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Cadence Design Systems > Case Studies > UPEK and Cadence: Enhancing Design Efficiency with Assertion-Based Verification Methodology
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UPEK and Cadence: Enhancing Design Efficiency with Assertion-Based Verification Methodology

Technology Category
  • Sensors - Flow Meters
  • Sensors - Liquid Detection Sensors
Applicable Industries
  • National Security & Defense
Applicable Functions
  • Product Research & Development
  • Quality Assurance
Use Cases
  • Virtual Reality
  • Visual Quality Detection
Services
  • Testing & Certification
The Challenge
UPEK, a California-based pioneer in biometric fingerprint technology, faced a significant challenge in its design and verification process. The company's design team was responsible for both design and verification elements of the flow, necessitating a high degree of flexibility to accommodate multiple interfaces across diverse computing systems. The primary business challenge was to provide customers with a faster time to market. To achieve this, UPEK needed to speed up the design cycle and incorporate an assertion-based verification methodology into its existing design and verification flow.
About The Customer
UPEK, Inc., based in California, is a pioneer in the field of biometric fingerprint technology. Since its inception in 1996, UPEK has been committed to making security simple and accessible. The company's solutions cater to a wide range of clients, from large federal agencies to individual personal computer users. In an era where mobile devices can easily access personal data, UPEK's innovative security solutions have become increasingly relevant and essential. The company's design team is responsible for both the design and verification elements of the flow, requiring a high degree of adaptability to integrate with multiple interfaces in diverse computing systems.
The Solution
To address these challenges, UPEK decided to incorporate an assertion-based verification methodology into its existing design and verification flow. The company utilized Cadence's Incisive Formal Verifier and Engineering Services to streamline the process. The Incisive Formal Verifier, combined with the Incisive Design Team Simulator, provided a complementary set of technologies that were effective at different points of the design and verification flow. Formal analysis was ideal for the early stages and complex-control logic, while simulation was applied for chip-level, end-to-end validation. The solution also included unified parsers, common language support, and an integrated debug environment to ensure ease-of-use.
Operational Impact
  • The implementation of the assertion-based verification methodology had immediate positive effects for UPEK. The design team was able to quickly adapt to the new methodology, largely due to the automation features provided by Cadence's solutions. This new verification environment allowed the team to achieve their overall design quality goals more quickly and work with greater confidence. The early success experienced by the UPEK design team through the addition of formal verification to its design process resulted in time savings and improved quality on the first design.
Quantitative Benefit
  • Sped up the design cycle by addressing key verification issues upfront in the design
  • Increased efficiency and quality of the existing flow

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