Maximizing Efficiency in Reference Model Based Verification of 2D Graphics Engine

This paper presents an approach to maximize efficiency in reference model based verification of a 2D Graphics Accelerator IP. Most of the Imaging IPs like 2D Graphics Accelerator, JPEG Encoder/Decoder, involve complex mathematical process on image data for which C Reference Models are readily available for Data checking. Verifying a 2D Graphics Engine primarily consists of configuring the rendering parameters, loading image data to the memory and starting the 2D Engine through setting appropriate command registers and finally comparing the output image data with the C Reference Model Output Data. In this paper, we describe and compare different ways of hooking up a C Reference Model in a Specman based verification environment. We also demonstrate the advantages of exploiting the VR AD Register package to configure the C Reference Model directly from the HVL based Testbench.