Method and system for generating a design-specific test case from a generalized set of bus transactions

• US 6,829,731 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2000
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Summers, Jeffrey Richard, Mitchell, Rhonda Gurganious, LaFauci, Peter Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Yolanda L
• Application Number:
  US09/638,757
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 714/47, 714/38, 714/33, 714/43, 714/44, 714/741, 702/122, 702/123, 717/115, 717/124
• US Class Current: 714/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3696 Methods or tools to render software testable

Abstract

A method and system for automating the creation of test cases for logic designs. A comprehensive set of bus transactions characterizing a bus architecture is provided to a test case designer in a user interface. The designer may enter inputs corresponding to a particular design-under-test (DUT) via the interface. The interface processes the inputs to automatically generate a configuration file corresponding to the particular DUT. The configuration file may be processed by a generator program to automatically generate a test case comprising one or more bus transactions customized to the particular DUT.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a comprehensive set of bus transactions characterizing a bus architecture;

creating a configuration file specific to a DUT from said comprehensive set;

generating parameterized bus transactions from said configuration file;

providing a user interface which presents a user with possible transaction types for said bus architecture;

entering inputs corresponding to a specific DUT via said interface; and

processing said inputs to generate said configuration file wherein said processing comprises rules corresponding to said inputs in said configuration file to select bus transactions specific to said DUT.

2. A computer-usable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed implement a process comprising:

applying selected parameters for verifying a DUT to a table including a set of transactions characterizing a bus architecture;

modifying entries in said table in accordance with said parameters;

generating a configuration file for verifying said DUT from said modified entries; and

generating rules from said modified entries for selecting bus transactions specific to said DUT.

3. A system comprising:

a memory including computer-executable instructions;

a processor coupled to said memory for executing said instructions; and

a table including transactions characterizing a bus architecture;

wherein said instructions support a user interface for entering inputs to generate a specific DUT configuration file from said table, said configuration file including parameters and rules for verifying said DUT and process entries in said table modified by said inputs to generate a syntax for said configuration file.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said instructions parse said syntax to generate a test case for verifying said DUT.

5. A method comprising:

providing a table having entries corresponding to a set of transactions of a bus architecture;

applying inputs corresponding to a specific DUT to said table;

modifying said entries using inputs;

generating a configuration file for verifying said DUT from said modified entries;

providing a user interface which presents a user with possible transaction types for said bus architecture;

entering inputs corresponding to a specific DUT via said interface; and

processing said inputs to generate said configuration file.