Emulation verification of the Motorola 68060

Abstract

Large-scale hardware logic emulation using software configurable hardware provides a new means to significantly improve verification of complex integrated circuits such as today's advanced microprocessors. The essence of hardware logic emulation is the provision of a hardware prototype of the circuit being designed. Such a hardware prototype can execute both pseudo-random verification vectors and software application programs up to six orders-of-magnitude faster than conventional software logic simulators. Trillions of verification vectors can be run on the emulation model for verification in only a few weeks compared to the prior best practice of running only billions of verification vectors in many months. Application of hardware logic emulation requires a sound design methodology with an HDL model (RTL or at least gate-level), an unlimited source of vectors or software applications intended to exercise the design in a target system.