Programmable logic device software testing

    

One 、    Application of programmable logic devices

（ This section is quoted from ：FPGA Market structure and domestic opportunities - You know ）

    explain ： Below FPGA（“ Field programmable logic array ”） It refers to all kinds of programmable logic devices , Also refers to PLD、CPLD And other programmable logic devices .

    Benefit from a different architecture ,FPGA The programmable properties of make it compare with other processors , Calculating power 、 cost 、 Better balance between power consumption .FPGA The advantages of ：

• High programmable flexibility ：FPGA It belongs to semi custom circuit , Theoretically , If FPGA The size of the gate circuit provided is large enough , Any... Can be realized by programming ASIC and DSP The logical function of .
• Short development cycle ：FPGA No wiring required 、 Masks and custom streamers , The chip development process is greatly simplified , Therefore, it is generally considered to be one of the fastest ways to build prototypes and develop designs . Conventional ASIC and SoC The average design cycle is 14 To 24 Months , use FPGA The development time can be reduced on average 55%.
• High efficiency of Parallel Computing ：FPGA Belongs to parallel computing , An algorithm that can execute multiple instructions at a time . Although the dominant frequency is generally low , But for some special tasks , A large number of relatively low-speed parallel units are more efficient than a small number of efficient units .

Of course ,FPGA There are also many constraints ：

• Cost , Achieve the same logical performance , FPGA The cost of is ASIC Chip cost 10 More than times ;
• Power consumption ,FPGA Area ratio of chip ASIC Bigger , Power consumption is also higher than ASIC;
• Programming , Special tools are required HDL compile , Re burn to FPGA in , The technical threshold is very high .

FPGA The market prospect is attractive , High technical barriers in the industry , present “ Two big and two small ” Market structure of , namely AMD（ Sarinx Xilinx）、 Intel PSG（Altera）、Lattice（ Lattice ）、Microchip （ Microchip technology ）. In this pattern ,FPGA The market share of enterprises is also highly concentrated , Sarinx 、 Intel two companies are right FPGA Technology and market occupy an absolute monopoly position . The two companies account for nearly 72% market share , Patents up to 6000 The rest , And this monopoly is still intensifying .

• AMD（ Sarinx Xilinx） yes FPGA、 A programmable SoC And ACAP The inventor of the , It provides the industry with the most flexible processor technology , Through flexible computing technology to achieve rapid innovation in the industry . Sarinx in AI The strategic layout of the times is Data center first , Accelerate the expansion of mainstream markets , Launch a new generation AI Chip architecture ACAP.ACAP It is the industry's first adaptive computing acceleration platform ,2018 year 10 Launched by Xilinx , Its full name is “Versal ACAP”, It is a heterogeneous computing platform that fully supports software programming , take Scalar engine 、 Adaptive engine and Intelligent engine Combination , Apply to AI infer 、 Machine vision 、 database 、 Application scenarios such as computing storage and network acceleration .

• Intel PSG（Altera）： Intel is buying Altera after , Set up a new business department — Programmable Solutions Division （PSG）. In addition to strengthening the existing FPGA Business , The programmable Solutions Division will also work closely with Intel data center division and Internet of things division , Launch the next generation of highly customized integrated products and solutions .
• Lattice （Lattice） It is a provider of comprehensive solutions for system design . Founded on 1983 Lattice semiconductor in , It can provide the widest range of field programmable gate arrays in the industry （FPGA）、 Programmable logic device （ PLD） And related software , Including field programmable system chip （FPSC）、 Complex PLD （ CPLD）, Programmable mixed signal products （ ispPAC） And programmable digital interconnect devices （ispGDX）. Lattice for global consumption 、 signal communication 、 Industry 、 Computing and automotive markets offer low power consumption FPGA、 video ASSP and IP product . Les Roches' revenue 70% The above comes from Asia , The Chinese market holds a very important weight .
• Meigaosenmei （Microsemi） yes Microchip Technology Inc. Wholly owned subsidiary of , yes US defense industry FPGA Top suppliers of devices , For communication 、 Defense and security 、 Aerospace and industrial markets offer a comprehensive portfolio of semiconductor and system solutions . Mercure SenMei has a long-standing reputation in the industry , Every year, it will appear in the U.S. defense budget list , It has outstanding and unique chip manufacturing technology in the field of high reliability applications , Contract for the U.S. aerospace market on its own FPGA electronic device , Military industry, Xilinx and Intel PSG competition .

Two 、EDA Tool Overview

      FPGA Verification, etc. must use EDA Software tools ,EDA The software is IC Designed to eat , It's hard to leave . The list of entities that Lao Mei did earlier , Yes HW One of the restrictions of enterprises is EDA Tools .

EDA Software tools are monopolized by the big three ：

• Synopsys New thinking technology ,Synopsys stay EDA The market share of the industry is about 30%, Its logic synthesis tool DC And timing analysis tools PT In the world EDA The market is almost unified .Synopsys The products and services provided are mainly divided into four categories :EDA、IP、 Manufacturing solutions 、 Professional services and others , among EDA Products account for Synopsys More than half of the total income .
• Cadence( Kengton electron ) yes EDA The company with the second largest sales in the industry .Cadence Of Virtuso Tools have become legendary in the industry .Cadence The main business is divided into five categories , They are verification 、 Digital design 、 simulation 、PCB、IP, The first three items are more important , The share of main business income is 75% about .
• Mentor Graphics( Mingdao International ,2016 It was acquired by Siemens in Germany ). Mentor stay EDA The reason why manufacturers always occupy a place is that their point tools are very good .

  
  Due to various factors , domestic EDA The industry has not achieved substantial success , But in the past ten years , Huada nine days 、 Core technology 、 Guangliwei 、 Boda micro and several other enterprises from domestic EDA The formation shows vitality . After the listing of Huada Jiutian , Get a big development .

3、 ... and 、FPGA software test

       FPGA In the early stage, it appeared as a compulsory content for hardware engineers , Generally, hardware engineers carry out verification by themselves after the design is completed . But as the scale and performance improve ,FPGA Software complexity has soared , Imitate the idea of software engineering , It has become a trend to carry out independent software testing .2017 year ,GB/T 33781-2017《 General requirements for software development of programmable logic devices 》、GB/T 33783-2017《 Programmable logic device software testing guide 》 、GB/T 33784-2017《 Programmable logic device software documentation specification 》 Formal release and Implementation . The main participants of the whole set of standards are 304 the 、710 the , With a deeper color of aerospace and military industry .

       GB/T 33783-2017《 Programmable logic device software testing guide 》 The defined software test types and test methods are as follows ：

Corresponding to the same GJB9433-2018 《 Requirements for software testing of military programmable logic devices  》.