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Design Languages >> Verilog-AMS >> Cross-domain access in VerilogAMS
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Message started by chakrabartis on Sep 23^rd, 2005, 12:03pm

Title: Cross-domain access in VerilogAMS
Post by chakrabartis on Sep 23^rd, 2005, 12:03pm

Hi,

I have a couple of questions related to cross-domain access in VerilogAMS and I am hoping that the experts on this forum can answer those:

1) Let's say I have a design in which digital nets, reg, and variables are being read inside an analog block.
1.a) analog begin
avar = dvar; //dvar is an integer/real variable owned by digital
1.b) analog begin
if (dnet == 1'b1) //dnet is a digital wire
1.c) analog begin
if (dreg == 1'b1) //dreg is a digital reg

Should the simulator switch control to analog in all of the above cases if the value of the corresponding digital object changes? When is the value read on-demand, and when does it require context switching?

2) Similarly, let's say I have a design in which analog nets and variables are being read inside an always block.
2.a) always begin
dvar = V(anet, gnd); //anet is an analog net
2.b) always begin
dvar = avar; //avar is an analog integer/real variable

Should the simulator switch control to digital in all of the above cases if the value of the corresponding analog object changes? When is the value read on-demand, and when does it require context switching?

I will really appreciate if you could please reply to the above questions.

Thanks and best regards,
Sid.

Title: Re: Cross-domain access in VerilogAMS
Post by jbdavid on Oct 4^th, 2005, 5:49pm

Hm, OK let me start with 1..
first there are a couple ways to get the interaction in the analog engine..
1. you can just ACCESS the value of logic signal..
this leaves the CONTROL of when the simulator puts a time step in completely up to the analog side.. - ie if you
don't have anything else in the analog side forcing a time step while the signal is high, you may never observe it high in the analog side..
to force a timestep in the analog solver based on the digital signal you need to use an event
this case might miss events on dreg

Code:

module MySimpleAMS (input logic dreg, output electrical out);
real vsig;
parameter real vhi = 1.2;
parameter real vlo = 0;
parameter real tr = 100p;
parameter real tf = 100p;
analog begin
V(out) <+ transition(vsig,0,tr,tf);
if (dnet == 1'b1) vsig = vhi;
else vsig = vlo;
end
endmodule

this one uses the digital event to trigger the analog event

Code:

module MySimpleAMS (input logic dreg, output electrical out);
real vsig;
parameter real vhi = 1.2;
parameter real vlo = 0;
parameter real tr = 100p;
parameter real tf = 100p;
analog begin
V(out) <+ transition(vsig,0,tr,tf);
@(initial_step) vsig = vlo; // assume 0 until first event
@(posedge dreg) vsig = vhi;
@(negedge dreg) vsig = vlo;
end
endmodule

Similarly if you just access the (analog) value in an always block on the digital side, the event controlling that block will determine when that value is updated..
so a block like
Code:

always @(dsig) begin
rvar = V(asig);
end

may not see the event you want..
where
Code:

always @(cross(V(asig)-vth),0)) begin
dreg = V(asig)>vth;
end

will always force the digital engine event when the signal crosses..
simple way to remember it.. "event" style interaction will PUSH the value from the other solver.. "ACCESS" style interaction will PULL the value from the other solver..
Hope this helps..
jbd