision diagrams for VHDL data types,”EURO VHDL, 1994.

  24. C.N. Ip and D.L. Dill, “Better verification through symmetry,” D. Agnew, L. Claesen, and R. Camposano, ed.,CHDL 93, pp. 87–100, 1993.

  25. IEEE, IEEE Standard 1076–1987,VHDL Reference Manual, 1987.

  26. B. Josko, “Modular Specification and Verification of Reactive Systems”,Habilitationsschrift, University of Oldenburg, 1993.

  27. R. Lipset, C. Schaefer, and C. Ussery,VHDL: Hardware Description and Design, Kluwer Academic Publisher, 1991.

  28. K.L. McMillan, “Symbolic Model Checking: An approach to the state explosion problem”, PhD thesis, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  29. J. Müller and H. Krämer, “Analysis of Multi-Process VHDL specification with a Petri net model”,Proceedings EURO-VHDL, 1993.

  30. S. Olcoz and J.M. Colon, “Petri net based analysis of VHDL programs”, Technical Report, TGI, Madrid 1991.

  31. S. Olcoz and J.M. Colon, “Towards a formal semantics of IEEE VHDL 1076,”Proceedings EURO-VHDL, 1993.

  32. H. Pargmann and R. Herrmann, “Efficient symbolic transition systems for VHDL”, Technical Report, 1994.

  33. R. Rudell, “Dynamic Variable Ordering for ordered Binary Decision Diagrams”,IEEE/ACM International Conference on CAD, pp. 42–47, 1993.

  34. G. Umbreit, “Providing a VHDL interface for proof systems”,EDAC, 1992.

  35. J.P. van Tassel, “The semantics of VHDL with VAL and HOL: Towards Practical Verification Tools”, M.Sc. Thesis, Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, Wright University, 1989.

  36. J.P. van Tassel, “A formalisation of the VHDL simulation cycle”, Technical Report 249, University of Cambridge, Computer Laboratory, 1992.

  37. J.P. van Tassel, “Femto-VHDL: The Semantics of a subset of VHDL and its Embedding in the HOL Theorem Prover”, PhD thesis, University of Cambridge, 1993.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

The work of these authors is supported by ESPRIT project 6128 FORMAT.

The work of this author is supported by the “Volkswagenstiftung” project “Informatiksysteme.”

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Döhmen, G., Herrmann, R. & Pargmann, H. Translating VHDL into functional symbolic finite-state models. Form Method Syst Des 7, 125–148 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01383876

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01383876

Keywords

Navigation