Test vector generation and classification using FSM traversals

Design correctness has become a bottleneck in the modern digital system design cycle. In an effort to improve current ad hoc simulation processes, This work presents a method for the automated generation of simulation vectors using symbolic FSM traversal techniques. Generated vectors are classified into three categories, forward inter-frontier, reverse inter-frontier, and intra-frontier vectors; a classification based on a vector´s ability to generate forward-, reverse-, and inter-frontier transitions in an FSM´s state transition graph. Additionally, a state-element transition relation (S-ETR) is introduced. This technique involves the construction of a transition relation (TR) for each state holding element and defining a smaller, incomplete, over-approximation of the TR. Combining the information present in the S-ETRs coupled with simulation is used to perform image computations.