UVM-AMS Working Group Formed to Standardize UVM Analog/Mixed-Signal Extensions

Standard will focus on development of a comprehensive analog/mixed-signal verification approach by making UVM AMS aware

Elk Grove, Calif., November 19, 2019 -- Accellera Systems Initiative (Accellera), the electronics industry organization focused on the creation and adoption of electronic design automation (EDA) and intellectual property (IP) standards, announced today the formation of the Universal Verification Methodology Analog/Mixed-Signal Working Group (UVM-AMS WG). The charter of the new working group is to develop a standard that will provide a unified analog/mixed-signal verification methodology based on UVM to improve the verification of AMS integrated circuits and systems.

“The level of industry interest and commitment to develop a standard that addresses analog/mixed-signal extensions for UVM is significant,” stated Lu Dai, Chair of Accellera. “Since the formation of the proposed working group (PWG) earlier this year, participation has been very high and we are already receiving contributions. As an organization committed to improving design and verification productivity for users and vendors, we look forward to the continued efforts of the new working group.  We also encourage industry participation to help shape this new standard. If those interested are not currently members of Accellera, please join to have your voice heard.”

“Our objective is to standardize a method to drive and monitor analog/mixed-signal nets within UVM, including stimulus, scoreboarding, and analysis,” stated Patrick Lynch, UVM-AMS WG Chair. “We will also work to define a framework for the creation of analog/mixed-signal verification components by introducing extensions to digital-centric verification IP.  The members of this new working group are very committed to the creation of this standard, and I look forward to working with them on its development.”

The WG will initially focus its efforts to consolidate industry requirements of UVM-AMS and produce a whitepaper that will help define the scope of the standardization effort. The language reference manual, which defines the UVM-AMS standard, and a supporting reference implementation will follow.

The UVM-AMS WG envisions the availability of an industry agreed analog/mixed-signal verification methodology based on its planned UVM-AMS standard. This will encourage support by tool and IP providers, offering ready-to-use analog/mixed-signal verification IP that can be integrated easily into a UVM-AMS testbench. It will raise the productivity and quality of analog/mixed-signal verification across projects and applications, thanks to the reuse of proven verification components, and stimuli.

Background on the UVM-AMS Working Group
In accordance with Accellera procedures, the formation of the UVM-AMS WG is the follow-up of a PWG activity that has been open to industry input since the first meeting held in May 2019 in Munich, Germany.

There have been many discussions in recent years about the need to make UVM more analog/mixed-signal aware. Various industrial proposals have been presented at recent DVCon events addressing the need for AMS extensions for UVM to enrich and improve the verification of analog/mixed-signal products and applications.  Most of these proposals offer similar capabilities but often use a different implementation. The objective of the UVM-AMS WG is to unify and standardize the methodology to describe analog/mixed-signal tests, sequences, components and analysis functions.

The new UVM-AMS WG will be meeting using teleconferencing every two weeks, with the first meeting on December 3, 2019. To find out more about the working group, visit here. If you are not already an Accellera member and are interested in joining in order to participate in the working group, visit here. 

About Accellera Systems Initiative
Accellera Systems Initiative is an independent, not-for profit organization dedicated to create, support, promote and advance system-level design, modeling and verification standards for use by the worldwide electronics industry. The organization accelerates standards development and, as part of its ongoing partnership with the IEEE, its standards are contributed to the IEEE Standards Association for formal standardization and ongoing change control. For more information, please visit www.accellera.org. Find out more about membership here. Follow @accellera on Twitter or to comment, please use #accellera. Accellera Global Sponsors are: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.; Mentor, A Siemens Business; and Synopsys, Inc.

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