Patent ID: 7849425

Claim:
A method for generating a test case, the method comprising: generating, by a processor coupled to a test bench configured to execute a test plan on a design under test, a first test case for the design under test (DUT), said generating the first test case comprising traversing a first path through a hierarchy of goals from a start goal to an end goal, wherein a first parent goal traversed in a first level of the hierarchy of goals comprises a first definition of one or more of a slot and a method, and traversal of the first parent goal results in executing an action associated with the first parent goal and subsequently selecting a child goal of the first parent goal for evaluation, and assuming the first definition of the slot or the method by a child goal in a second level of the hierarchy of goals, if the child goal requires the slot or the method, wherein said assuming the first definition of the slot or method comprises searching the first path upstream to the first parent goal for the first definition of the slot or method.