How to partial port connect by using interface bundle?

Question

I'm trying to connect DUT's port list with interface by using bundling. The current problem is that the DUT was implemented with lots of ports. It's almost 1500 more.

I want to connect a partial bundle interface such as i2c interface, ahb interface, axi interface, etc., to DUT().

As you can see below, I made some example.

module myDesign ( 
 input clk,
 input data,
 input   i2c_clk,
 output  i2c_data,
 input     ahb_clk,
 output    ahb_data,
 input       axi_clk,
 output      axi_data
 ...
 //over 1500+ ports..
 ...
);
 ...
endmodule

//I made partial interface 
interface i2c_interface;
 logic i2c_clk;
 logic i2c_data;
endinterface

interface ahb_interface;
 logic ahb_clk;
 logic ahb_data;
endinterface

module tb;
...
i2c_interface i2c_if;
ahb_interface ahb_if;

// I want implement to interface bundle 
myDesign u_myDesign ( .*,?); //<=== How Can I connect partial interface by bundling in valid way?
endmodule

For your understanding, I also made an example at EDA playground: https://www.edaplayground.com/x/khdC

toolic · Accepted Answer · 2022-02-18T12:01:36.080

You can not simply connect an interface to the DUT port list because the port types must match between the module definition and the module instantiation. I think you are asking if something like this is possible:

myDesign u_myDesign ( i2c_if, ahb_ih );

That is illegal because the myDesign module does not have ports of type i2c_interface and ahb_interface.

If you have the option to modify the myDesign module, then you could add ports of that type inside the module:

module myDesign ( 
 input clk,
 input data,
 i2c_interface i2c_if,
 ahb_interface ahb_if,
 ...
);

If you can not change the DUT, then you must make individual connections, as you have shown in the EDA playground link:

  adder DUT (
    .a(i_i2c_intf.a),
    .b(i_i2c_intf.b),
    .c(i_i2c_intf.c),
    .a0(i_axi_intf.a0),
    .b0(i_axi_intf.b0),
    .c0(i_axi_intf.c0),

Refer to IEEE Std 1800-2017, section 25. Interfaces.

How to partial port connect by using interface bundle?

1 Answers1