EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of display chip

Abstract

The invention relates to EDA (Electronic Design Automation) auxiliary software for simulation verification of a display chip, which comprises a data generation module for generating a simulation excitation data file which can be identified by EDA software; according to an input source image file or a source video file, extracting pixel data information in the file, and generating a text data format which can be identified by EDA software; and the data processing module is used for receiving the simulation result file output by the EDA software, carrying out file data format analysis on the simulation result file, and sequentially carrying out establishment of a lookup table of data elements and image elements, image generation, image comparison, image display and detail query. By adopting the software, the design problems of display chips such as LCOS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon), LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and the like can be quickly and effectively found, and the risk is reduced, so that the development time is shortened.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of chip verification, and in particular to EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of display chips. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous advancement of display technology, display chips such as LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) and LCD (liquid crystal display) have become indispensable core components in modern electronic devices. These display chips are highly complex in design and have extremely stringent performance and quality requirements. During the chip design process, EDA (electronic design automation) verification has become a crucial tool for ensuring design correctness and optimizing performance. However, existing EDA software is targeted at general-purpose products. For most chips, especially those with simple input and output, verification using built-in simulation software is relatively effective. Errors can be detected simply by manually reviewing the simulation waveforms or current and voltage data output by the EDA. However, for complex chips such as LCOS display chips, a single frame of simulation results can contain several gigabytes of data, and with so many possible combinations of results, manual inspection is nearly impossible to identify problems within the simulation data, making it easy to miss issues.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide an EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of display chips to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings and defects of the existing technology and provide an EDA-assisted simulation verification software for display chips, which can quickly and effectively discover design problems of display chips such as LCOS and LCD, reduce risks, and thus shorten development time.

[0005] The object of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0006] A display chip simulation verification EDA auxiliary software, characterized by comprising:

[0007] The data generation module generates a simulation stimulus data file that can be recognized by the EDA software; according to the input source image file or source video file, the pixel data information in the file is extracted to generate a text data format that can be recognized by the EDA software;

[0008] The data processing module receives the simulation result file output by the EDA software, parses the file data format of the simulation result file, and sequentially establishes a lookup table of data elements and image elements, generates images, compares images, displays images, and performs detail queries.

[0009] Optionally, when the data generation module receives the input source image file or source video file, the following steps are performed:

[0010] Step S1: Read the source image file or source video file and perform pixel analysis on it to obtain the red, green and blue grayscale values ​​of each pixel in the input file;

[0011] Step S2: classify the pixel data according to color, and the classified pixel data enters the color channel separation data module;

[0012] Step S3: converting the image data output from the color channel separation data module into an image text file, wherein the image data is converted into the image text file in sequence according to the format order, and the image text file specifically includes: first frame red frame data, first frame green frame data, first frame blue frame data, second frame red frame data, second frame green frame data, second frame blue frame data, etc.;

[0013] Step S4: The EDA software reads the image text file, generates and outputs a simulation result file.

[0014] Optionally, when the data processing module receives the simulation result file output by the EDA software, the following steps are performed:

[0015] Step S5: parsing the simulation result file, and converting the simulation result file into a parsed file;

[0016] Step S6: establishing a lookup table, which can easily and quickly access the data of a certain pixel in a certain frame. The establishment of the lookup table facilitates the accurate positioning and search of data;

[0017] Step S7: parsing the file for conversion, parsing the file into data on pixel voltages, and converting the pixel voltages into grayscale values;

[0018] Step S8: generating an image file, writing the grayscale value converted from each pixel voltage data into an output image file in accordance with the format of the image file;

[0019] Step S9: Image comparison: the generated output image file is compared with the source image file one by one, and a grayscale value error threshold is set; if the error is greater than the error threshold, an error message is displayed, and the error line and column number information are written to the corresponding error text file; if the error is less than the error threshold, a Pass is displayed;

[0020] Step S10: Detail query, input the row and column number or grayscale value of the pixel position, click query, the software will query through the lookup table established in step S6, and display the queried data.

[0021] Optionally, in step S7, the pixel voltage is converted into a grayscale value, and the grayscale value is converted into an analog voltage value through gamma correction, wherein the conversion of the pixel voltage into a grayscale value is an inverse transformation of the grayscale value into a voltage, wherein the grayscale value is an integer value, and the conversion process adopts rounding.

[0022] Optionally, in step S9, an error threshold is set before image comparison, and the error threshold is set to ErrMax=2.

[0023] Optionally, the input condition for the detail query in step S10 is one condition or a logical combination of multiple conditions among pixel position (row number, column number), grayscale value deviation range, grayscale value range, etc.

[0024] Optionally, the data displayed in the query in step S10 includes the row and column numbers of the pixel position, the pixel voltage value, the grayscale value, the simulation time and the row number of the pixel information in the simulation result file.

[0025] Optionally, step S3 includes:

[0026] Step S31: Open the input image file and create a text file A;

[0027] Step S32: Set the row number to i and the column number to j, and read the grayscale value of the corresponding pixel (i, j);

[0028] Step S33: Write the red grayscale value of the pixel (i, j) into the text file A, write the green grayscale value of the pixel (i, j) into the cache matrix variable G(i, j), and write the blue grayscale value of the pixel (i, j) into the cache matrix variable B(i, j);

[0029] Step S34: repeating steps S32 and S33 until the pixel grayscale values ​​of all image files are read;

[0030] Step S35: Write the data of the green cache matrix variable G into the text file A in sequence, and write the data of the blue cache matrix variable B into the text file A in sequence, completing the conversion of the pixel grayscale value into the text file.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0032] In the present invention, a simulation stimulus data file that can be recognized by EDA software is generated by a data generation module, and then a simulation result file output by the EDA software is received by a data processing module, and the file data format is parsed. After parsing, a lookup table is established to perform image generation, image comparison, image display and detail query. This can quickly and effectively discover design problems of display chips such as LCOS and LCD, reduce risks, and thus shorten development time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 This is a functional module diagram of the simulation auxiliary software of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 3 The flowchart of the present invention is to convert an image file into a text file.

[0036] Figure 4 This is a flow chart of converting pixel voltage into grayscale value in the present invention.

[0037] Figure 5 Flowchart of image comparison in the present invention.

[0038] Figure 6 This is a flowchart for detail query in the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the embodiments and drawings, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0040] The technical solution of the present invention provides EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of display chips.

[0041] Reference Figures 1 to 6 , in this embodiment, including:

[0042] The data generation module generates simulation stimulus data files that can be recognized by EDA software; based on the input source image file or source video file, it extracts the pixel data information in the file and generates a text data format that can be recognized by EDA software;

[0043] The data processing module receives the simulation result file output by the EDA software, parses the simulation result file into file data format, and sequentially establishes a lookup table of data elements and image elements, generates images, compares images, displays images, and performs detail query.

[0044] Optionally, in this embodiment, the simulation verification EDA auxiliary software of the display chip includes a data generation module and a data processing module, wherein the data generation module is used to process the input source image file or source video file, read the source image file or source video file according to the various input source image files or source video files, traverse each pixel of the image or each pixel of each frame of the video, and extract the corresponding grayscale value, and write the extracted pixel data information into a text file in a format that is easy for TestBench to understand. That is, the pixel values ​​are arranged in a certain structure (such as row priority or column priority) to generate a simulation excitation data file that can be recognized by the EDA software, that is, a text data format; after the simulation excitation data file is processed by the EDA software, the EDA software outputs a simulation result file, and the data processing module is used to receive the simulation result file and parse the file data format, convert the simulation result file into a way that can be understood, first establish a lookup table of data elements and image elements, and the establishment of the lookup table is to facilitate subsequent faster access to the data of a certain pixel of a certain frame, so as to facilitate query; the image generation is to write the file parsed by the simulation result file into the output image file according to the format of the image file, and then pass The generated output image file is compared with the source image file, and the comparison result is displayed as an image to detect whether the chip has defects or other problems. The detailed query enters specific query conditions, searches in the lookup table, and displays the query results. It is convenient and fast to find the corresponding data from the source file and display it, so as to quickly and accurately find problems. The conventional detection method in the existing technology is to manually check the simulation waveform or current and voltage data output by EDA for errors, which is easy to miss problems. Through the setting of the above module, design problems of display chips such as LCOS and LCD can be quickly and effectively discovered, reducing risks and thus shortening development time.

[0045] In this embodiment, when the data generation module receives the input source image file or source video file, the following steps are performed:

[0046] Step S1: Read the source image file or source video file, perform pixel analysis on it, and obtain the red, green, and blue grayscale values ​​of each pixel in the input file;

[0047] Step S2: classify the pixel data according to color, and enter the classified pixel data into the color channel separation data module; that is, enter the pixel data into the color channel separation data module according to red, green, and blue to realize the color classification of the pixel data;

[0048] Step S3: Convert the image data output from the color channel separation data module into an image text file. The image data is converted into image text files in sequence according to the format order. The image text files specifically include the first frame red frame data, the first frame green frame data, the first frame blue frame data, the second frame red frame data, the second frame green frame data, the second frame blue frame data, etc.

[0049] Reference Figure 3 It should be noted that step S3 includes:

[0050] Step S31: Open the input image file and create a text file A;

[0051] Step S32: Set the row number to i and the column number to j, and read the corresponding pixel grayscale value (i, j); that is, read the pixel grayscale value of row i and column j, where the maximum value of i and j needs to be determined based on pixel analysis.

[0052] Step S33: Write the red grayscale value of the pixel (i, j) into the text file A, write the green grayscale value of the pixel (i, j) into the cache matrix variable G(i, j), and write the blue grayscale value of the pixel (i, j) into the cache matrix variable B(i, j);

[0053] It should be noted that caching matrix variables refers to storing matrix data or its calculation results in a high-speed storage medium (such as a CPU cache or a specific area in RAM) so that they can be quickly retrieved during subsequent calculations or data access. When processing large data sets and matrix operations, caching matrix variables can reduce repeated calculations, improve data access speed, and optimize memory usage. This step avoids repeated calculations by writing the green grayscale value (i, j) to the cache matrix variable G(i, j) and the blue grayscale value (i, j) to the cache variable B(i, j).

[0054] Step S34: Repeat steps S32 and S33 until all the grayscale values ​​of the image files are read. By repeating the steps, all the grayscale values ​​of the pixels are read.

[0055] Step S35: Write the data of green cache matrix variable G into text file A in sequence, and write the data of blue cache matrix variable B into text file A in sequence, completing the conversion of pixel grayscale values ​​into text file. Write all the data of blue cache matrix variable B into A in sequence, and write the data of G into text, which reduces the repeated operation of data and saves memory usage. Figure 3 When the row number i is less than the maximum row number ROW-MAX and the column number is less than the maximum column number COL-MAX, the above steps S32 and S33 are repeated until the row number i and the column number j both reach the maximum value, then the process is stopped and the text file A is output.

[0056] It should be noted that the specific arrangement order of the image text file is based on the order of red, green, and blue grayscale values ​​obtained by pixel analysis, and the number of frames is not limited to two frames, and is specifically set according to the detection results.

[0057] Step S4: The EDA software reads the image text file, generates and outputs a simulation result file.

[0058] Through steps S1-S4, the source image file or source video file is pixel-parsed, and the red, green, and blue grayscale values ​​of each pixel are divided into the color channel separation data module according to color, thereby realizing the conversion of image data into an image text file, so that the source image file is converted into an image text file that can be read by EDA software.

[0059] In this embodiment, when the data processing module receives the simulation result file output by the EDA software, the following steps are performed:

[0060] Step S5: Parse the simulation result file and convert it into a parsed file; that is, the EDA simulation result file has a specific format and needs to be parsed specifically to convert it into a format that can be understood.

[0061] Step S6: establishing a lookup table, which can easily and quickly access the data of a certain pixel in a certain frame. The establishment of the lookup table facilitates the accurate positioning and search of data;

[0062] Step S7: parsing the file for conversion, parsing the file into data on pixel voltages, and converting the pixel voltages into grayscale values;

[0063] In this step, a specific file is obtained by parsing the EDA simulation result file. The specific file contains data such as the voltage in the circuit. After the parsing is completed, the relevant pixel voltage is extracted from the specific file. By screening and sorting the simulation data, the voltage value corresponding to each pixel point is obtained. The process of converting the pixel voltage into a grayscale value is actually mapping the physical quantity of voltage to a pixel value of the grayscale image. Further, in step S7, the pixel voltage is converted into a grayscale value, and the grayscale value is converted into an analog voltage value through gamma correction. Figure 4, assuming that the implemented function is volt=f(gray), the corresponding lookup table is GammaTable

[256] ; the element GammaTable[i] stores the voltage value corresponding to the grayscale value i. A GammaTable containing 256 elements is pre-calculated, where each element GammaTable[i] represents the output value after gamma correction of the input pixel value i. Then, during the image processing process, we can directly use the lookup table to quickly obtain the gamma-corrected value of each pixel, instead of performing complex power operations on each pixel. The grayscale value is an integer value, and the conversion process uses rounding, which means that the grayscale value accuracy will be partially lost during the conversion process.

[0064] Step S8: Image file generation, where the grayscale value converted from each pixel voltage data is written into the output image file in accordance with the image file format;

[0065] Step S9: Image comparison, compare the generated output image file with the source image file one by one, set the gray value error threshold, when the error is greater than the error threshold, prompt an error, and write the error line number and column number information into the corresponding error text file; if the error is less than the error threshold, display Pass; further, the error threshold is set to ErrMax = 2, refer to Figure 5 , open the source image file A and the output image file B, get the source image pixel, the red gray value is A_R(row, col), the green gray value is A_G(row, col), and the blue gray value is A_B(row, col); get the output image pixel, the red gray value is B_R(row, col), the green gray value is B_G(row, col), and the blue gray value is B_B(row, col), then the formula for calculating the red pixel deviation is ErrMaxR(row, col)=B_R(row, col)-A_R(row, col) w, col), the green pixel deviation formula is ErrMaxG(row, col)=B_G(row, col)-A_G(row, col), and the blue pixel deviation formula is ErrMaxB(row, col)=B_B(row, col)-A_B(row, col). When any color deviation value is greater than ErrMax, that is, when the deviation is greater than 2, the pixel position, pixel value and other information are written into the record file to facilitate subsequent recording and query by subsequent personnel, and error processing is performed; if any color deviation is less than 2, the test is prompted to pass.

[0066] Step S10: Detail query, input the row and column number or gray value of the pixel position, click query, the software will query through the query table established in step S6, and display the query data; Figure 6, that is, input query conditions, read pixel information one by one from the generated file, and if the query conditions are met, traverse all pixels and save the relevant information of pixels that meet the query conditions, and display or print all information that meets the query conditions. Furthermore, the input query conditions are one condition or a logical combination of multiple conditions such as pixel position (row number, column number), grayscale value deviation range, grayscale value range, etc.; and the data displayed by the query includes pixel row and column number, pixel voltage value, grayscale value, simulation time, and the row number of the pixel information in the simulation result file.

Claims

1. A simulation verification EDA auxiliary software for display chips, characterized in that: include: Data generation module, generating simulation stimulus data files that can be recognized by EDA software; Extract pixel data information from an input source image file or source video file to generate a text data format that can be recognized by the EDA software; The data processing module receives the simulation result file output by the EDA software, parses the file data format of the simulation result file, and sequentially establishes a lookup table of data elements and image elements, generates images, compares images, displays images, and performs detail query.

2. The EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of a display chip according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the data generation module receives the input source image file or source video file, the following steps are performed: Step S1: read the source image file or source video file, and perform pixel analysis on it to obtain the red, green and blue grayscale values ​​of each pixel of the input file; Step S2: classify the pixel data according to color, and the classified pixel data enters the color channel separation data module; Step S3: converting the image data outputted from the color channel separation data module into an image text file, the image data being converted into the image text files in sequence according to the format order, the image text files specifically being: the first frame red frame data, the first frame green frame data, the first frame blue frame data, the second frame red frame data, the second frame green frame data, the second frame blue frame data, etc.; Step S4: The EDA software reads the image text file, generates and outputs a simulation result file.

3. The EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of a display chip according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the data processing module receives the simulation result file output by the EDA software, it performs the following steps: Step S5: parsing the simulation result file, and converting the simulation result file into a parsing file; Step S6: establishing a lookup table, which can conveniently and quickly access the data of a certain pixel in a certain frame. The establishment of the lookup table facilitates accurate positioning and search of data; Step S7: parsing file conversion, the parsed file is data about pixel voltage, and the pixel voltage is converted into a grayscale value; Step S8: generating an image file, writing the grayscale value converted from each pixel voltage data into an output image file in accordance with the format of the image file; Step S9: image comparison, comparing the generated output image file with the source image file one by one, setting a gray value error threshold; when the error is greater than the error threshold, an error message is given, and the row and column number information of the error is written into the corresponding error text file; If the error is less than the error threshold, Pass is displayed; Step S10: Detail query, input the row and column number or gray value of the pixel position, click query, the software will query through the lookup table established in step S6, and display the queried data.

4. The EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of a display chip according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step S7, the pixel voltage is converted into a grayscale value, and the grayscale value is converted into an analog voltage value through gamma correction, wherein the conversion of the pixel voltage into a grayscale value is an inverse transformation of the grayscale value into a voltage, wherein the grayscale value is an integer value, and rounding is used in the conversion process.

5. The EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of a display chip according to claim 3, characterized in that: In the step S9, an error threshold is set before image comparison, and the error threshold is set to ErrMax=2.

6. The EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of a display chip according to claim 3, characterized in that: The input condition for the detail query in step S10 is one condition or a logical combination of multiple conditions among pixel position (row number, column number), gray value deviation range, gray value range, etc.

7. The EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of a display chip according to claim 3, characterized in that: The data displayed in the query in step S10 includes the row and column numbers of the pixel position, the pixel voltage value, the gray value, the simulation time and the row number of the pixel information in the simulation result file.

8. The EDA auxiliary software for simulation verification of a display chip according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step S3 comprises: Step S31: open the input image file and create a text file A; Step S32: Set the row number to i, the column number to j, and read the corresponding pixel grayscale value of (i, j); Step S33: write the red grayscale value of the pixel (i, j) into the text file A, write the green grayscale value of the pixel (i, j) into the cache matrix variable G(i, j), and write the blue grayscale value of the pixel (i, j) into the cache matrix variable B(i, j); Step S34: repeating steps S32 and S33 until the pixel grayscale values ​​of all image files are read; Step S35: Write the data of the green cache matrix variable G into the text file A in sequence, and write the data of the blue cache matrix variable B into the text file A in sequence, so as to complete the conversion of the pixel gray value into the text file.

Images