Viper Microprocessor Research Articles

An integrated multicomponent synthesis environment for MCMs

The multicompact synthesis (MSS) integrated design environment for multichip modules (MCMs) is discussed. The MSS environment is centered in VHDL (very-high-speed integrated circuit hardware description language), WAVES (waveform and vector exchange specification), and PDL (performance description language). MSS provides four levels of automated synthesis support all the way from the behavioral level to MCM placement and routing, three levels of simulation support including behavioral, register, and switch levels, and tools for automated test-bench compilation and design validation for all synthesized designs. Three tutorial examples illustrate MSS algorithms and results. The primary example is the Find, which performs a bubble sort followed by binary search. It is used as the running example because it is small. Such small specifications, however, do not require MCMs. Two larger examples, the Move Machine and the Viper Microprocessor, are used to illustrate the results.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Selfchecking computer module based on the Viper microprocessor

A selfchecking computer module suitable for use in a variety of safety critical applications is described. The module is able to detect any errors generated in normal processing, and also to test itself comprehensively for latent faults. The basis of the module is an enhanced version of the Viper microprocessor, a formally proven device designed specifically for use in safety critical applications. To minimize component count, methods of incorporating the error detection and handling mechanisms into the Viper chips themselves are given. Also described are techniques for implementing the module as a multicard system. By defining a standard backplane and designing a general-purpose set of cards, selfchecking computers of various sizes can be configured without additional hardware design. The paper concludes by showing how two or more selfchecking modules can be connected in various fault tolerant configurations.

Application of formal methods to the VIPER microprocessor

Application of formal methods to the VIPER microprocessor

The Viper microprocessor

The design of the Viper microprocessor represents a major advance in the use of mathematics to formally verify the correctness of a logic design. Viper is likely to become an important element in many safety-critical computer systems, and will have an extensive influence on hardware technology