AXI in one picture

Name the five channels of an AXI interface, say which side drives each one, and explain why a write and a read can be in flight at the same time.

Lesson
P2.1
Time
30 min
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5 questions

A bridge from a simple peripheral bus to AXI was written by someone who pictured AXI as a bus. Send the address, send the data, wait for the answer, then start the next transfer. It worked, but it used a third of the bandwidth the interconnect could carry, because the bridge waited for every write response before issuing the next read address. AXI is not one bus with a turn-taking rule: it is five independent channels, and the picture below is the one to keep.

A write and a read in flight at the same timeFive channels between one manager and one memory. Each channel is a valid/ready handshake of its own.
AWWBARRManagerissues transactionsMemorysubordinate

A lit wire carries a 1 on its VALID. A pill is a transfer in that cycle.

0123456789clkawvalidawreadywvalidwreadywdatax1122334455667788xbvalidbreadyarvalidarreadyrvalidrreadyrdataxc3c2c1c0c7c6c5c4
  1. Cycle 1

    Reset is active until after edge 1: every VALID is low, and the memory keeps its READYs low too.

  2. Cycle 2

    Reset is over. After this edge the memory raises every READY: it can take a request on any channel.

  3. Cycle 3

    The write address moves on AW: address 0x1000, two beats of four bytes, id 1.

  4. Cycle 4

    Two channels in one cycle: the first write beat on W, and a read address on AR. Nothing waited for anything.

  5. Cycle 5

    The second write beat, flagged as the last one. The write data is complete; the response is still to come.

  6. Cycle 7

    The first read beat arrives on R before the write has been answered. Reads and writes are independent.

  7. Cycle 8

    The write response on B and the last read beat on R, in the same cycle. One write, one read, five channels, seven cycles.

Measured on the bench of this lesson. Five handshakes, two transactions, no channel waiting on another.

Five channels, two kinds of transaction

An AXI interface is a bundle of five channels. Each channel is one valid/ready handshake with its own payload, exactly the handshake of P1.3. Its VALID and READY are named after the channel: AWVALID and AWREADY on the write address channel, and so on. A channel carries transfers in one direction only.

ChannelPrefixDirectionCarries
Write addressAWmanager to subordinateaddress, burst length, size and type, ID, protection and cache attributes, lock
Write dataWmanager to subordinateone data beat with its byte strobes, and WLAST on the final beat
Write responseBsubordinate to managerone response per write transaction: OKAY, EXOKAY, SLVERR or DECERR, with the ID
Read addressARmanager to subordinatethe same fields as AW
Read dataRsubordinate to managerone data beat with its response, the ID, and RLAST on the final beat

A write transaction uses AW, W and B. A read transaction uses AR and R. No channel is shared between the two.

A transaction is a whole burst: one address, one or more data beats, and (for a write) one response. A transfer is one handshake on one channel. The write above is one transaction and four transfers: one on AW, two on W, one on B.

Because the channels are independent, a manager may issue a read address while a write is still waiting for its response. It may also issue a second write address before the first write's data has finished. The only ties between channels are the ones the next lessons spell out. Write data belongs to a write address, a response follows its data, and responses with the same ID come back in order.

Who is who

The manager issues transactions: a processor, a DMA engine, a bridge. The subordinate answers them: a memory controller, a register block, a bridge in the other direction. An interconnect sits between them, decodes the address of every request, routes it to one subordinate and routes the response back. Older documents and older code call the two ends master and slave; the signals are the same, only the words changed.

A subordinate never starts anything. It raises BVALID only because a write arrived and RVALID only because a read arrived. A manager never answers anything. That split keeps the five channels easy to reason about. Three are always driven by the manager and two by the subordinate, and the READY of each channel comes from the other side.

The family in one line

InterfaceGenerationIn one line
AXI3AMBA 3the original five channels; bursts of up to 16 beats; write data carried its own ID
AXI4AMBA 4bursts of up to 256 beats, no write-data interleaving, QoS and region signals; the subject of this module
AXI4-LiteAMBA 4single beats only, no IDs, no bursts: register blocks (lesson P2.15)
AXI5 and AXI5-LiteAMBA 5AXI4 plus optional features: atomics, cache stashing, parity, wake-up, a credited transport option
AXI-StreamAMBA 4 and 5one data channel with no addresses at all; its own specification (IHI 0051)

The current specification (IHI 0022, issue L) describes AXI5 and refers back for the AXI3 and AXI4 details; this module teaches AXI4 and notes where AXI5 differs.

The bench of this module

Every lesson and problem in P2 drives the same bench. The editable stimulus in main.sv calls tasks from axi_tasks.svh. The memory in axi_mem.sv is an AXI4 subordinate with a byte-addressed memory behind it, and axi_checker.sv names every rule the wires break. The arithmetic of a burst (which address, which byte lanes) lives in axi_pkg.sv, so the memory, the tasks and the checker can never disagree about where a byte lands.

  1. Write

    Put the beats in wd[0], wd[1], ... then axi_write(id, addr, len, size, burst): AW, the len + 1 beats on W, and the wait for B. The response lands in last_bresp.

  2. Read

    axi_read(id, addr, len, size, burst): AR, then every beat on R into rd[0], rd[1], ... with its response in rr[].

  3. Look

    dump(addr, n) prints the memory a bus word at a time, lane 0 first. mem_fill(addr, n, first) fills it with a recognisable pattern. beat_table(addr, len, size, burst) prints the address and lanes of every beat before a burst runs.

  4. Read the log

    Every handshake prints one line with the edge where it happened. e3 AW id=1 addr=0x1000 len=1 size=2 INCR is the address transfer, e4 W beat 0 data=0x11223344 strb=1111 last=0 addr 0x1000 lanes 0-3 a data beat, e8 B id=1 OKAY the response. len=1 means two beats; size=2 means four bytes per beat.

  5. Break it

    The memory has switches you set by name before a run (mem.early_b = 1;). Each lesson flips one to show the broken twin of a rule, and the checker names the rule at the edge where it broke.

The memory answers a write response three edges after it takes the last write beat, and starts read data three edges after it takes the read address. Those are properties of this bench, not of AXI: a real subordinate may answer in one cycle or in a hundred.

Where you will meet it

AXI is the interface of nearly every block in an Arm-based SoC and of most IP sold to go into one. Memory controllers, DMA engines, accelerators and the ports of the processors themselves all speak it. Interview questions about AXI are questions about these five channels: which side drives which, what may wait for what, and what the IDs mean. The rest of this module answers them one at a time.

Asked in interviews: the shape of AXI
  1. What are the five channels of AXI?

    Write address (AW), write data (W), write response (B), read address (AR) and read data (R). The manager drives AW, W and AR; the subordinate drives B and R. Each is a valid/ready handshake with its own payload.

  2. Why does AXI separate the address from the data?

    So they can be pipelined. A manager can issue the next address while data for the previous one is still moving, and the two can even arrive at a subordinate in either order. One combined channel would serialise every transaction.

  3. What is the difference between a transfer and a transaction?

    A transfer is one handshake on one channel. A transaction is a whole burst: one address transfer, its data transfers, and for a write its single response transfer.

  4. Can a read overtake a write?

    Yes. AXI gives no ordering between the read and write channels, even with the same ID. A manager that needs a read to see its own write waits for the write response before issuing the read (lesson P2.12).

  5. What do manager and subordinate mean?

    The two ends of an interface: the manager issues transactions, the subordinate answers them. Older documents call them master and slave; the signals and the rules are identical.

Try it

The read address goes out at edge 6, two edges before the write is answered at edge 8: the two transactions overlap, and the memory serves both. The dump shows the write landed with its lowest byte at the lowest address (44 at 0x1000), and the third transaction reads the same two words back.

Change idle(3) to idle(1) and run again: the read address now moves in the same cycle as the first write beat, and the read data arrives before the write response. Then change the second read's address to 32'h2000 and watch c3c2c1c0 come back instead: nothing in the bench ties one channel to another.

RUNIcarus Verilog ยท in your browser
Edit the code, then run it
Expected: e3 AW id=1 addr=0x1000 len=1 size=2 INCR e4 W beat 0 data=0x11223344 strb=1111 last=0 addr 0x1000 lanes 0-3 e5 W beat 1 data=0x55667788 strb=1111 last=1 addr 0x1004 lanes 0-3 e6 AR id=2 addr=0x2000 len=1 size=2 INCR e8 B id=1 OKAY e9 R id=2 beat 0 data=0xc3c2c1c0 OKAY addr 0x2000 lanes 0-3 e10 R id=2 beat 1 data=0xc7c6c5c4 OKAY last addr 0x2004 lanes 0-3 0x01000 44 33 22 11 88 77 66 55 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e11 AR id=3 addr=0x1000 len=1 size=2 INCR e14 R id=3 beat 0 data=0x11223344 OKAY addr 0x1000 lanes 0-3 e15 R id=3 beat 1 data=0x55667788 OKAY last addr 0x1004 lanes 0-3 checker: 1 writes, 2 reads, 0 stalled edges, 0 rules broken
Read included file: axi_pkg.sv
`timescale 1ns/1ns
// axi_pkg.sv: the arithmetic of a burst (read-only).
// Every transfer n of a burst has an address and a set of byte lanes, computed from the start
// address, the burst length, the transfer size and the burst type exactly as the AXI specification
// defines them. The memory, the manager tasks and the checker all use these functions, so they
// never disagree about where a byte lands.
package axi_pkg;
  localparam logic [1:0] FIXED = 2'b00, INCR = 2'b01, WRAP = 2'b10;
  localparam logic [1:0] OKAY = 2'b00, EXOKAY = 2'b01, SLVERR = 2'b10, DECERR = 2'b11;

  function automatic string burst_name(input logic [1:0] b);
    case (b) FIXED: return "FIXED"; INCR: return "INCR"; WRAP: return "WRAP"; default: return "RESERVED"; endcase
  endfunction
  function automatic string resp_name(input logic [1:0] r);
    case (r) OKAY: return "OKAY"; EXOKAY: return "EXOKAY"; SLVERR: return "SLVERR"; default: return "DECERR"; endcase
  endfunction

  // Bytes in one transfer: 1, 2, 4, ... 128.
  function automatic int bytes_of(input logic [2:0] size);
    return 1 << size;
  endfunction

  // The address of transfer n (n counts from 0).
  //   transfer 0 uses the start address as given, aligned or not;
  //   later transfers use the start address aligned down to the transfer size, plus n transfers;
  //   a WRAP burst returns to its wrap boundary (the start aligned down to the whole burst) when
  //   it reaches the end of that window; a FIXED burst repeats the start address.
  function automatic int unsigned beat_addr(input int unsigned start, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                                            input logic [1:0] burst, input int n);
    int unsigned nb = 1 << size;
    int unsigned aligned = (start / nb) * nb;
    int unsigned window = nb * (len + 1);
    int unsigned boundary = (start / window) * window;
    int unsigned a;
    if (burst == FIXED || n == 0) return start;
    a = aligned + n * nb;
    if (burst == WRAP && a >= boundary + window) a = a - window;
    return a;
  endfunction

  // The byte lanes transfer n uses on a bus of bus_bytes bytes, packed as {upper, lower}.
  // Transfer 0 of an unaligned burst (and every transfer of a FIXED burst) uses only the lanes from
  // its address up to the end of its aligned transfer; every other transfer uses all the lanes of
  // its size.
  function automatic logic [15:0] beat_lanes(input int unsigned start, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                                             input logic [1:0] burst, input int n, input int bus_bytes);
    int unsigned nb = 1 << size;
    int unsigned a = beat_addr(start, len, size, burst, n);
    int unsigned aligned = (a / nb) * nb;
    int unsigned word = (a / bus_bytes) * bus_bytes;
    int lower = a - word;
    int upper = (n == 0 || burst == FIXED) ? (aligned + nb - 1 - word) : (lower + nb - 1);
    return {upper[7:0], lower[7:0]};
  endfunction

  // The strobe of transfer n: a 1 for every lane it uses (bit l is lane l).
  function automatic logic [63:0] beat_strb(input int unsigned start, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                                            input logic [1:0] burst, input int n, input int bus_bytes);
    logic [15:0] lanes = beat_lanes(start, len, size, burst, n, bus_bytes);
    logic [63:0] s = 0;
    for (int l = lanes[7:0]; l <= lanes[15:8]; l++) s[l] = 1'b1;
    return s;
  endfunction

  // True when the burst crosses a 4 KB boundary (only an INCR burst can).
  function automatic bit crosses_4k(input int unsigned start, input int len, input logic [2:0] size, input logic [1:0] burst);
    if (burst != INCR) return 0;
    return (beat_addr(start, len, size, burst, 0) / 4096) != ((beat_addr(start, len, size, burst, len) + (1 << size) - 1) / 4096);
  endfunction
endpackage
Read included file: axi_mem.sv
`timescale 1ns/1ns
// axi_mem.sv: an AXI4 subordinate with a byte-addressed memory behind it (read-only in this lesson).
// It accepts requests on AW and AR, write beats on W (before or after their AW), writes the bytes a
// burst addresses using the strobes, and answers on B and R after a latency. The switches below are
// plain variables: the stimulus sets them by name (mem.reorder = 1;) before it starts.
//   rd_latency, wr_latency   cycles from a request (or its last write beat) to its first response
//   slow_latency, slow_above addresses at or above slow_above answer after slow_latency instead
//   err_above                addresses at or above err_above get SLVERR (and are not written)
//   reorder                  answer transactions with DIFFERENT IDs as soon as each is ready;
//                            transactions with the same ID still answer in order
//   interleave               interleave the read data beats of ready transactions with different IDs
//   excl_on                  support exclusive access (one monitor per ID), else answer OKAY
//   posted                   apply a write to the memory only when its response is sent, so a read
//                            that arrives between the last beat and B still sees the old bytes
//   trace                    print every byte the memory writes
// Broken twins, each off by default: early_b (B before the last write beat and before AW),
// ignore_strobes (write every lane of the bus word), drop_hold (RDATA changes while RVALID waits
// for RREADY), reorder_same_id (a later transaction with the same ID may answer first),
// wrap_bug (a WRAP burst addressed like INCR).
module axi_mem #(parameter int DATA_W = 32, parameter int ID_W = 4, parameter int DEPTH = 65536) (
  input  logic              aclk,
  input  logic              aresetn,
  input  logic [ID_W-1:0]   awid,
  input  logic [31:0]       awaddr,
  input  logic [7:0]        awlen,
  input  logic [2:0]        awsize,
  input  logic [1:0]        awburst,
  input  logic              awlock,
  input  logic [3:0]        awcache,
  input  logic [2:0]        awprot,
  input  logic              awvalid,
  output logic              awready,
  input  logic [DATA_W-1:0] wdata,
  input  logic [DATA_W/8-1:0] wstrb,
  input  logic              wlast,
  input  logic              wvalid,
  output logic              wready,
  output logic [ID_W-1:0]   bid,
  output logic [1:0]        bresp,
  output logic              bvalid,
  input  logic              bready,
  input  logic [ID_W-1:0]   arid,
  input  logic [31:0]       araddr,
  input  logic [7:0]        arlen,
  input  logic [2:0]        arsize,
  input  logic [1:0]        arburst,
  input  logic              arlock,
  input  logic [3:0]        arcache,
  input  logic [2:0]        arprot,
  input  logic              arvalid,
  output logic              arready,
  output logic [ID_W-1:0]   rid,
  output logic [DATA_W-1:0] rdata,
  output logic [1:0]        rresp,
  output logic              rlast,
  output logic              rvalid,
  input  logic              rready
);
  import axi_pkg::*;
  localparam int BUS = DATA_W / 8;
  localparam int N = 16;                      // transactions in flight per direction

  // ---- switches ----
  int rd_latency = 2, wr_latency = 2, slow_latency = 8;
  int unsigned slow_above = 32'hffff_ffff, err_above = 32'hffff_ffff;
  bit reorder = 0, interleave = 0, excl_on = 0, posted = 0, trace = 0;
  bit early_b = 0, ignore_strobes = 0, drop_hold = 0, reorder_same_id = 0, wrap_bug = 0;

  // ---- the memory ----
  logic [7:0] mem [0:DEPTH-1];
  initial for (int i = 0; i < DEPTH; i++) mem[i] = 8'h00;

  int cycle = -1;
  int seq = 0;                                // every request gets a sequence number: issue order

  // ---- write side: accepted AW requests (a ring) and write beats (a ring) ----
  logic [ID_W-1:0] aw_id [0:N-1];
  int unsigned     aw_addr [0:N-1];
  int              aw_len [0:N-1];
  logic [2:0]      aw_size [0:N-1];
  logic [1:0]      aw_burst [0:N-1];
  logic            aw_lock [0:N-1];
  int aw_head = 0, aw_tail = 0, aw_count = 0;
  localparam int WQ = 1024;
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] w_data [0:WQ-1];
  logic [BUS-1:0]    w_strb [0:WQ-1];
  logic              w_last [0:WQ-1];
  int w_head = 0, w_tail = 0, w_count = 0, w_bursts = 0;   // w_bursts: complete bursts in the ring

  // ---- write responses waiting for their latency ----
  logic            b_use [0:N-1];
  logic [ID_W-1:0] b_id [0:N-1];
  logic [1:0]      b_rsp [0:N-1];
  int              b_at [0:N-1], b_seq [0:N-1];
  logic            b_driving = 0;
  logic            early_done = 0;            // the early_b twin answers once per burst
  // posted writes: the beats of a write kept until its response goes out
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] p_data [0:N-1][0:255];
  logic [BUS-1:0]    p_strb [0:N-1][0:255];
  int unsigned       p_addr [0:N-1];
  int                p_len [0:N-1];
  logic [2:0]        p_size [0:N-1];
  logic [1:0]        p_burst [0:N-1];
  logic              p_pending [0:N-1];

  // ---- read side: accepted AR requests with their progress ----
  logic            r_use [0:N-1];
  logic [ID_W-1:0] r_id [0:N-1];
  int unsigned     r_addr [0:N-1];
  int              r_len [0:N-1];
  logic [2:0]      r_size [0:N-1];
  logic [1:0]      r_burst [0:N-1];
  logic            r_lock [0:N-1];
  int              r_at [0:N-1], r_seq [0:N-1], r_beat [0:N-1], r_served [0:N-1];
  int              r_cur = -1;                // the transaction whose beat is on the wires
  logic            r_driving = 0;

  // ---- exclusive monitors, one per ID ----
  logic        mon_use [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];
  int unsigned mon_addr [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];
  int unsigned mon_bytes [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];

  initial begin
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) begin b_use[i] = 0; r_use[i] = 0; p_pending[i] = 0; end
    for (int i = 0; i < (1 << ID_W); i++) mon_use[i] = 0;
    awready = 0; wready = 0; arready = 0; bvalid = 0; rvalid = 0; bid = 0; bresp = 0; rid = 0; rresp = 0; rlast = 0; rdata = 0;
  end

  function automatic int latency_of(input int unsigned a, input int base);
    return (a >= slow_above) ? slow_latency : base;
  endfunction
  function automatic logic [1:0] burst_used(input logic [1:0] b);
    return (wrap_bug && b == WRAP) ? INCR : b;
  endfunction

  // ---- selection policies ----
  // The oldest of all pending entries, or the oldest of its ID: the in-order rule of the protocol.
  function automatic bit b_oldest(input int i, input bit same_id_only);
    for (int j = 0; j < N; j++)
      if (b_use[j] && j != i && b_seq[j] < b_seq[i] && (!same_id_only || b_id[j] == b_id[i])) return 0;
    return 1;
  endfunction
  function automatic bit r_oldest(input int i, input bit same_id_only);
    for (int j = 0; j < N; j++)
      if (r_use[j] && j != i && r_seq[j] < r_seq[i] && (!same_id_only || r_id[j] == r_id[i])) return 0;
    return 1;
  endfunction
  function automatic bit b_eligible(input int i);
    if (!b_use[i] || b_at[i] > cycle) return 0;
    if (!reorder) return b_oldest(i, 0);
    return reorder_same_id ? 1 : b_oldest(i, 1);
  endfunction
  function automatic bit r_eligible(input int i);
    if (!r_use[i] || r_at[i] > cycle) return 0;
    if (!reorder) return r_oldest(i, 0);
    return reorder_same_id ? 1 : r_oldest(i, 1);
  endfunction
  function automatic int free_b();
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) if (!b_use[i]) return i;
    return -1;
  endfunction
  function automatic int free_r();
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) if (!r_use[i]) return i;
    return -1;
  endfunction
  function automatic int pick_b();
    int best = -1;
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) if (b_eligible(i) && (best < 0 || b_seq[i] < b_seq[best])) best = i;
    return best;
  endfunction
  function automatic int pick_r();
    int best = -1;
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) if (r_eligible(i)) begin
      if (best < 0) best = i;
      else if (interleave ? (r_served[i] < r_served[best]) : (r_seq[i] < r_seq[best])) best = i;
    end
    return best;
  endfunction

  // ---- the bytes of one read beat, as the bus word that holds them ----
  function automatic logic [DATA_W-1:0] read_word(input int unsigned a);
    logic [DATA_W-1:0] d = 0;
    int unsigned word = (a / BUS) * BUS;
    for (int l = 0; l < BUS; l++) d[8*l +: 8] = (word + l < DEPTH) ? mem[word + l] : 8'h00;
    return d;
  endfunction

  // ---- the write of one complete burst into the memory ----
  task automatic write_burst(input int e);
    logic [1:0]  rsp = OKAY;
    logic        do_write = 1, ended = 0;
    int unsigned a, word;
    logic [15:0] lanes;
    int          n = 0, slot;
    int unsigned total = (1 << aw_size[e]) * (aw_len[e] + 1);
    slot = free_b();
    if (aw_lock[e] && excl_on) begin
      if (mon_use[aw_id[e]] && mon_addr[aw_id[e]] == aw_addr[e]) begin
        rsp = EXOKAY;
        $display("mem e%0d: exclusive write id=%0d at 0x%0h: the monitor matched, EXOKAY", cycle, aw_id[e], aw_addr[e]);
      end else begin
        do_write = 0;
        $display("mem e%0d: exclusive write id=%0d at 0x%0h: no monitor, OKAY and nothing written", cycle, aw_id[e], aw_addr[e]);
      end
    end
    while (!ended && n <= aw_len[e]) begin
      a = beat_addr(aw_addr[e], aw_len[e], aw_size[e], burst_used(aw_burst[e]), n);
      lanes = beat_lanes(aw_addr[e], aw_len[e], aw_size[e], burst_used(aw_burst[e]), n, BUS);
      word = (a / BUS) * BUS;
      if (a >= err_above) rsp = SLVERR;
      else if (do_write && posted && slot >= 0) begin
        p_data[slot][n] = w_data[w_head]; p_strb[slot][n] = w_strb[w_head];
      end else if (do_write) begin
        for (int l = 0; l < BUS; l++)
          if ((w_strb[w_head][l] || ignore_strobes) && word + l < DEPTH) begin
            mem[word + l] = w_data[w_head][8*l +: 8];
            if (trace) $display("mem e%0d: beat %0d writes 0x%02h to 0x%0h (lane %0d)", cycle, n, w_data[w_head][8*l +: 8], word + l, l);
          end
      end
      ended = w_last[w_head];                      // a burst ends at its WLAST, whatever AWLEN said
      w_head = (w_head + 1) % WQ; w_count = w_count - 1;
      n = n + 1;
    end
    while (!ended) begin                           // beats past AWLEN (a broken manager) are dropped
      ended = w_last[w_head];
      w_head = (w_head + 1) % WQ; w_count = w_count - 1;
    end
    // A write clears every monitor that watches a byte it touched.
    if (do_write)
      for (int i = 0; i < (1 << ID_W); i++)
        if (mon_use[i] && mon_addr[i] < aw_addr[e] + total && aw_addr[e] < mon_addr[i] + mon_bytes[i]) mon_use[i] = 0;
    if (slot >= 0) begin
      b_use[slot] = 1; b_id[slot] = aw_id[e]; b_rsp[slot] = rsp; b_seq[slot] = seq; seq = seq + 1;
      b_at[slot] = cycle + latency_of(aw_addr[e], wr_latency);
      if (posted && do_write) begin
        p_pending[slot] = 1; p_addr[slot] = aw_addr[e]; p_len[slot] = n - 1; p_size[slot] = aw_size[e]; p_burst[slot] = aw_burst[e];
      end
    end
  endtask

  // A posted write reaches the memory when its response goes out.
  task automatic apply_posted(input int i);
    int unsigned a, word;
    for (int n = 0; n <= p_len[i]; n++) begin
      a = beat_addr(p_addr[i], p_len[i], p_size[i], burst_used(p_burst[i]), n);
      word = (a / BUS) * BUS;
      if (a < err_above)
        for (int l = 0; l < BUS; l++)
          if ((p_strb[i][n][l] || ignore_strobes) && word + l < DEPTH) begin
            mem[word + l] = p_data[i][n][8*l +: 8];
            if (trace) $display("mem e%0d: posted beat %0d writes 0x%02h to 0x%0h (lane %0d)", cycle, n, p_data[i][n][8*l +: 8], word + l, l);
          end
    end
    p_pending[i] = 0;
  endtask

  int pick, extra;
  always @(posedge aclk) begin
    cycle = cycle + 1;
    if (!aresetn) begin
      aw_head = 0; aw_tail = 0; aw_count = 0; w_head = 0; w_tail = 0; w_count = 0; w_bursts = 0;
      for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) begin b_use[i] = 0; r_use[i] = 0; end
      b_driving = 0; r_driving = 0; r_cur = -1;
      awready <= 0; wready <= 0; arready <= 0; bvalid <= 0; rvalid <= 0;
    end else begin
      // -- AW: take a request while there is room --
      if (awvalid && awready) begin
        aw_id[aw_tail] = awid; aw_addr[aw_tail] = awaddr; aw_len[aw_tail] = awlen; aw_size[aw_tail] = awsize;
        aw_burst[aw_tail] = awburst; aw_lock[aw_tail] = awlock;
        aw_tail = (aw_tail + 1) % N; aw_count = aw_count + 1;
      end
      // -- W: take a beat while there is room --
      if (wvalid && wready) begin
        w_data[w_tail] = wdata; w_strb[w_tail] = wstrb; w_last[w_tail] = wlast;
        w_tail = (w_tail + 1) % WQ; w_count = w_count + 1;
        if (wlast) w_bursts = w_bursts + 1;
      end
      // -- a complete burst with its request: write it and schedule B --
      if (aw_count > 0 && w_bursts > 0) begin
        write_burst(aw_head);
        aw_head = (aw_head + 1) % N; aw_count = aw_count - 1; w_bursts = w_bursts - 1;
        early_done = 0;
      end else if (early_b && !early_done && w_count > 0 && w_bursts == 0) begin
        // The broken twin: a response as soon as the first write beat arrived, before WLAST and,
        // when the data came first, before the address.
        pick = free_b();
        if (pick >= 0) begin
          b_use[pick] = 1; b_id[pick] = (aw_count > 0) ? aw_id[aw_head] : awid; b_rsp[pick] = OKAY; b_seq[pick] = seq; seq = seq + 1; b_at[pick] = cycle;
          early_done = 1;
        end
      end
      // -- B: finish a handshake, then put the next response on the wires --
      if (b_driving && bready) b_driving = 0;
      if (!b_driving) begin
        pick = pick_b();
        if (pick >= 0) begin
          if (p_pending[pick]) apply_posted(pick);
          b_driving = 1; bid <= b_id[pick]; bresp <= b_rsp[pick]; b_use[pick] = 0;
        end
      end
      bvalid <= b_driving;
      // -- AR: take a request while there is room --
      if (arvalid && arready) begin
        pick = free_r();
        if (pick >= 0) begin
          r_use[pick] = 1; r_id[pick] = arid; r_addr[pick] = araddr; r_len[pick] = arlen; r_size[pick] = arsize; r_burst[pick] = arburst;
          r_lock[pick] = arlock; r_beat[pick] = 0; r_seq[pick] = seq; seq = seq + 1; r_served[pick] = -1;
          r_at[pick] = cycle + latency_of(araddr, rd_latency);
          if (arlock && excl_on) begin
            mon_use[arid] = 1; mon_addr[arid] = araddr; mon_bytes[arid] = (1 << arsize) * (arlen + 1);
            $display("mem e%0d: exclusive read id=%0d at 0x%0h: monitor set", cycle, arid, araddr);
          end
        end
      end
      // -- R: finish a handshake, then put the next beat on the wires --
      if (r_driving && !rready && drop_hold) rdata <= rdata + 1;   // the broken twin: data not held
      if (r_driving && rready) begin
        r_driving = 0;
        if (r_beat[r_cur] > r_len[r_cur]) begin r_use[r_cur] = 0; r_cur = -1; end
        else if (interleave) r_cur = -1;
      end
      if (!r_driving) begin
        pick = (r_cur >= 0) ? r_cur : pick_r();
        if (pick >= 0) begin
          r_cur = pick; r_driving = 1; r_served[pick] = cycle;
          extra = r_beat[pick];
          rid <= r_id[pick];
          rdata <= read_word(beat_addr(r_addr[pick], r_len[pick], r_size[pick], burst_used(r_burst[pick]), extra));
          rresp <= (beat_addr(r_addr[pick], r_len[pick], r_size[pick], burst_used(r_burst[pick]), extra) >= err_above) ? SLVERR
                 : ((r_lock[pick] && excl_on) ? EXOKAY : OKAY);
          rlast <= (extra == r_len[pick]);
          r_beat[pick] = extra + 1;
        end
      end
      rvalid <= r_driving;
      awready <= (aw_count < N - 1);
      wready  <= (w_count < WQ - 2);
      arready <= 1;
    end
  end
endmodule
Read included file: axi_checker.sv
`timescale 1ns/1ns
// axi_checker.sv: the rules of an AXI4 interface, checked at every rising edge (read-only).
// Each broken rule is named with the channel and the edge where it was seen:
//   reset      a VALID is 1 while reset is active;
//   hold       a VALID dropped before its READY: the offer was withdrawn;
//   stable     a channel's payload changed while its offer waited;
//   known      a payload is x while its VALID is 1;
//   len        a FIXED or WRAP burst longer than 16 beats;
//   wrap       a WRAP burst whose length is not 2, 4, 8 or 16 beats or whose address is not aligned;
//   boundary   a burst that crosses a 4 KB boundary;
//   size       a transfer wider than the data bus;
//   strobe     a write strobe on a lane the beat does not address;
//   wlast      WLAST on the wrong beat (not AWLEN), or missing after it;
//   rlast      RLAST on the wrong beat of the oldest read with that ID, or missing after it;
//   border     BVALID before any outstanding write has its last beat, or before its AW;
//   bid, rid   a response ID with no outstanding request of that ID;
//   exokay     EXOKAY for a request that was not exclusive;
//   exclusive  an exclusive request whose bytes are not a power of two up to 128, or not aligned to them.
// The rules no checker can see on the wires (VALID must not wait for READY; same-ID responses
// in the order of their requests) are checked by the data the tasks compare (lessons P2.2, P2.10).
module axi_checker #(parameter int DATA_W = 32, parameter int ID_W = 4) (
  input logic              aclk,
  input logic              aresetn,
  input logic [ID_W-1:0]   awid,
  input logic [31:0]       awaddr,
  input logic [7:0]        awlen,
  input logic [2:0]        awsize,
  input logic [1:0]        awburst,
  input logic              awlock,
  input logic              awvalid,
  input logic              awready,
  input logic [DATA_W-1:0] wdata,
  input logic [DATA_W/8-1:0] wstrb,
  input logic              wlast,
  input logic              wvalid,
  input logic              wready,
  input logic [ID_W-1:0]   bid,
  input logic [1:0]        bresp,
  input logic              bvalid,
  input logic              bready,
  input logic [ID_W-1:0]   arid,
  input logic [31:0]       araddr,
  input logic [7:0]        arlen,
  input logic [2:0]        arsize,
  input logic [1:0]        arburst,
  input logic              arlock,
  input logic              arvalid,
  input logic              arready,
  input logic [ID_W-1:0]   rid,
  input logic [DATA_W-1:0] rdata,
  input logic [1:0]        rresp,
  input logic              rlast,
  input logic              rvalid,
  input logic              rready
);
  import axi_pkg::*;
  localparam int BUS = DATA_W / 8;
  localparam int Q = 64;
  int cycle = -1, writes = 0, reads = 0, stalls = 0, broken = 0;
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] used;

  function void report(input string rule, input string what);
    broken++;
    $display("RULE %s broken at edge %0d: %s", rule, cycle, what);
  endfunction

  // Previous values of every channel, for hold and stable.
  logic p_awv = 0, p_awr = 0, p_wv = 0, p_wr = 0, p_bv = 0, p_br = 0, p_arv = 0, p_arr = 0, p_rv = 0, p_rr = 0;
  logic [31:0] p_awaddr, p_araddr;
  logic [7:0] p_awlen, p_arlen;
  logic [2:0] p_awsize, p_arsize;
  logic [1:0] p_awburst, p_arburst, p_bresp, p_rresp;
  logic [ID_W-1:0] p_awid, p_arid, p_bid, p_rid;
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] p_wdata, p_rdata;
  logic [BUS-1:0] p_wstrb;
  logic p_wlast, p_rlast, p_awlock, p_arlock;

  // Write requests in order (AXI4 write data follows the order of the addresses).
  int unsigned q_addr [0:Q-1];
  int q_len [0:Q-1];
  logic [2:0] q_size [0:Q-1];
  logic [1:0] q_burst [0:Q-1];
  int aw_n = 0;                 // requests accepted
  int wb_n = 0;                 // write bursts started
  int wb_done = 0;              // write bursts ended (WLAST seen)
  int w_beat = 0;               // beats so far in the current burst
  int b_n = 0;                  // responses given
  // Beats recorded for bursts that ran ahead of their AW: strobes and count, checked when AW arrives.
  logic [BUS-1:0] rec_strb [0:Q-1][0:255];
  int rec_beats [0:Q-1];
  logic rec_open [0:Q-1];
  // Outstanding requests per ID, and the read requests per ID in order.
  int aw_out [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], ar_out [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], aw_excl [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], ar_excl [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];
  int rq_len [0:(1<<ID_W)-1][0:15];
  int rq_head [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], rq_tail [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], r_beat [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];
  initial for (int i = 0; i < (1 << ID_W); i++) begin aw_out[i] = 0; ar_out[i] = 0; aw_excl[i] = 0; ar_excl[i] = 0; rq_head[i] = 0; rq_tail[i] = 0; r_beat[i] = 0; end
  initial for (int i = 0; i < Q; i++) begin rec_beats[i] = 0; rec_open[i] = 0; end

  function automatic bit pow2_le128(input int unsigned n);
    return (n == 1 || n == 2 || n == 4 || n == 8 || n == 16 || n == 32 || n == 64 || n == 128);
  endfunction

  task automatic check_request(input string ch, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size, input logic [1:0] burst, input logic lock);
    int unsigned bytes = (1 << size) * (len + 1);
    if ((burst == FIXED || burst == WRAP) && len > 15) report("len", $sformatf("%s: a %s burst of %0d beats (16 at most)", ch, burst_name(burst), len + 1));
    if (burst == WRAP && !(len == 1 || len == 3 || len == 7 || len == 15)) report("wrap", $sformatf("%s: a WRAP burst of %0d beats (2, 4, 8 or 16)", ch, len + 1));
    if (burst == WRAP && (addr % (1 << size)) != 0) report("wrap", $sformatf("%s: WRAP burst at 0x%0h is not aligned to its %0d-byte transfers", ch, addr, 1 << size));
    if (burst == 2'b11) report("len", $sformatf("%s: burst type 2'b11 is reserved", ch));
    if ((1 << size) > BUS) report("size", $sformatf("%s: %0d-byte transfers on a %0d-byte bus", ch, 1 << size, BUS));
    if (crosses_4k(addr, len, size, burst)) report("boundary", $sformatf("%s: burst at 0x%0h, %0d beats of %0d bytes, crosses a 4 KB boundary", ch, addr, len + 1, 1 << size));
    if (lock && (!pow2_le128(bytes) || (addr % bytes) != 0)) report("exclusive", $sformatf("%s: exclusive access of %0d bytes at 0x%0h (a power of two up to 128, aligned)", ch, bytes, addr));
  endtask

  task automatic check_strobe(input int k, input int n, input logic [BUS-1:0] strb);
    logic [63:0] allowed = beat_strb(q_addr[k % Q], q_len[k % Q], q_size[k % Q], q_burst[k % Q], n, BUS);
    if ((strb & ~allowed[BUS-1:0]) != 0)
      report("strobe", $sformatf("W beat %0d of write %0d: strobe %b on lanes outside %b", n, k, strb, allowed[BUS-1:0]));
  endtask

  always @(posedge aclk) begin
    cycle++;
    if (!aresetn) begin
      if (awvalid === 1 || wvalid === 1 || arvalid === 1) report("reset", "a manager VALID is 1 during reset");
      if (bvalid === 1 || rvalid === 1) report("reset", "a subordinate VALID is 1 during reset");
    end else begin
      // hold, stable and known, per channel
      if (p_awv && !p_awr && awvalid !== 1) report("hold", "AWVALID dropped before AWREADY");
      if (p_awv && !p_awr && awvalid === 1 && (awaddr !== p_awaddr || awlen !== p_awlen || awsize !== p_awsize || awburst !== p_awburst || awid !== p_awid || awlock !== p_awlock)) report("stable", "AW payload changed while the request waited");
      if (p_wv && !p_wr && wvalid !== 1) report("hold", "WVALID dropped before WREADY");
      if (p_wv && !p_wr && wvalid === 1 && (wdata !== p_wdata || wstrb !== p_wstrb || wlast !== p_wlast)) report("stable", "W payload changed while the beat waited");
      if (p_bv && !p_br && bvalid !== 1) report("hold", "BVALID dropped before BREADY");
      if (p_bv && !p_br && bvalid === 1 && (bresp !== p_bresp || bid !== p_bid)) report("stable", "B payload changed while the response waited");
      if (p_arv && !p_arr && arvalid !== 1) report("hold", "ARVALID dropped before ARREADY");
      if (p_arv && !p_arr && arvalid === 1 && (araddr !== p_araddr || arlen !== p_arlen || arsize !== p_arsize || arburst !== p_arburst || arid !== p_arid || arlock !== p_arlock)) report("stable", "AR payload changed while the request waited");
      if (p_rv && !p_rr && rvalid !== 1) report("hold", "RVALID dropped before RREADY");
      if (p_rv && !p_rr && rvalid === 1 && (rdata !== p_rdata || rresp !== p_rresp || rid !== p_rid || rlast !== p_rlast)) report("stable", "R payload changed while the beat waited");
      if (awvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(awaddr) || $isunknown(awlen) || $isunknown(awsize) || $isunknown(awburst) || $isunknown(awid))) report("known", "AW payload is x while AWVALID is 1");
      if (wvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(wstrb) || $isunknown(wlast))) report("known", "W strobe or last is x while WVALID is 1");
      else if (wvalid === 1) begin
        used = '0;
        for (int l = 0; l < BUS; l++) if (wstrb[l] === 1) used[8*l +: 8] = 8'hff;
        if ($isunknown(wdata & used)) report("known", "W data is x on a strobed lane while WVALID is 1");
      end
      if (arvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(araddr) || $isunknown(arlen) || $isunknown(arsize) || $isunknown(arburst) || $isunknown(arid))) report("known", "AR payload is x while ARVALID is 1");
      if (bvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(bresp) || $isunknown(bid))) report("known", "B payload is x while BVALID is 1");
      if (rvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(rresp) || $isunknown(rid) || $isunknown(rlast))) report("known", "R payload is x while RVALID is 1");
      if ((awvalid === 1 && awready !== 1) || (wvalid === 1 && wready !== 1) || (arvalid === 1 && arready !== 1) ||
          (bvalid === 1 && bready !== 1) || (rvalid === 1 && rready !== 1)) stalls++;
      // AW accepted
      if (awvalid === 1 && awready === 1) begin
        check_request("AW", awaddr, awlen, awsize, awburst, awlock);
        q_addr[aw_n % Q] = awaddr; q_len[aw_n % Q] = awlen; q_size[aw_n % Q] = awsize; q_burst[aw_n % Q] = awburst;
        aw_out[awid]++; if (awlock) aw_excl[awid]++;
        // beats of this write that arrived before its address: check them now
        if (rec_beats[aw_n % Q] > 0) begin
          for (int n = 0; n < rec_beats[aw_n % Q]; n++) check_strobe(aw_n, n, rec_strb[aw_n % Q][n]);
          if (!rec_open[aw_n % Q] && rec_beats[aw_n % Q] != awlen + 1)
            report("wlast", $sformatf("write %0d sent %0d beats before its AW said AWLEN=%0d", aw_n, rec_beats[aw_n % Q], awlen));
          if (!rec_open[aw_n % Q]) rec_beats[aw_n % Q] = 0;
        end
        aw_n++;
      end
      // W beat accepted
      if (wvalid === 1 && wready === 1) begin
        if (w_beat == 0) begin wb_n++; rec_beats[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = 0; rec_open[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = 1; end
        if (wb_n <= aw_n) begin
          check_strobe(wb_n - 1, w_beat, wstrb);
          if (wlast === 1 && w_beat != q_len[(wb_n - 1) % Q]) report("wlast", $sformatf("WLAST on beat %0d of write %0d, AWLEN=%0d", w_beat, wb_n - 1, q_len[(wb_n - 1) % Q]));
          if (wlast !== 1 && w_beat == q_len[(wb_n - 1) % Q]) report("wlast", $sformatf("beat %0d of write %0d is AWLEN=%0d but WLAST is 0", w_beat, wb_n - 1, q_len[(wb_n - 1) % Q]));
        end else begin
          rec_strb[(wb_n - 1) % Q][w_beat] = wstrb;
        end
        rec_beats[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = w_beat + 1;
        w_beat++;
        if (wlast === 1) begin w_beat = 0; wb_done++; rec_open[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = 0; if (wb_n <= aw_n) rec_beats[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = 0; end
      end
      // B offered or accepted
      if (bvalid === 1 && !p_bv) begin
        if (b_n >= aw_n && b_n >= wb_done) report("border", "BVALID with no write to answer: neither an AW nor a WLAST is outstanding");
        else if (b_n >= wb_done) report("border", "BVALID before the last beat of the write it answers");
        else if (b_n >= aw_n) report("border", "BVALID before the AW of the write it answers was accepted");
      end
      if (bvalid === 1 && bready === 1) begin
        if (aw_out[bid] == 0) report("bid", $sformatf("B with id %0d, which has no outstanding write", bid));
        else begin
          aw_out[bid]--; writes++;
          if (bresp === EXOKAY && aw_excl[bid] == 0) report("exokay", $sformatf("EXOKAY for write id %0d, which was not exclusive", bid));
          if (aw_excl[bid] > 0 && aw_excl[bid] > aw_out[bid]) aw_excl[bid] = aw_out[bid];
        end
        b_n++;
      end
      // AR accepted
      if (arvalid === 1 && arready === 1) begin
        check_request("AR", araddr, arlen, arsize, arburst, arlock);
        rq_len[arid][rq_tail[arid]] = arlen; rq_tail[arid] = (rq_tail[arid] + 1) % 16;
        ar_out[arid]++; if (arlock) ar_excl[arid]++;
      end
      // R beat accepted
      if (rvalid === 1 && rready === 1) begin
        if (ar_out[rid] == 0) report("rid", $sformatf("R with id %0d, which has no outstanding read", rid));
        else begin
          if (rlast === 1 && r_beat[rid] != rq_len[rid][rq_head[rid]])
            report("rlast", $sformatf("RLAST on beat %0d of the oldest read with id %0d, whose ARLEN is %0d", r_beat[rid], rid, rq_len[rid][rq_head[rid]]));
          if (rlast !== 1 && r_beat[rid] == rq_len[rid][rq_head[rid]])
            report("rlast", $sformatf("beat %0d of the oldest read with id %0d is its ARLEN but RLAST is 0", r_beat[rid], rid));
          if (rresp === EXOKAY && ar_excl[rid] == 0) report("exokay", $sformatf("EXOKAY for read id %0d, which was not exclusive", rid));
          r_beat[rid]++;
          if (rlast === 1) begin
            r_beat[rid] = 0; rq_head[rid] = (rq_head[rid] + 1) % 16; ar_out[rid]--; reads++;
            if (ar_excl[rid] > ar_out[rid]) ar_excl[rid] = ar_out[rid];
          end
        end
      end
    end
    p_awv = (awvalid === 1); p_awr = (awready === 1); p_wv = (wvalid === 1); p_wr = (wready === 1);
    p_bv = (bvalid === 1); p_br = (bready === 1); p_arv = (arvalid === 1); p_arr = (arready === 1);
    p_rv = (rvalid === 1); p_rr = (rready === 1);
    p_awaddr = awaddr; p_awlen = awlen; p_awsize = awsize; p_awburst = awburst; p_awid = awid; p_awlock = awlock;
    p_wdata = wdata; p_wstrb = wstrb; p_wlast = wlast; p_bresp = bresp; p_bid = bid;
    p_araddr = araddr; p_arlen = arlen; p_arsize = arsize; p_arburst = arburst; p_arid = arid; p_arlock = arlock;
    p_rdata = rdata; p_rresp = rresp; p_rid = rid; p_rlast = rlast;
  end
  final $display("checker: %0d writes, %0d reads, %0d stalled edges, %0d rules broken", writes, reads, stalls, broken);
endmodule
Read included file: axi_tasks.svh
// axi_tasks.svh: the manager side of the bench, as tasks for the stimulus (read-only).
// Data for a write burst goes in wd[0], wd[1], ... (one entry per beat, the lowest byte at the
// lowest address); the data of a read comes back in rd[0], rd[1], ... with its responses in rr[].
// Every task prints the beat log: one line per handshake, with the edge where it happened.
// `cycle` counts rising edges from 0.
int cycle = -1;
always @(posedge aclk) cycle = cycle + 1;

logic [63:0] wd [0:255];
logic [63:0] rd [0:255];
logic [1:0]  rr [0:255];
logic [63:0] rdq [0:15][0:255];     // read data per ID, for reads collected out of order
logic [1:0]  rrq [0:15][0:255];
int          rdn [0:15];            // beats received per ID
logic [1:0]  last_bresp = 0;
int          last_beats = 0;
// What the task is driving right now, for the waveform scenes: the address and lanes of the beat.
int unsigned beat_a = 0;
logic [7:0]  beat_m = 0;
// quiet = 1 silences the beat log (a predict item can then ask for a dump line instead).
bit          quiet = 0;
// Strobe override: when strb_force is 1, every write beat uses strb_val as it is.
bit          strb_force = 0;
logic [7:0]  strb_val = 8'hff;
// Outstanding read requests per ID, so the tasks know the lanes of the beats that come back.
int unsigned arq_addr [0:15][0:7];
int          arq_len [0:15][0:7];
logic [2:0]  arq_size [0:15][0:7];
logic [1:0]  arq_burst [0:15][0:7];
int          arq_head [0:15], arq_tail [0:15];
initial for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) begin arq_head[i] = 0; arq_tail[i] = 0; rdn[i] = 0; end
// READY patterns for the response channels: bit (cycle % 16) of the pattern drives the signal.
bit          rpat_on = 0, bpat_on = 0;
logic [15:0] rpat = 16'hffff, bpat = 16'hffff;
always @(posedge aclk) begin
  #1;
  if (rpat_on) rready = rpat[cycle % 16];
  if (bpat_on) bready = bpat[cycle % 16];
end

// A text waveform for the lesson's trace blocks: with watch = 1, one line per rising edge with the
// values sampled at that edge (cycle k of a trace is what edge k sees).
bit watch = 0;
int wave_edge = -1;
always @(posedge aclk) begin
  wave_edge = wave_edge + 1;
  if (watch) $display("wave e%0d: aw=%b%b w=%b%b b=%b%b ar=%b%b r=%b%b awaddr=%h wdata=%h wstrb=%b wlast=%b bid=%h bresp=%b araddr=%h rid=%h rdata=%h rresp=%b rlast=%b",
                      wave_edge, awvalid, awready, wvalid, wready, bvalid, bready, arvalid, arready, rvalid, rready,
                      awaddr, wdata, wstrb, wlast, bid, bresp, araddr, rid, rdata, rresp, rlast);
end

// Drive RREADY (ch = 0) or BREADY (ch = 1) from a 16-bit pattern; 16'hffff restores always ready.
task automatic ready_pattern(input int ch, input logic [15:0] pat);
  if (ch == 0) begin rpat = pat; rpat_on = 1; rready = pat[cycle % 16]; end
  else begin bpat = pat; bpat_on = 1; bready = pat[cycle % 16]; end
endtask

// The write address channel: offer the request and hold it until it is taken.
task automatic aw_issue(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                        input logic [1:0] burst, input logic lock = 0);
  awid = id; awaddr = addr; awlen = len[7:0]; awsize = size; awburst = burst; awlock = lock; awvalid = 1;
  do @(posedge aclk); while (!awready);
  #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d AW id=%0d addr=0x%0h len=%0d size=%0d %0s%0s", cycle, id, addr, len, size, burst_name(burst), lock ? " exclusive" : "");
  awvalid = 0; awaddr = 'x; awlen = 'x; awsize = 'x; awburst = 'x; awid = 'x; awlock = 0;
endtask

// The write data channel: the beats of one burst from wd[first..], each placed in its lanes.
task automatic w_burst(input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size, input logic [1:0] burst, input int first = 0);
  logic [15:0] lanes;
  for (int n = 0; n <= len; n++) begin
    lanes = beat_lanes(addr, len, size, burst, n, BUS_BYTES);
    beat_a = beat_addr(addr, len, size, burst, n);
    beat_m = strb_force ? strb_val : beat_strb(addr, len, size, burst, n, BUS_BYTES);
    wdata = wd[first + n] << (8 * lanes[7:0]);
    wstrb = beat_m[BUS_BYTES-1:0];
    wlast = (n == len);
    wvalid = 1;
    do @(posedge aclk); while (!wready);
    #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d W  beat %0d data=0x%0h strb=%b last=%0d  addr 0x%0h lanes %0d-%0d", cycle, n, wdata, wstrb, wlast, beat_a, lanes[7:0], lanes[15:8]);
  end
  wvalid = 0; wdata = 'x; wstrb = 'x; wlast = 0; beat_m = 0;
endtask

// Wait for the write response of one transaction with this ID.
task automatic b_wait(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id);
  do @(posedge aclk); while (!(bvalid && bready && bid == id));
  last_bresp = bresp;                       // sampled at the edge, before the subordinate moves on
  #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d B  id=%0d %0s", cycle, id, resp_name(last_bresp));
endtask

// A complete write. order 0 offers the address, then the first beat one cycle later whether or
// not the address has been taken yet (a manager must never make WVALID wait for AWREADY); 1 offers
// the beats first and the address after beat 0; 2 offers the address and beat 0 in the same cycle.
// Returns after B, with the response in last_bresp.
task automatic axi_write(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                         input logic [1:0] burst, input int order = 0, input logic lock = 0);
  case (order)
    1: fork
         w_burst(addr, len, size, burst);
         begin @(posedge aclk); #1 aw_issue(id, addr, len, size, burst, lock); end
       join
    2: fork
         aw_issue(id, addr, len, size, burst, lock);
         w_burst(addr, len, size, burst);
       join
    default: fork
         aw_issue(id, addr, len, size, burst, lock);
         begin @(posedge aclk); #1 w_burst(addr, len, size, burst); end
       join
  endcase
  b_wait(id);
endtask

// The read address channel: offer the request and remember it for the beats that come back.
task automatic ar_issue(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                        input logic [1:0] burst, input logic lock = 0);
  arq_addr[id][arq_tail[id]] = addr; arq_len[id][arq_tail[id]] = len; arq_size[id][arq_tail[id]] = size;
  arq_burst[id][arq_tail[id]] = burst; arq_tail[id] = (arq_tail[id] + 1) % 8;
  arid = id; araddr = addr; arlen = len[7:0]; arsize = size; arburst = burst; arlock = lock; arvalid = 1;
  do @(posedge aclk); while (!arready);
  #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d AR id=%0d addr=0x%0h len=%0d size=%0d %0s%0s", cycle, id, addr, len, size, burst_name(burst), lock ? " exclusive" : "");
  arvalid = 0; araddr = 'x; arlen = 'x; arsize = 'x; arburst = 'x; arid = 'x; arlock = 0;
endtask

// Collect read beats until n transactions have ended (their RLAST). Each beat lands in rdq[rid][k]
// with only the bytes of the transfer (lane-shifted down), and rd[] holds the last transaction.
task automatic r_collect(input int n);
  int done = 0, h;
  logic [15:0] lanes;
  logic [63:0] bytes;
  logic [ID_W-1:0] id;
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] data;
  logic [1:0] resp;
  logic last;
  while (done < n) begin
    do @(posedge aclk); while (!(rvalid && rready));
    id = rid; data = rdata; resp = rresp; last = rlast;   // sampled at the edge, before the subordinate moves on
    h = arq_head[id];
    lanes = beat_lanes(arq_addr[id][h], arq_len[id][h], arq_size[id][h], arq_burst[id][h], rdn[id], BUS_BYTES);
    beat_a = beat_addr(arq_addr[id][h], arq_len[id][h], arq_size[id][h], arq_burst[id][h], rdn[id]);
    beat_m = beat_strb(arq_addr[id][h], arq_len[id][h], arq_size[id][h], arq_burst[id][h], rdn[id], BUS_BYTES);
    bytes = (data >> (8 * lanes[7:0])) & ((64'h1 << (8 * (lanes[15:8] - lanes[7:0] + 1))) - 1);
    rdq[id][rdn[id]] = bytes; rrq[id][rdn[id]] = resp;
    #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d R  id=%0d beat %0d data=0x%0h %0s%0s  addr 0x%0h lanes %0d-%0d", cycle, id, rdn[id], bytes, resp_name(resp),
                last ? " last" : "", beat_a, lanes[7:0], lanes[15:8]);
    rdn[id] = rdn[id] + 1;
    if (last) begin
      for (int k = 0; k < rdn[id]; k++) begin rd[k] = rdq[id][k]; rr[k] = rrq[id][k]; end
      last_beats = rdn[id]; rdn[id] = 0; arq_head[id] = (h + 1) % 8; done = done + 1;
    end
  end
  beat_m = 0;
endtask

// A complete read: AR, then every beat, into rd[] and rr[].
task automatic axi_read(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                        input logic [1:0] burst, input logic lock = 0);
  ar_issue(id, addr, len, size, burst, lock);
  r_collect(1);
endtask

// The table of a burst before it runs: the address, lanes and strobe of every beat.
task automatic beat_table(input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size, input logic [1:0] burst);
  logic [15:0] lanes;
  logic [63:0] s;
  int unsigned a;
  $display("burst at 0x%0h: %0d beat%0s of %0d byte%0s, %0s, bus %0d bytes", addr, len + 1, len ? "s" : "", 1 << size, size ? "s" : "",
           burst_name(burst), BUS_BYTES);
  $display("  beat  address  lanes  strobe");
  for (int n = 0; n <= len; n++) begin
    lanes = beat_lanes(addr, len, size, burst, n, BUS_BYTES);
    s = beat_strb(addr, len, size, burst, n, BUS_BYTES);
    a = beat_addr(addr, len, size, burst, n);
    $display("  %4d  0x%05h  %0d-%0d    %b", n, a[19:0], lanes[7:0], lanes[15:8], s[BUS_BYTES-1:0]);
  end
  if (crosses_4k(addr, len, size, burst)) $display("  this burst crosses a 4 KB boundary");
endtask

// One byte of the memory that owns an address (the fabric's second memory above 0x8000).
function automatic logic [7:0] mem_byte(input int unsigned a);
`ifdef AXI_MEM1
  if (a >= 32'h8000) return `AXI_MEM1.mem[a];
`endif
  return `AXI_MEM.mem[a];
endfunction
task automatic set_byte(input int unsigned a, input logic [7:0] v);
`ifdef AXI_MEM1
  if (a >= 32'h8000) `AXI_MEM1.mem[a] = v;
  else `AXI_MEM.mem[a] = v;
`else
  `AXI_MEM.mem[a] = v;
`endif
endtask

// The memory, n bytes from addr, one bus word per group.
task automatic dump(input int unsigned addr, input int n);
  string line;
  int unsigned a = (addr / 16) * 16;
  while (a < addr + n) begin
    line = $sformatf("0x%05h ", a[19:0]);
    for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) begin
      if (i % BUS_BYTES == 0) line = {line, " "};
      line = {line, $sformatf(" %02h", mem_byte(a + i))};
    end
    $display("%s", line);
    a = a + 16;
  end
endtask

// Fill n bytes from addr with first, first+1, ... so untouched bytes stay recognisable.
task automatic mem_fill(input int unsigned addr, input int n, input logic [7:0] first = 8'h00);
  for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) set_byte(addr + i, first + i[7:0]);
endtask

// Drive nothing for n cycles.
task automatic idle(input int n);
  repeat (n) @(posedge aclk);
  #1;
endtask

Check yourself

Predict the outputThe channels are driven by hand here, so there is no beat log: the checker's summary is the only line printed. The memory answers a read three edges after it takes AR, and the manager keeps RREADY low for the first two edges after RVALID rises. What is the summary?
`timescale 1ns/1ps
module tb;
  import axi_pkg::*;
  localparam int DATA_W = 32, ID_W = 4, BUS_BYTES = DATA_W / 8;
  logic aclk = 0, aresetn = 0;
  always #5 aclk = ~aclk;                 // rising edges at 5, 15, 25, ...
  logic [ID_W-1:0]   awid = 0, bid, arid = 0, rid;
  logic [31:0]       awaddr = 0, araddr = 0;
  logic [7:0]        awlen = 0, arlen = 0;
  logic [2:0]        awsize = 0, arsize = 0;
  logic [1:0]        awburst = 0, arburst = 0, bresp, rresp;
  logic              awlock = 0, arlock = 0;
  logic [3:0]        awcache = 0, arcache = 0;
  logic [2:0]        awprot = 0, arprot = 0;
  logic              awvalid = 0, awready, wvalid = 0, wready, wlast = 0, bvalid, bready = 1;
  logic              arvalid = 0, arready, rvalid, rlast, rready = 1;
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] wdata = 0, rdata;
  logic [DATA_W/8-1:0] wstrb = 0;
  axi_mem #(.DATA_W(DATA_W), .ID_W(ID_W)) mem (.aclk(aclk), .aresetn(aresetn), .awid(awid), .awaddr(awaddr), .awlen(awlen), .awsize(awsize), .awburst(awburst), .awlock(awlock), .awcache(awcache), .awprot(awprot), .awvalid(awvalid), .awready(awready), .wdata(wdata), .wstrb(wstrb), .wlast(wlast), .wvalid(wvalid), .wready(wready), .bid(bid), .bresp(bresp), .bvalid(bvalid), .bready(bready), .arid(arid), .araddr(araddr), .arlen(arlen), .arsize(arsize), .arburst(arburst), .arlock(arlock), .arcache(arcache), .arprot(arprot), .arvalid(arvalid), .arready(arready), .rid(rid), .rdata(rdata), .rresp(rresp), .rlast(rlast), .rvalid(rvalid), .rready(rready));
  `define AXI_MEM mem
  axi_checker #(.DATA_W(DATA_W), .ID_W(ID_W)) chk (.aclk(aclk), .aresetn(aresetn), .awid(awid), .awaddr(awaddr), .awlen(awlen), .awsize(awsize), .awburst(awburst), .awlock(awlock), .awvalid(awvalid), .awready(awready), .wdata(wdata), .wstrb(wstrb), .wlast(wlast), .wvalid(wvalid), .wready(wready), .bid(bid), .bresp(bresp), .bvalid(bvalid), .bready(bready), .arid(arid), .araddr(araddr), .arlen(arlen), .arsize(arsize), .arburst(arburst), .arlock(arlock), .arvalid(arvalid), .arready(arready), .rid(rid), .rdata(rdata), .rresp(rresp), .rlast(rlast), .rvalid(rvalid), .rready(rready));
  `include "axi_tasks.svh"

  initial begin

    repeat (2) @(posedge aclk); #1 aresetn = 1;   // reset released after edge 1
    @(posedge aclk); #1;                          // the first request may start after edge 2
    // RREADY is low for the first two edges after RVALID rises, then high.
    ready_pattern(0, 16'b1111_1110_0111_1111);
    // A one-beat write: address, then data.
    awvalid = 1; awid = 1; awaddr = 32'h100; awlen = 0; awsize = 2; awburst = INCR;
    do @(posedge aclk); while (!awready); #1 awvalid = 0;
    wvalid = 1; wdata = 32'h5; wstrb = 4'b1111; wlast = 1;
    do @(posedge aclk); while (!wready); #1 wvalid = 0;
    // A one-beat read of the same word.
    arvalid = 1; arid = 2; araddr = 32'h100; arlen = 0; arsize = 2; arburst = INCR;
    do @(posedge aclk); while (!arready); #1 arvalid = 0;
    do @(posedge aclk); while (!(bvalid && bready)); #1;
    do @(posedge aclk); while (!(rvalid && rready)); #1;
    repeat (3) @(posedge aclk);
    $finish;
  end
endmodule
Read included file: axi_pkg.sv
`timescale 1ns/1ns
// axi_pkg.sv: the arithmetic of a burst (read-only).
// Every transfer n of a burst has an address and a set of byte lanes, computed from the start
// address, the burst length, the transfer size and the burst type exactly as the AXI specification
// defines them. The memory, the manager tasks and the checker all use these functions, so they
// never disagree about where a byte lands.
package axi_pkg;
  localparam logic [1:0] FIXED = 2'b00, INCR = 2'b01, WRAP = 2'b10;
  localparam logic [1:0] OKAY = 2'b00, EXOKAY = 2'b01, SLVERR = 2'b10, DECERR = 2'b11;

  function automatic string burst_name(input logic [1:0] b);
    case (b) FIXED: return "FIXED"; INCR: return "INCR"; WRAP: return "WRAP"; default: return "RESERVED"; endcase
  endfunction
  function automatic string resp_name(input logic [1:0] r);
    case (r) OKAY: return "OKAY"; EXOKAY: return "EXOKAY"; SLVERR: return "SLVERR"; default: return "DECERR"; endcase
  endfunction

  // Bytes in one transfer: 1, 2, 4, ... 128.
  function automatic int bytes_of(input logic [2:0] size);
    return 1 << size;
  endfunction

  // The address of transfer n (n counts from 0).
  //   transfer 0 uses the start address as given, aligned or not;
  //   later transfers use the start address aligned down to the transfer size, plus n transfers;
  //   a WRAP burst returns to its wrap boundary (the start aligned down to the whole burst) when
  //   it reaches the end of that window; a FIXED burst repeats the start address.
  function automatic int unsigned beat_addr(input int unsigned start, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                                            input logic [1:0] burst, input int n);
    int unsigned nb = 1 << size;
    int unsigned aligned = (start / nb) * nb;
    int unsigned window = nb * (len + 1);
    int unsigned boundary = (start / window) * window;
    int unsigned a;
    if (burst == FIXED || n == 0) return start;
    a = aligned + n * nb;
    if (burst == WRAP && a >= boundary + window) a = a - window;
    return a;
  endfunction

  // The byte lanes transfer n uses on a bus of bus_bytes bytes, packed as {upper, lower}.
  // Transfer 0 of an unaligned burst (and every transfer of a FIXED burst) uses only the lanes from
  // its address up to the end of its aligned transfer; every other transfer uses all the lanes of
  // its size.
  function automatic logic [15:0] beat_lanes(input int unsigned start, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                                             input logic [1:0] burst, input int n, input int bus_bytes);
    int unsigned nb = 1 << size;
    int unsigned a = beat_addr(start, len, size, burst, n);
    int unsigned aligned = (a / nb) * nb;
    int unsigned word = (a / bus_bytes) * bus_bytes;
    int lower = a - word;
    int upper = (n == 0 || burst == FIXED) ? (aligned + nb - 1 - word) : (lower + nb - 1);
    return {upper[7:0], lower[7:0]};
  endfunction

  // The strobe of transfer n: a 1 for every lane it uses (bit l is lane l).
  function automatic logic [63:0] beat_strb(input int unsigned start, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                                            input logic [1:0] burst, input int n, input int bus_bytes);
    logic [15:0] lanes = beat_lanes(start, len, size, burst, n, bus_bytes);
    logic [63:0] s = 0;
    for (int l = lanes[7:0]; l <= lanes[15:8]; l++) s[l] = 1'b1;
    return s;
  endfunction

  // True when the burst crosses a 4 KB boundary (only an INCR burst can).
  function automatic bit crosses_4k(input int unsigned start, input int len, input logic [2:0] size, input logic [1:0] burst);
    if (burst != INCR) return 0;
    return (beat_addr(start, len, size, burst, 0) / 4096) != ((beat_addr(start, len, size, burst, len) + (1 << size) - 1) / 4096);
  endfunction
endpackage
Read included file: axi_mem.sv
`timescale 1ns/1ns
// axi_mem.sv: an AXI4 subordinate with a byte-addressed memory behind it (read-only in this lesson).
// It accepts requests on AW and AR, write beats on W (before or after their AW), writes the bytes a
// burst addresses using the strobes, and answers on B and R after a latency. The switches below are
// plain variables: the stimulus sets them by name (mem.reorder = 1;) before it starts.
//   rd_latency, wr_latency   cycles from a request (or its last write beat) to its first response
//   slow_latency, slow_above addresses at or above slow_above answer after slow_latency instead
//   err_above                addresses at or above err_above get SLVERR (and are not written)
//   reorder                  answer transactions with DIFFERENT IDs as soon as each is ready;
//                            transactions with the same ID still answer in order
//   interleave               interleave the read data beats of ready transactions with different IDs
//   excl_on                  support exclusive access (one monitor per ID), else answer OKAY
//   posted                   apply a write to the memory only when its response is sent, so a read
//                            that arrives between the last beat and B still sees the old bytes
//   trace                    print every byte the memory writes
// Broken twins, each off by default: early_b (B before the last write beat and before AW),
// ignore_strobes (write every lane of the bus word), drop_hold (RDATA changes while RVALID waits
// for RREADY), reorder_same_id (a later transaction with the same ID may answer first),
// wrap_bug (a WRAP burst addressed like INCR).
module axi_mem #(parameter int DATA_W = 32, parameter int ID_W = 4, parameter int DEPTH = 65536) (
  input  logic              aclk,
  input  logic              aresetn,
  input  logic [ID_W-1:0]   awid,
  input  logic [31:0]       awaddr,
  input  logic [7:0]        awlen,
  input  logic [2:0]        awsize,
  input  logic [1:0]        awburst,
  input  logic              awlock,
  input  logic [3:0]        awcache,
  input  logic [2:0]        awprot,
  input  logic              awvalid,
  output logic              awready,
  input  logic [DATA_W-1:0] wdata,
  input  logic [DATA_W/8-1:0] wstrb,
  input  logic              wlast,
  input  logic              wvalid,
  output logic              wready,
  output logic [ID_W-1:0]   bid,
  output logic [1:0]        bresp,
  output logic              bvalid,
  input  logic              bready,
  input  logic [ID_W-1:0]   arid,
  input  logic [31:0]       araddr,
  input  logic [7:0]        arlen,
  input  logic [2:0]        arsize,
  input  logic [1:0]        arburst,
  input  logic              arlock,
  input  logic [3:0]        arcache,
  input  logic [2:0]        arprot,
  input  logic              arvalid,
  output logic              arready,
  output logic [ID_W-1:0]   rid,
  output logic [DATA_W-1:0] rdata,
  output logic [1:0]        rresp,
  output logic              rlast,
  output logic              rvalid,
  input  logic              rready
);
  import axi_pkg::*;
  localparam int BUS = DATA_W / 8;
  localparam int N = 16;                      // transactions in flight per direction

  // ---- switches ----
  int rd_latency = 2, wr_latency = 2, slow_latency = 8;
  int unsigned slow_above = 32'hffff_ffff, err_above = 32'hffff_ffff;
  bit reorder = 0, interleave = 0, excl_on = 0, posted = 0, trace = 0;
  bit early_b = 0, ignore_strobes = 0, drop_hold = 0, reorder_same_id = 0, wrap_bug = 0;

  // ---- the memory ----
  logic [7:0] mem [0:DEPTH-1];
  initial for (int i = 0; i < DEPTH; i++) mem[i] = 8'h00;

  int cycle = -1;
  int seq = 0;                                // every request gets a sequence number: issue order

  // ---- write side: accepted AW requests (a ring) and write beats (a ring) ----
  logic [ID_W-1:0] aw_id [0:N-1];
  int unsigned     aw_addr [0:N-1];
  int              aw_len [0:N-1];
  logic [2:0]      aw_size [0:N-1];
  logic [1:0]      aw_burst [0:N-1];
  logic            aw_lock [0:N-1];
  int aw_head = 0, aw_tail = 0, aw_count = 0;
  localparam int WQ = 1024;
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] w_data [0:WQ-1];
  logic [BUS-1:0]    w_strb [0:WQ-1];
  logic              w_last [0:WQ-1];
  int w_head = 0, w_tail = 0, w_count = 0, w_bursts = 0;   // w_bursts: complete bursts in the ring

  // ---- write responses waiting for their latency ----
  logic            b_use [0:N-1];
  logic [ID_W-1:0] b_id [0:N-1];
  logic [1:0]      b_rsp [0:N-1];
  int              b_at [0:N-1], b_seq [0:N-1];
  logic            b_driving = 0;
  logic            early_done = 0;            // the early_b twin answers once per burst
  // posted writes: the beats of a write kept until its response goes out
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] p_data [0:N-1][0:255];
  logic [BUS-1:0]    p_strb [0:N-1][0:255];
  int unsigned       p_addr [0:N-1];
  int                p_len [0:N-1];
  logic [2:0]        p_size [0:N-1];
  logic [1:0]        p_burst [0:N-1];
  logic              p_pending [0:N-1];

  // ---- read side: accepted AR requests with their progress ----
  logic            r_use [0:N-1];
  logic [ID_W-1:0] r_id [0:N-1];
  int unsigned     r_addr [0:N-1];
  int              r_len [0:N-1];
  logic [2:0]      r_size [0:N-1];
  logic [1:0]      r_burst [0:N-1];
  logic            r_lock [0:N-1];
  int              r_at [0:N-1], r_seq [0:N-1], r_beat [0:N-1], r_served [0:N-1];
  int              r_cur = -1;                // the transaction whose beat is on the wires
  logic            r_driving = 0;

  // ---- exclusive monitors, one per ID ----
  logic        mon_use [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];
  int unsigned mon_addr [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];
  int unsigned mon_bytes [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];

  initial begin
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) begin b_use[i] = 0; r_use[i] = 0; p_pending[i] = 0; end
    for (int i = 0; i < (1 << ID_W); i++) mon_use[i] = 0;
    awready = 0; wready = 0; arready = 0; bvalid = 0; rvalid = 0; bid = 0; bresp = 0; rid = 0; rresp = 0; rlast = 0; rdata = 0;
  end

  function automatic int latency_of(input int unsigned a, input int base);
    return (a >= slow_above) ? slow_latency : base;
  endfunction
  function automatic logic [1:0] burst_used(input logic [1:0] b);
    return (wrap_bug && b == WRAP) ? INCR : b;
  endfunction

  // ---- selection policies ----
  // The oldest of all pending entries, or the oldest of its ID: the in-order rule of the protocol.
  function automatic bit b_oldest(input int i, input bit same_id_only);
    for (int j = 0; j < N; j++)
      if (b_use[j] && j != i && b_seq[j] < b_seq[i] && (!same_id_only || b_id[j] == b_id[i])) return 0;
    return 1;
  endfunction
  function automatic bit r_oldest(input int i, input bit same_id_only);
    for (int j = 0; j < N; j++)
      if (r_use[j] && j != i && r_seq[j] < r_seq[i] && (!same_id_only || r_id[j] == r_id[i])) return 0;
    return 1;
  endfunction
  function automatic bit b_eligible(input int i);
    if (!b_use[i] || b_at[i] > cycle) return 0;
    if (!reorder) return b_oldest(i, 0);
    return reorder_same_id ? 1 : b_oldest(i, 1);
  endfunction
  function automatic bit r_eligible(input int i);
    if (!r_use[i] || r_at[i] > cycle) return 0;
    if (!reorder) return r_oldest(i, 0);
    return reorder_same_id ? 1 : r_oldest(i, 1);
  endfunction
  function automatic int free_b();
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) if (!b_use[i]) return i;
    return -1;
  endfunction
  function automatic int free_r();
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) if (!r_use[i]) return i;
    return -1;
  endfunction
  function automatic int pick_b();
    int best = -1;
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) if (b_eligible(i) && (best < 0 || b_seq[i] < b_seq[best])) best = i;
    return best;
  endfunction
  function automatic int pick_r();
    int best = -1;
    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) if (r_eligible(i)) begin
      if (best < 0) best = i;
      else if (interleave ? (r_served[i] < r_served[best]) : (r_seq[i] < r_seq[best])) best = i;
    end
    return best;
  endfunction

  // ---- the bytes of one read beat, as the bus word that holds them ----
  function automatic logic [DATA_W-1:0] read_word(input int unsigned a);
    logic [DATA_W-1:0] d = 0;
    int unsigned word = (a / BUS) * BUS;
    for (int l = 0; l < BUS; l++) d[8*l +: 8] = (word + l < DEPTH) ? mem[word + l] : 8'h00;
    return d;
  endfunction

  // ---- the write of one complete burst into the memory ----
  task automatic write_burst(input int e);
    logic [1:0]  rsp = OKAY;
    logic        do_write = 1, ended = 0;
    int unsigned a, word;
    logic [15:0] lanes;
    int          n = 0, slot;
    int unsigned total = (1 << aw_size[e]) * (aw_len[e] + 1);
    slot = free_b();
    if (aw_lock[e] && excl_on) begin
      if (mon_use[aw_id[e]] && mon_addr[aw_id[e]] == aw_addr[e]) begin
        rsp = EXOKAY;
        $display("mem e%0d: exclusive write id=%0d at 0x%0h: the monitor matched, EXOKAY", cycle, aw_id[e], aw_addr[e]);
      end else begin
        do_write = 0;
        $display("mem e%0d: exclusive write id=%0d at 0x%0h: no monitor, OKAY and nothing written", cycle, aw_id[e], aw_addr[e]);
      end
    end
    while (!ended && n <= aw_len[e]) begin
      a = beat_addr(aw_addr[e], aw_len[e], aw_size[e], burst_used(aw_burst[e]), n);
      lanes = beat_lanes(aw_addr[e], aw_len[e], aw_size[e], burst_used(aw_burst[e]), n, BUS);
      word = (a / BUS) * BUS;
      if (a >= err_above) rsp = SLVERR;
      else if (do_write && posted && slot >= 0) begin
        p_data[slot][n] = w_data[w_head]; p_strb[slot][n] = w_strb[w_head];
      end else if (do_write) begin
        for (int l = 0; l < BUS; l++)
          if ((w_strb[w_head][l] || ignore_strobes) && word + l < DEPTH) begin
            mem[word + l] = w_data[w_head][8*l +: 8];
            if (trace) $display("mem e%0d: beat %0d writes 0x%02h to 0x%0h (lane %0d)", cycle, n, w_data[w_head][8*l +: 8], word + l, l);
          end
      end
      ended = w_last[w_head];                      // a burst ends at its WLAST, whatever AWLEN said
      w_head = (w_head + 1) % WQ; w_count = w_count - 1;
      n = n + 1;
    end
    while (!ended) begin                           // beats past AWLEN (a broken manager) are dropped
      ended = w_last[w_head];
      w_head = (w_head + 1) % WQ; w_count = w_count - 1;
    end
    // A write clears every monitor that watches a byte it touched.
    if (do_write)
      for (int i = 0; i < (1 << ID_W); i++)
        if (mon_use[i] && mon_addr[i] < aw_addr[e] + total && aw_addr[e] < mon_addr[i] + mon_bytes[i]) mon_use[i] = 0;
    if (slot >= 0) begin
      b_use[slot] = 1; b_id[slot] = aw_id[e]; b_rsp[slot] = rsp; b_seq[slot] = seq; seq = seq + 1;
      b_at[slot] = cycle + latency_of(aw_addr[e], wr_latency);
      if (posted && do_write) begin
        p_pending[slot] = 1; p_addr[slot] = aw_addr[e]; p_len[slot] = n - 1; p_size[slot] = aw_size[e]; p_burst[slot] = aw_burst[e];
      end
    end
  endtask

  // A posted write reaches the memory when its response goes out.
  task automatic apply_posted(input int i);
    int unsigned a, word;
    for (int n = 0; n <= p_len[i]; n++) begin
      a = beat_addr(p_addr[i], p_len[i], p_size[i], burst_used(p_burst[i]), n);
      word = (a / BUS) * BUS;
      if (a < err_above)
        for (int l = 0; l < BUS; l++)
          if ((p_strb[i][n][l] || ignore_strobes) && word + l < DEPTH) begin
            mem[word + l] = p_data[i][n][8*l +: 8];
            if (trace) $display("mem e%0d: posted beat %0d writes 0x%02h to 0x%0h (lane %0d)", cycle, n, p_data[i][n][8*l +: 8], word + l, l);
          end
    end
    p_pending[i] = 0;
  endtask

  int pick, extra;
  always @(posedge aclk) begin
    cycle = cycle + 1;
    if (!aresetn) begin
      aw_head = 0; aw_tail = 0; aw_count = 0; w_head = 0; w_tail = 0; w_count = 0; w_bursts = 0;
      for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) begin b_use[i] = 0; r_use[i] = 0; end
      b_driving = 0; r_driving = 0; r_cur = -1;
      awready <= 0; wready <= 0; arready <= 0; bvalid <= 0; rvalid <= 0;
    end else begin
      // -- AW: take a request while there is room --
      if (awvalid && awready) begin
        aw_id[aw_tail] = awid; aw_addr[aw_tail] = awaddr; aw_len[aw_tail] = awlen; aw_size[aw_tail] = awsize;
        aw_burst[aw_tail] = awburst; aw_lock[aw_tail] = awlock;
        aw_tail = (aw_tail + 1) % N; aw_count = aw_count + 1;
      end
      // -- W: take a beat while there is room --
      if (wvalid && wready) begin
        w_data[w_tail] = wdata; w_strb[w_tail] = wstrb; w_last[w_tail] = wlast;
        w_tail = (w_tail + 1) % WQ; w_count = w_count + 1;
        if (wlast) w_bursts = w_bursts + 1;
      end
      // -- a complete burst with its request: write it and schedule B --
      if (aw_count > 0 && w_bursts > 0) begin
        write_burst(aw_head);
        aw_head = (aw_head + 1) % N; aw_count = aw_count - 1; w_bursts = w_bursts - 1;
        early_done = 0;
      end else if (early_b && !early_done && w_count > 0 && w_bursts == 0) begin
        // The broken twin: a response as soon as the first write beat arrived, before WLAST and,
        // when the data came first, before the address.
        pick = free_b();
        if (pick >= 0) begin
          b_use[pick] = 1; b_id[pick] = (aw_count > 0) ? aw_id[aw_head] : awid; b_rsp[pick] = OKAY; b_seq[pick] = seq; seq = seq + 1; b_at[pick] = cycle;
          early_done = 1;
        end
      end
      // -- B: finish a handshake, then put the next response on the wires --
      if (b_driving && bready) b_driving = 0;
      if (!b_driving) begin
        pick = pick_b();
        if (pick >= 0) begin
          if (p_pending[pick]) apply_posted(pick);
          b_driving = 1; bid <= b_id[pick]; bresp <= b_rsp[pick]; b_use[pick] = 0;
        end
      end
      bvalid <= b_driving;
      // -- AR: take a request while there is room --
      if (arvalid && arready) begin
        pick = free_r();
        if (pick >= 0) begin
          r_use[pick] = 1; r_id[pick] = arid; r_addr[pick] = araddr; r_len[pick] = arlen; r_size[pick] = arsize; r_burst[pick] = arburst;
          r_lock[pick] = arlock; r_beat[pick] = 0; r_seq[pick] = seq; seq = seq + 1; r_served[pick] = -1;
          r_at[pick] = cycle + latency_of(araddr, rd_latency);
          if (arlock && excl_on) begin
            mon_use[arid] = 1; mon_addr[arid] = araddr; mon_bytes[arid] = (1 << arsize) * (arlen + 1);
            $display("mem e%0d: exclusive read id=%0d at 0x%0h: monitor set", cycle, arid, araddr);
          end
        end
      end
      // -- R: finish a handshake, then put the next beat on the wires --
      if (r_driving && !rready && drop_hold) rdata <= rdata + 1;   // the broken twin: data not held
      if (r_driving && rready) begin
        r_driving = 0;
        if (r_beat[r_cur] > r_len[r_cur]) begin r_use[r_cur] = 0; r_cur = -1; end
        else if (interleave) r_cur = -1;
      end
      if (!r_driving) begin
        pick = (r_cur >= 0) ? r_cur : pick_r();
        if (pick >= 0) begin
          r_cur = pick; r_driving = 1; r_served[pick] = cycle;
          extra = r_beat[pick];
          rid <= r_id[pick];
          rdata <= read_word(beat_addr(r_addr[pick], r_len[pick], r_size[pick], burst_used(r_burst[pick]), extra));
          rresp <= (beat_addr(r_addr[pick], r_len[pick], r_size[pick], burst_used(r_burst[pick]), extra) >= err_above) ? SLVERR
                 : ((r_lock[pick] && excl_on) ? EXOKAY : OKAY);
          rlast <= (extra == r_len[pick]);
          r_beat[pick] = extra + 1;
        end
      end
      rvalid <= r_driving;
      awready <= (aw_count < N - 1);
      wready  <= (w_count < WQ - 2);
      arready <= 1;
    end
  end
endmodule
Read included file: axi_checker.sv
`timescale 1ns/1ns
// axi_checker.sv: the rules of an AXI4 interface, checked at every rising edge (read-only).
// Each broken rule is named with the channel and the edge where it was seen:
//   reset      a VALID is 1 while reset is active;
//   hold       a VALID dropped before its READY: the offer was withdrawn;
//   stable     a channel's payload changed while its offer waited;
//   known      a payload is x while its VALID is 1;
//   len        a FIXED or WRAP burst longer than 16 beats;
//   wrap       a WRAP burst whose length is not 2, 4, 8 or 16 beats or whose address is not aligned;
//   boundary   a burst that crosses a 4 KB boundary;
//   size       a transfer wider than the data bus;
//   strobe     a write strobe on a lane the beat does not address;
//   wlast      WLAST on the wrong beat (not AWLEN), or missing after it;
//   rlast      RLAST on the wrong beat of the oldest read with that ID, or missing after it;
//   border     BVALID before any outstanding write has its last beat, or before its AW;
//   bid, rid   a response ID with no outstanding request of that ID;
//   exokay     EXOKAY for a request that was not exclusive;
//   exclusive  an exclusive request whose bytes are not a power of two up to 128, or not aligned to them.
// The rules no checker can see on the wires (VALID must not wait for READY; same-ID responses
// in the order of their requests) are checked by the data the tasks compare (lessons P2.2, P2.10).
module axi_checker #(parameter int DATA_W = 32, parameter int ID_W = 4) (
  input logic              aclk,
  input logic              aresetn,
  input logic [ID_W-1:0]   awid,
  input logic [31:0]       awaddr,
  input logic [7:0]        awlen,
  input logic [2:0]        awsize,
  input logic [1:0]        awburst,
  input logic              awlock,
  input logic              awvalid,
  input logic              awready,
  input logic [DATA_W-1:0] wdata,
  input logic [DATA_W/8-1:0] wstrb,
  input logic              wlast,
  input logic              wvalid,
  input logic              wready,
  input logic [ID_W-1:0]   bid,
  input logic [1:0]        bresp,
  input logic              bvalid,
  input logic              bready,
  input logic [ID_W-1:0]   arid,
  input logic [31:0]       araddr,
  input logic [7:0]        arlen,
  input logic [2:0]        arsize,
  input logic [1:0]        arburst,
  input logic              arlock,
  input logic              arvalid,
  input logic              arready,
  input logic [ID_W-1:0]   rid,
  input logic [DATA_W-1:0] rdata,
  input logic [1:0]        rresp,
  input logic              rlast,
  input logic              rvalid,
  input logic              rready
);
  import axi_pkg::*;
  localparam int BUS = DATA_W / 8;
  localparam int Q = 64;
  int cycle = -1, writes = 0, reads = 0, stalls = 0, broken = 0;
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] used;

  function void report(input string rule, input string what);
    broken++;
    $display("RULE %s broken at edge %0d: %s", rule, cycle, what);
  endfunction

  // Previous values of every channel, for hold and stable.
  logic p_awv = 0, p_awr = 0, p_wv = 0, p_wr = 0, p_bv = 0, p_br = 0, p_arv = 0, p_arr = 0, p_rv = 0, p_rr = 0;
  logic [31:0] p_awaddr, p_araddr;
  logic [7:0] p_awlen, p_arlen;
  logic [2:0] p_awsize, p_arsize;
  logic [1:0] p_awburst, p_arburst, p_bresp, p_rresp;
  logic [ID_W-1:0] p_awid, p_arid, p_bid, p_rid;
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] p_wdata, p_rdata;
  logic [BUS-1:0] p_wstrb;
  logic p_wlast, p_rlast, p_awlock, p_arlock;

  // Write requests in order (AXI4 write data follows the order of the addresses).
  int unsigned q_addr [0:Q-1];
  int q_len [0:Q-1];
  logic [2:0] q_size [0:Q-1];
  logic [1:0] q_burst [0:Q-1];
  int aw_n = 0;                 // requests accepted
  int wb_n = 0;                 // write bursts started
  int wb_done = 0;              // write bursts ended (WLAST seen)
  int w_beat = 0;               // beats so far in the current burst
  int b_n = 0;                  // responses given
  // Beats recorded for bursts that ran ahead of their AW: strobes and count, checked when AW arrives.
  logic [BUS-1:0] rec_strb [0:Q-1][0:255];
  int rec_beats [0:Q-1];
  logic rec_open [0:Q-1];
  // Outstanding requests per ID, and the read requests per ID in order.
  int aw_out [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], ar_out [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], aw_excl [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], ar_excl [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];
  int rq_len [0:(1<<ID_W)-1][0:15];
  int rq_head [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], rq_tail [0:(1<<ID_W)-1], r_beat [0:(1<<ID_W)-1];
  initial for (int i = 0; i < (1 << ID_W); i++) begin aw_out[i] = 0; ar_out[i] = 0; aw_excl[i] = 0; ar_excl[i] = 0; rq_head[i] = 0; rq_tail[i] = 0; r_beat[i] = 0; end
  initial for (int i = 0; i < Q; i++) begin rec_beats[i] = 0; rec_open[i] = 0; end

  function automatic bit pow2_le128(input int unsigned n);
    return (n == 1 || n == 2 || n == 4 || n == 8 || n == 16 || n == 32 || n == 64 || n == 128);
  endfunction

  task automatic check_request(input string ch, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size, input logic [1:0] burst, input logic lock);
    int unsigned bytes = (1 << size) * (len + 1);
    if ((burst == FIXED || burst == WRAP) && len > 15) report("len", $sformatf("%s: a %s burst of %0d beats (16 at most)", ch, burst_name(burst), len + 1));
    if (burst == WRAP && !(len == 1 || len == 3 || len == 7 || len == 15)) report("wrap", $sformatf("%s: a WRAP burst of %0d beats (2, 4, 8 or 16)", ch, len + 1));
    if (burst == WRAP && (addr % (1 << size)) != 0) report("wrap", $sformatf("%s: WRAP burst at 0x%0h is not aligned to its %0d-byte transfers", ch, addr, 1 << size));
    if (burst == 2'b11) report("len", $sformatf("%s: burst type 2'b11 is reserved", ch));
    if ((1 << size) > BUS) report("size", $sformatf("%s: %0d-byte transfers on a %0d-byte bus", ch, 1 << size, BUS));
    if (crosses_4k(addr, len, size, burst)) report("boundary", $sformatf("%s: burst at 0x%0h, %0d beats of %0d bytes, crosses a 4 KB boundary", ch, addr, len + 1, 1 << size));
    if (lock && (!pow2_le128(bytes) || (addr % bytes) != 0)) report("exclusive", $sformatf("%s: exclusive access of %0d bytes at 0x%0h (a power of two up to 128, aligned)", ch, bytes, addr));
  endtask

  task automatic check_strobe(input int k, input int n, input logic [BUS-1:0] strb);
    logic [63:0] allowed = beat_strb(q_addr[k % Q], q_len[k % Q], q_size[k % Q], q_burst[k % Q], n, BUS);
    if ((strb & ~allowed[BUS-1:0]) != 0)
      report("strobe", $sformatf("W beat %0d of write %0d: strobe %b on lanes outside %b", n, k, strb, allowed[BUS-1:0]));
  endtask

  always @(posedge aclk) begin
    cycle++;
    if (!aresetn) begin
      if (awvalid === 1 || wvalid === 1 || arvalid === 1) report("reset", "a manager VALID is 1 during reset");
      if (bvalid === 1 || rvalid === 1) report("reset", "a subordinate VALID is 1 during reset");
    end else begin
      // hold, stable and known, per channel
      if (p_awv && !p_awr && awvalid !== 1) report("hold", "AWVALID dropped before AWREADY");
      if (p_awv && !p_awr && awvalid === 1 && (awaddr !== p_awaddr || awlen !== p_awlen || awsize !== p_awsize || awburst !== p_awburst || awid !== p_awid || awlock !== p_awlock)) report("stable", "AW payload changed while the request waited");
      if (p_wv && !p_wr && wvalid !== 1) report("hold", "WVALID dropped before WREADY");
      if (p_wv && !p_wr && wvalid === 1 && (wdata !== p_wdata || wstrb !== p_wstrb || wlast !== p_wlast)) report("stable", "W payload changed while the beat waited");
      if (p_bv && !p_br && bvalid !== 1) report("hold", "BVALID dropped before BREADY");
      if (p_bv && !p_br && bvalid === 1 && (bresp !== p_bresp || bid !== p_bid)) report("stable", "B payload changed while the response waited");
      if (p_arv && !p_arr && arvalid !== 1) report("hold", "ARVALID dropped before ARREADY");
      if (p_arv && !p_arr && arvalid === 1 && (araddr !== p_araddr || arlen !== p_arlen || arsize !== p_arsize || arburst !== p_arburst || arid !== p_arid || arlock !== p_arlock)) report("stable", "AR payload changed while the request waited");
      if (p_rv && !p_rr && rvalid !== 1) report("hold", "RVALID dropped before RREADY");
      if (p_rv && !p_rr && rvalid === 1 && (rdata !== p_rdata || rresp !== p_rresp || rid !== p_rid || rlast !== p_rlast)) report("stable", "R payload changed while the beat waited");
      if (awvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(awaddr) || $isunknown(awlen) || $isunknown(awsize) || $isunknown(awburst) || $isunknown(awid))) report("known", "AW payload is x while AWVALID is 1");
      if (wvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(wstrb) || $isunknown(wlast))) report("known", "W strobe or last is x while WVALID is 1");
      else if (wvalid === 1) begin
        used = '0;
        for (int l = 0; l < BUS; l++) if (wstrb[l] === 1) used[8*l +: 8] = 8'hff;
        if ($isunknown(wdata & used)) report("known", "W data is x on a strobed lane while WVALID is 1");
      end
      if (arvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(araddr) || $isunknown(arlen) || $isunknown(arsize) || $isunknown(arburst) || $isunknown(arid))) report("known", "AR payload is x while ARVALID is 1");
      if (bvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(bresp) || $isunknown(bid))) report("known", "B payload is x while BVALID is 1");
      if (rvalid === 1 && ($isunknown(rresp) || $isunknown(rid) || $isunknown(rlast))) report("known", "R payload is x while RVALID is 1");
      if ((awvalid === 1 && awready !== 1) || (wvalid === 1 && wready !== 1) || (arvalid === 1 && arready !== 1) ||
          (bvalid === 1 && bready !== 1) || (rvalid === 1 && rready !== 1)) stalls++;
      // AW accepted
      if (awvalid === 1 && awready === 1) begin
        check_request("AW", awaddr, awlen, awsize, awburst, awlock);
        q_addr[aw_n % Q] = awaddr; q_len[aw_n % Q] = awlen; q_size[aw_n % Q] = awsize; q_burst[aw_n % Q] = awburst;
        aw_out[awid]++; if (awlock) aw_excl[awid]++;
        // beats of this write that arrived before its address: check them now
        if (rec_beats[aw_n % Q] > 0) begin
          for (int n = 0; n < rec_beats[aw_n % Q]; n++) check_strobe(aw_n, n, rec_strb[aw_n % Q][n]);
          if (!rec_open[aw_n % Q] && rec_beats[aw_n % Q] != awlen + 1)
            report("wlast", $sformatf("write %0d sent %0d beats before its AW said AWLEN=%0d", aw_n, rec_beats[aw_n % Q], awlen));
          if (!rec_open[aw_n % Q]) rec_beats[aw_n % Q] = 0;
        end
        aw_n++;
      end
      // W beat accepted
      if (wvalid === 1 && wready === 1) begin
        if (w_beat == 0) begin wb_n++; rec_beats[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = 0; rec_open[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = 1; end
        if (wb_n <= aw_n) begin
          check_strobe(wb_n - 1, w_beat, wstrb);
          if (wlast === 1 && w_beat != q_len[(wb_n - 1) % Q]) report("wlast", $sformatf("WLAST on beat %0d of write %0d, AWLEN=%0d", w_beat, wb_n - 1, q_len[(wb_n - 1) % Q]));
          if (wlast !== 1 && w_beat == q_len[(wb_n - 1) % Q]) report("wlast", $sformatf("beat %0d of write %0d is AWLEN=%0d but WLAST is 0", w_beat, wb_n - 1, q_len[(wb_n - 1) % Q]));
        end else begin
          rec_strb[(wb_n - 1) % Q][w_beat] = wstrb;
        end
        rec_beats[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = w_beat + 1;
        w_beat++;
        if (wlast === 1) begin w_beat = 0; wb_done++; rec_open[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = 0; if (wb_n <= aw_n) rec_beats[(wb_n - 1) % Q] = 0; end
      end
      // B offered or accepted
      if (bvalid === 1 && !p_bv) begin
        if (b_n >= aw_n && b_n >= wb_done) report("border", "BVALID with no write to answer: neither an AW nor a WLAST is outstanding");
        else if (b_n >= wb_done) report("border", "BVALID before the last beat of the write it answers");
        else if (b_n >= aw_n) report("border", "BVALID before the AW of the write it answers was accepted");
      end
      if (bvalid === 1 && bready === 1) begin
        if (aw_out[bid] == 0) report("bid", $sformatf("B with id %0d, which has no outstanding write", bid));
        else begin
          aw_out[bid]--; writes++;
          if (bresp === EXOKAY && aw_excl[bid] == 0) report("exokay", $sformatf("EXOKAY for write id %0d, which was not exclusive", bid));
          if (aw_excl[bid] > 0 && aw_excl[bid] > aw_out[bid]) aw_excl[bid] = aw_out[bid];
        end
        b_n++;
      end
      // AR accepted
      if (arvalid === 1 && arready === 1) begin
        check_request("AR", araddr, arlen, arsize, arburst, arlock);
        rq_len[arid][rq_tail[arid]] = arlen; rq_tail[arid] = (rq_tail[arid] + 1) % 16;
        ar_out[arid]++; if (arlock) ar_excl[arid]++;
      end
      // R beat accepted
      if (rvalid === 1 && rready === 1) begin
        if (ar_out[rid] == 0) report("rid", $sformatf("R with id %0d, which has no outstanding read", rid));
        else begin
          if (rlast === 1 && r_beat[rid] != rq_len[rid][rq_head[rid]])
            report("rlast", $sformatf("RLAST on beat %0d of the oldest read with id %0d, whose ARLEN is %0d", r_beat[rid], rid, rq_len[rid][rq_head[rid]]));
          if (rlast !== 1 && r_beat[rid] == rq_len[rid][rq_head[rid]])
            report("rlast", $sformatf("beat %0d of the oldest read with id %0d is its ARLEN but RLAST is 0", r_beat[rid], rid));
          if (rresp === EXOKAY && ar_excl[rid] == 0) report("exokay", $sformatf("EXOKAY for read id %0d, which was not exclusive", rid));
          r_beat[rid]++;
          if (rlast === 1) begin
            r_beat[rid] = 0; rq_head[rid] = (rq_head[rid] + 1) % 16; ar_out[rid]--; reads++;
            if (ar_excl[rid] > ar_out[rid]) ar_excl[rid] = ar_out[rid];
          end
        end
      end
    end
    p_awv = (awvalid === 1); p_awr = (awready === 1); p_wv = (wvalid === 1); p_wr = (wready === 1);
    p_bv = (bvalid === 1); p_br = (bready === 1); p_arv = (arvalid === 1); p_arr = (arready === 1);
    p_rv = (rvalid === 1); p_rr = (rready === 1);
    p_awaddr = awaddr; p_awlen = awlen; p_awsize = awsize; p_awburst = awburst; p_awid = awid; p_awlock = awlock;
    p_wdata = wdata; p_wstrb = wstrb; p_wlast = wlast; p_bresp = bresp; p_bid = bid;
    p_araddr = araddr; p_arlen = arlen; p_arsize = arsize; p_arburst = arburst; p_arid = arid; p_arlock = arlock;
    p_rdata = rdata; p_rresp = rresp; p_rid = rid; p_rlast = rlast;
  end
  final $display("checker: %0d writes, %0d reads, %0d stalled edges, %0d rules broken", writes, reads, stalls, broken);
endmodule
Read included file: axi_tasks.svh
// axi_tasks.svh: the manager side of the bench, as tasks for the stimulus (read-only).
// Data for a write burst goes in wd[0], wd[1], ... (one entry per beat, the lowest byte at the
// lowest address); the data of a read comes back in rd[0], rd[1], ... with its responses in rr[].
// Every task prints the beat log: one line per handshake, with the edge where it happened.
// `cycle` counts rising edges from 0.
int cycle = -1;
always @(posedge aclk) cycle = cycle + 1;

logic [63:0] wd [0:255];
logic [63:0] rd [0:255];
logic [1:0]  rr [0:255];
logic [63:0] rdq [0:15][0:255];     // read data per ID, for reads collected out of order
logic [1:0]  rrq [0:15][0:255];
int          rdn [0:15];            // beats received per ID
logic [1:0]  last_bresp = 0;
int          last_beats = 0;
// What the task is driving right now, for the waveform scenes: the address and lanes of the beat.
int unsigned beat_a = 0;
logic [7:0]  beat_m = 0;
// quiet = 1 silences the beat log (a predict item can then ask for a dump line instead).
bit          quiet = 0;
// Strobe override: when strb_force is 1, every write beat uses strb_val as it is.
bit          strb_force = 0;
logic [7:0]  strb_val = 8'hff;
// Outstanding read requests per ID, so the tasks know the lanes of the beats that come back.
int unsigned arq_addr [0:15][0:7];
int          arq_len [0:15][0:7];
logic [2:0]  arq_size [0:15][0:7];
logic [1:0]  arq_burst [0:15][0:7];
int          arq_head [0:15], arq_tail [0:15];
initial for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) begin arq_head[i] = 0; arq_tail[i] = 0; rdn[i] = 0; end
// READY patterns for the response channels: bit (cycle % 16) of the pattern drives the signal.
bit          rpat_on = 0, bpat_on = 0;
logic [15:0] rpat = 16'hffff, bpat = 16'hffff;
always @(posedge aclk) begin
  #1;
  if (rpat_on) rready = rpat[cycle % 16];
  if (bpat_on) bready = bpat[cycle % 16];
end

// A text waveform for the lesson's trace blocks: with watch = 1, one line per rising edge with the
// values sampled at that edge (cycle k of a trace is what edge k sees).
bit watch = 0;
int wave_edge = -1;
always @(posedge aclk) begin
  wave_edge = wave_edge + 1;
  if (watch) $display("wave e%0d: aw=%b%b w=%b%b b=%b%b ar=%b%b r=%b%b awaddr=%h wdata=%h wstrb=%b wlast=%b bid=%h bresp=%b araddr=%h rid=%h rdata=%h rresp=%b rlast=%b",
                      wave_edge, awvalid, awready, wvalid, wready, bvalid, bready, arvalid, arready, rvalid, rready,
                      awaddr, wdata, wstrb, wlast, bid, bresp, araddr, rid, rdata, rresp, rlast);
end

// Drive RREADY (ch = 0) or BREADY (ch = 1) from a 16-bit pattern; 16'hffff restores always ready.
task automatic ready_pattern(input int ch, input logic [15:0] pat);
  if (ch == 0) begin rpat = pat; rpat_on = 1; rready = pat[cycle % 16]; end
  else begin bpat = pat; bpat_on = 1; bready = pat[cycle % 16]; end
endtask

// The write address channel: offer the request and hold it until it is taken.
task automatic aw_issue(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                        input logic [1:0] burst, input logic lock = 0);
  awid = id; awaddr = addr; awlen = len[7:0]; awsize = size; awburst = burst; awlock = lock; awvalid = 1;
  do @(posedge aclk); while (!awready);
  #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d AW id=%0d addr=0x%0h len=%0d size=%0d %0s%0s", cycle, id, addr, len, size, burst_name(burst), lock ? " exclusive" : "");
  awvalid = 0; awaddr = 'x; awlen = 'x; awsize = 'x; awburst = 'x; awid = 'x; awlock = 0;
endtask

// The write data channel: the beats of one burst from wd[first..], each placed in its lanes.
task automatic w_burst(input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size, input logic [1:0] burst, input int first = 0);
  logic [15:0] lanes;
  for (int n = 0; n <= len; n++) begin
    lanes = beat_lanes(addr, len, size, burst, n, BUS_BYTES);
    beat_a = beat_addr(addr, len, size, burst, n);
    beat_m = strb_force ? strb_val : beat_strb(addr, len, size, burst, n, BUS_BYTES);
    wdata = wd[first + n] << (8 * lanes[7:0]);
    wstrb = beat_m[BUS_BYTES-1:0];
    wlast = (n == len);
    wvalid = 1;
    do @(posedge aclk); while (!wready);
    #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d W  beat %0d data=0x%0h strb=%b last=%0d  addr 0x%0h lanes %0d-%0d", cycle, n, wdata, wstrb, wlast, beat_a, lanes[7:0], lanes[15:8]);
  end
  wvalid = 0; wdata = 'x; wstrb = 'x; wlast = 0; beat_m = 0;
endtask

// Wait for the write response of one transaction with this ID.
task automatic b_wait(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id);
  do @(posedge aclk); while (!(bvalid && bready && bid == id));
  last_bresp = bresp;                       // sampled at the edge, before the subordinate moves on
  #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d B  id=%0d %0s", cycle, id, resp_name(last_bresp));
endtask

// A complete write. order 0 offers the address, then the first beat one cycle later whether or
// not the address has been taken yet (a manager must never make WVALID wait for AWREADY); 1 offers
// the beats first and the address after beat 0; 2 offers the address and beat 0 in the same cycle.
// Returns after B, with the response in last_bresp.
task automatic axi_write(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                         input logic [1:0] burst, input int order = 0, input logic lock = 0);
  case (order)
    1: fork
         w_burst(addr, len, size, burst);
         begin @(posedge aclk); #1 aw_issue(id, addr, len, size, burst, lock); end
       join
    2: fork
         aw_issue(id, addr, len, size, burst, lock);
         w_burst(addr, len, size, burst);
       join
    default: fork
         aw_issue(id, addr, len, size, burst, lock);
         begin @(posedge aclk); #1 w_burst(addr, len, size, burst); end
       join
  endcase
  b_wait(id);
endtask

// The read address channel: offer the request and remember it for the beats that come back.
task automatic ar_issue(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                        input logic [1:0] burst, input logic lock = 0);
  arq_addr[id][arq_tail[id]] = addr; arq_len[id][arq_tail[id]] = len; arq_size[id][arq_tail[id]] = size;
  arq_burst[id][arq_tail[id]] = burst; arq_tail[id] = (arq_tail[id] + 1) % 8;
  arid = id; araddr = addr; arlen = len[7:0]; arsize = size; arburst = burst; arlock = lock; arvalid = 1;
  do @(posedge aclk); while (!arready);
  #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d AR id=%0d addr=0x%0h len=%0d size=%0d %0s%0s", cycle, id, addr, len, size, burst_name(burst), lock ? " exclusive" : "");
  arvalid = 0; araddr = 'x; arlen = 'x; arsize = 'x; arburst = 'x; arid = 'x; arlock = 0;
endtask

// Collect read beats until n transactions have ended (their RLAST). Each beat lands in rdq[rid][k]
// with only the bytes of the transfer (lane-shifted down), and rd[] holds the last transaction.
task automatic r_collect(input int n);
  int done = 0, h;
  logic [15:0] lanes;
  logic [63:0] bytes;
  logic [ID_W-1:0] id;
  logic [DATA_W-1:0] data;
  logic [1:0] resp;
  logic last;
  while (done < n) begin
    do @(posedge aclk); while (!(rvalid && rready));
    id = rid; data = rdata; resp = rresp; last = rlast;   // sampled at the edge, before the subordinate moves on
    h = arq_head[id];
    lanes = beat_lanes(arq_addr[id][h], arq_len[id][h], arq_size[id][h], arq_burst[id][h], rdn[id], BUS_BYTES);
    beat_a = beat_addr(arq_addr[id][h], arq_len[id][h], arq_size[id][h], arq_burst[id][h], rdn[id]);
    beat_m = beat_strb(arq_addr[id][h], arq_len[id][h], arq_size[id][h], arq_burst[id][h], rdn[id], BUS_BYTES);
    bytes = (data >> (8 * lanes[7:0])) & ((64'h1 << (8 * (lanes[15:8] - lanes[7:0] + 1))) - 1);
    rdq[id][rdn[id]] = bytes; rrq[id][rdn[id]] = resp;
    #1 if (!quiet) $display("e%0d R  id=%0d beat %0d data=0x%0h %0s%0s  addr 0x%0h lanes %0d-%0d", cycle, id, rdn[id], bytes, resp_name(resp),
                last ? " last" : "", beat_a, lanes[7:0], lanes[15:8]);
    rdn[id] = rdn[id] + 1;
    if (last) begin
      for (int k = 0; k < rdn[id]; k++) begin rd[k] = rdq[id][k]; rr[k] = rrq[id][k]; end
      last_beats = rdn[id]; rdn[id] = 0; arq_head[id] = (h + 1) % 8; done = done + 1;
    end
  end
  beat_m = 0;
endtask

// A complete read: AR, then every beat, into rd[] and rr[].
task automatic axi_read(input logic [ID_W-1:0] id, input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size,
                        input logic [1:0] burst, input logic lock = 0);
  ar_issue(id, addr, len, size, burst, lock);
  r_collect(1);
endtask

// The table of a burst before it runs: the address, lanes and strobe of every beat.
task automatic beat_table(input int unsigned addr, input int len, input logic [2:0] size, input logic [1:0] burst);
  logic [15:0] lanes;
  logic [63:0] s;
  int unsigned a;
  $display("burst at 0x%0h: %0d beat%0s of %0d byte%0s, %0s, bus %0d bytes", addr, len + 1, len ? "s" : "", 1 << size, size ? "s" : "",
           burst_name(burst), BUS_BYTES);
  $display("  beat  address  lanes  strobe");
  for (int n = 0; n <= len; n++) begin
    lanes = beat_lanes(addr, len, size, burst, n, BUS_BYTES);
    s = beat_strb(addr, len, size, burst, n, BUS_BYTES);
    a = beat_addr(addr, len, size, burst, n);
    $display("  %4d  0x%05h  %0d-%0d    %b", n, a[19:0], lanes[7:0], lanes[15:8], s[BUS_BYTES-1:0]);
  end
  if (crosses_4k(addr, len, size, burst)) $display("  this burst crosses a 4 KB boundary");
endtask

// One byte of the memory that owns an address (the fabric's second memory above 0x8000).
function automatic logic [7:0] mem_byte(input int unsigned a);
`ifdef AXI_MEM1
  if (a >= 32'h8000) return `AXI_MEM1.mem[a];
`endif
  return `AXI_MEM.mem[a];
endfunction
task automatic set_byte(input int unsigned a, input logic [7:0] v);
`ifdef AXI_MEM1
  if (a >= 32'h8000) `AXI_MEM1.mem[a] = v;
  else `AXI_MEM.mem[a] = v;
`else
  `AXI_MEM.mem[a] = v;
`endif
endtask

// The memory, n bytes from addr, one bus word per group.
task automatic dump(input int unsigned addr, input int n);
  string line;
  int unsigned a = (addr / 16) * 16;
  while (a < addr + n) begin
    line = $sformatf("0x%05h ", a[19:0]);
    for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) begin
      if (i % BUS_BYTES == 0) line = {line, " "};
      line = {line, $sformatf(" %02h", mem_byte(a + i))};
    end
    $display("%s", line);
    a = a + 16;
  end
endtask

// Fill n bytes from addr with first, first+1, ... so untouched bytes stay recognisable.
task automatic mem_fill(input int unsigned addr, input int n, input logic [7:0] first = 8'h00);
  for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) set_byte(addr + i, first + i[7:0]);
endtask

// Drive nothing for n cycles.
task automatic idle(input int n);
  repeat (n) @(posedge aclk);
  #1;
endtask
ConceptWhich channel carries the response to a write, and who drives it?
ConceptA manager has issued a write and not yet received its response. It now wants to issue a read to an unrelated address. What does the protocol say?
Read the waveformIn the measured trace of the opening figure, in which cycle does the second write beat move?
The write data channel of the opening figure
012345678wvalidwreadywlastwdatax1122334455667788x

The W channel of the opening figure; one value per cycle, cycle k sampled at edge k.

ConceptWho decodes the address of a transaction when several subordinates share one manager?

Remember

  • An AXI interface is five independent valid/ready channels: AW, W and B for writes, AR and R for reads.
  • The manager drives AW, W and AR; the subordinate drives B and R; each READY comes from the other side.
  • A transaction is one address transfer, its data transfers and (for a write) one response; a transfer is one handshake.
  • Reads and writes never wait for each other; the only ties are inside a transaction and between same-ID responses.
  • The bench of this module prints one line per handshake with its edge, dumps memory lane 0 first, and names every broken rule.