Multi-Tool Constraint Verification

Abstract

The entire verification of simple and complex constraints is crucial to the development of highly reliable microelectronic systems as they are demanded by the zero defect policy in the automobile industry. The increasing requirements on electronic components and the rapid technological progress necessitate the compliance with all specified functional and non-functional properties. This paper describes a constraint verification method based on a unified representation of constraints enabling multi-tool verification tasks. With the constraint engineering system (CES) we present a new verification method, which provides flexible, extensible, and multi-tool definitions of complex constraints. The CES does not replace existing verification and simulation tools. It rather offers a method to combine these tools. The CES is based on the approaches of constraint logic programming and is capable of processing verification tasks on a much higher level of abstraction than usually found in existing verification tools. First tests of practical applications prove the power, flexibility, practicability, and potential of our approach.