Abstract: A method and apparatus for a multi-project verification environment is provided. A project directory contains files describing commands, designs, tests, and configuration objects. A configuration object contains configuration information describing characteristics of the verification environment for a particular project. For example, the configuration information includes parameters and flags to input to simulation tools, as well as information for tests that are executed on the tools. The commands in the project directory are written in a generic way such that they are appropriate for many different projects. Execution of a command invokes a test script file that is parameterized by values in a configuration object corresponding to the project under test. An entire new verification environment can be generated by specifying a new configuration object, which can be based on a previous configuration object.

Abstract: In a high speed data bus system, each functional unit has an associated port which operates to accept all related information that makes up a communication, or if this cannot be done, to accept none of the information. More particularly, an information transfer, depending on its nature, may comprise one BIQ or more than one BIQ (a "BIQ" is a bus information quantum which is placed on the bus for one bus cycle). To implement the indivisibility of multiple-BIQ transfers, the control logic for each port includes screening circuitry responsive to the state of the port's input buffers, and further responsive to flags from the functional unit for selectively accepting or rejecting BIQ's, and further includes screening constraint circuitry to ensure that the port accepts all or none of the BIQ's that make up the transfer. Depending on the flag, the rejection may be total, or may apply only to a designated class of transfers (for example, operations).