Functional Coverage Plan - Mobile Processor

Functional coverage is a critical aspect of design verification for mobile processors, ensuring that you adequately test various functionalities of the processor. Step by Step process below.

1. Define Verification Goals:Clearly outline the goals and objectives of the design verification process.Specify which functionalities, features, and components of the mobile processor need to be verified.
2. Functional Specification:Refer to the processor's functional specification document to understand its intended behavior and features.Identify the major functional blocks and sub-components of the processor.
3. Coverage Metrics:Determine the specific metrics and criteria you will use to measure functional coverage. These metrics can include:Functionality (e.g., arithmetic logic unit, cache, memory controller)Instruction set architecture (ISA) coverageData path coverageRegister file operationsPipeline stagesInterrupt handlingPower management statesCo-processor interactions (e.g., for AI processing)Boundary conditions and exceptional cases
4. Coverage Groups:Organize coverage metrics into logical groups based on the processor's architecture and design.Create a hierarchy of coverage groups to make tracking and reporting more manageable.
5. Coverage Model Development:Develop a coverage model or plan that includes a list of coverage items, objectives, and goals for each coverage metric.Define what constitutes a "covered" state or scenario for each metric.
6. Coverage Implementation:Integrate the coverage model into your verification environment and testbench.Implement coverage monitors and collectors within your simulation or emulation environment to track the coverage metrics.
7. Test Plan Creation:Develop a comprehensive test plan that includes test cases designed to target specific coverage metrics.Ensure that your test cases cover both typical and edge cases.
8. Coverage Tracking:Continuously monitor and track coverage progress during the verification process.Generate coverage reports regularly to identify areas that need additional testing.
9. Coverage Closure:Work on achieving coverage closure, which means reaching the defined coverage goals.Analyze coverage gaps and create additional test cases as needed to fill those gaps.
10. Regression Testing:As you make updates to the design, ensure that you maintain coverage by running regression tests that include both existing and new test cases.
11. Documentation:Document your functional coverage plan, including coverage goals, metrics, and results.Maintain clear and up-to-date records of coverage progress for reporting and auditing purposes.
12. Review and Feedback:Periodically review the coverage plan with the design and verification teams to gather feedback and make necessary adjustments.
13. Iterative Process:Functional coverage is an iterative process. Continuously refine your coverage plan as you gain insights from verification runs.