Constraint validity checking

摘要

A method and apparatus for efficiently determining whether a set of constraints input to a verification tool are mutually contradictory or overconstraining. A set of constraints are mutually contradictory or overconstraining when they define values for system-model variables and/or inputs that are inconsistent with each other at a given state or group of states of a system-model state machine. It has been found that when a set of constraints assign inconsistent values at a given state or group of states of the system-model state space, the verification tool will treat the given state or group of states as a so-called non-returnable state. That is, the verification tool will not recognize any paths from the given state or group of states to a set of reset states. As a result, instead of having to analyze the values defined by every constraint input to the verification tool, it can be determined whether a set of constraints input to the verification tool are mutually contradictory or overconstraining by analyzing only the constraints enabled at the non-returnable states.