Reference Model for Third-Party IC Component Debugging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Debugging proprietary components in integrated circuit designs is challenging due to lack of access to internal design details and the need for extensive verification cycles, making it impractical to reproduce errors in proprietary components.
Innovation Solution
Generating a reference model that includes the proprietary component and sufficient information about the rest of the design, allowing third-party vendors to debug errors without exposing the overall design, by capturing and replaying signal values during verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proprietary components are encrypted to protect design security, then design security is improved, but debugging capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the debugging process into two distinct phases: verification phase where the proprietary component remains encrypted and protected, and debugging phase where a reference model provides controlled access. This segmentation allows both design security and debugging capability to coexist by applying different security levels to different operational contexts.
Solution Approach 2:
A reference model acts as an intermediary between the verification environment and the proprietary component. The reference model contains unencrypted versions of the proprietary component and surrounding logic, enabling third-party vendors to debug errors without direct access to the actual encrypted proprietary component in the integrated circuit design.
2Measurement precision
If extensive verification cycles are performed to manifest errors, then error detection capability is improved, but time consumption deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reference model is prepared in advance with unencrypted proprietary components and surrounding logic. This preliminary preparation allows third-party vendors to perform debugging operations without needing to execute billions of verification cycles, significantly reducing the time required to manifest and debug errors while maintaining error detection capability.
3Ease of operation
If third-party vendors are given access to proprietary component internals for debugging, then debugging capability is improved, but design security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reference model provides localized access to unencrypted proprietary component internals only where necessary for debugging, while the actual integrated circuit design maintains full encryption and security protections. This local quality approach allows debugging capability to be improved in the reference model without compromising the security of the actual proprietary component.
4Device complexity
If proprietary components are licensed from third-party vendors, then design complexity is reduced, but debugging difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reference model serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap between licensed proprietary components and debugging requirements. It provides third-party vendors with the necessary debugging access while maintaining the benefits of licensing, thus reducing design complexity without increasing debugging difficulty.
Data Source
AI summary
The application is directed towards facilitating the debugging of suspected errors in a proprietary component when the proprietary component is incorporated into a larger electronic design. Various implementations provide for the generation of a reference model for an integrated circuit design, where the reference model includes the proprietary component and sufficient information about the rest of the design to allow for the debugging of the proprietary component over a period of verification where the error in the proprietary component is suspected.