A Practical Introduction to PSL

This book describes the Property Specification Language PSL, recently standardized as IEEE Standard 1850-2005. PSL was developed to fulfill the following requirements: easy to learn, write, and read; concise syntax; rigorously well-defined formal semantics; expressive power, permitting the specification for a large class of real world design properties; known efficient underlying algorithms in simulation, as well as formal verification. Basic features are covered, as well as advanced topics such as the use of PSL in multiply-clocked designs. A full chapter is devoted to common errors, gathered through the authors' many years of experience in using and teaching the language.

A Practical Introduction to PSL describes the Property Specification Language PSL, recently standardized as IEEE Std 1850-2005. PSL provides a way to express properties of a design. Both authors, Cindy Eisner (IBM Haifa Research Laboratory, Haifa University Campus, Haifa, Israel) and Dana Fisman (The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel) were involved with the creation of the standard.

A Practical Introduction to PSL includes extensive examples illustrated with timing diagrams. While mostly oriented to users of PSL for simulation, a section on the use of PSL in formal verification is included. All of the basic language constructs are covered, as well as advanced topics such as the use of PSL in multiply-clocked designs. The chapter on common errors, based on the authors many years of experience in using and teaching the language, will be helpful to both beginners and more experienced users.

A Practical Introduction to PSL is primarily targeted to hardware designers and verification engineers who plan to use PSL. This book is also of interest to students of temporal logic. The formal semantics of PSL are included as an appendix, and bibliographical notes include pointers to some of the main theoretical works.

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From the Foreword:

"Cindy Eisner and Dana Fisman were the two key people who turned IBM Sugar into PSL. Their deep understanding of PSL s formal semantics was instrumental in both the Accellera and IEEE PSL standardization efforts. Cindy and Dana have now created the most authoritative source for information about PSL, designed to introduce the language incrementally in an easily understood fashion. A Practical Introduction to PSL provides a solid foundation for getting started with PSL today."

- Harry Foster - Erich Marschner

Mentor Graphics Corporation Cadence Design Systems