Algorithmic And Knowledge Based Cad For Vlsi

Samples the present state-of-the-art in CAD for VLSI, covering both newly developed algorithms and applications of techniques from the artificial intelligence community. The material is based on a tutorial course run in conjunction with the 1991 European Conference on Circuit Theory and Design, and should interest engineers involved in the design and testing of integrated circuits and systems. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book, and the research it describes, resulted from a simple observation we made sometime in 1986. Put simply, we noticed that many VLSI design tools looked "alike". That is, at least at the overall software architecture level, the algorithms and data structures required to solve problem X looked much like those required to solve problem X'. Unfortunately, this resemblance is often of little help in actually writing the software for problem X' given the software for problem X. In the VLSI CAD world, technology changes rapidly enough that design software must continually strive to keep up. And of course, VLSI design software, and engineering design software in general, is often exquisitely sensitive to some aspects of the domain (technology) in which it operates. Modest changes in functionality have an unfortunate tendency to require substantial (and time-consuming) internal software modifications. Now, observing that large engineering software systems are technology dependent is not particularly clever. However, we believe that our approach to xiv Preface dealing with this problem took an interesting new direction. We chose to investigate the extent to which automatic programming ideas cold be used to synthesize such software systems from high-level specifications. This book is one of the results of that effort.

To fully exploit VLSI technology, future CAD tools need to perform a high proportion of the intelligent decision-making necessary for design. It is imperative that these tasks be massively automated so that the intellectual load on the human designer is reduced, allowing a more efficient use of his time and creative abilities. This book investigates the applicability of knowledge-based techniques to the problems of VLSI design. Topics covered include: an overview of knowledge-based techniques; a description of work illustrating the application of these techniques to various VLSI design tasks; and a survey of workstations and software available for constructing knowledge-based systems. Although much of the material in this book has been illustrated using examples from microelectronic CAD, the issues and techniques have been presented in such a way as to make them useful to managers, designers and researchers who wish to learn of the advantages of knowledge-based techniques in practical applications.

Practical Problems in VLSI Physical Design Automation contains problems and solutions related to various well-known algorithms used in VLSI physical design automation. Dr. Lim believes that the best way to learn new algorithms is to walk through a small example by hand. This knowledge will greatly help understand, analyze, and improve some of the well-known algorithms. The author has designed and taught a graduate-level course on physical CAD for VLSI at Georgia Tech. Over the years he has written his homework with such a focus and has maintained typeset version of the solutions.

Market_Desc: · Electrical Engineering Students taking courses on VLSI systems, CAD tools for VLSI, Design Automation at Final Year or Graduate Level, Computer Science courses on the same topics, at a similar level· Practicing Engineers wishing to learn the state of the art in VLSI Design Automation· Designers of CAD tools for chip design in software houses or large electronics companies. Special Features: · Probably the first book on Design Automation for VLSI Systems which covers all stages of design from layout synthesis through logic synthesis to high-level synthesis· Clear, precise presentation of examples, well illustrated with over 200 figures· Focus on algorithms for VLSI design tools means it will appeal to some Computer Science as well as Electrical Engineering departments About The Book: Enrollments in VLSI design automation courses are not large but it's a very popular elective, especially for those seeking a career in the microelectronics industry. Already the reviewers seem very enthusiastic about the coverage of the book being a better match for their courses than available competitors, because it covers all design phases. It has plenty of worked problems and a large no. of illustrations. It's a good 'list-builder' title that matches our strategy of focusing on topics that lie on the interface between Elec Eng and Computer Science.

In VLSI CAD, difficult optimization problems have to be solved on a constant basis. Various optimization techniques have been proposed in the past. While some of these methods have been shown to work well in applications and have become somewhat established over the years, other techniques have been ignored. Recently, there has been a growing interest in optimization algorithms based on principles observed in nature, termed Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs). Evolutionary Algorithms in VLSI CAD presents the basic concepts of EAs, and considers the application of EAs in VLSI CAD. It is the first book to show how EAs could be used to improve IC design tools and processes. Several successful applications from different areas of circuit design, like logic synthesis, mapping and testing, are described in detail. Evolutionary Algorithms in VLSI CAD consists of two parts. The first part discusses basic principles of EAs and provides some easy-to-understand examples. Furthermore, a theoretical model for multi-objective optimization is presented. In the second part a software implementation of EAs is supplied together with detailed descriptions of several EA applications. These applications cover a wide range of VLSI CAD, and different methods for using EAs are described. Evolutionary Algorithms in VLSI CAD is intended for CAD developers and researchers as well as those working in evolutionary algorithms and techniques supporting modern design tools and processes.

This book covers the basic theoretical, algorithmic and real-time aspects of digital signal processing (DSP). Detailed information is provided on off-line, real-time and DSP programming and the reader is effortlessly guided through advanced topics such as DSP hardware design, FIR and IIR filter design and difference equation manipulation.

Logic design and simulation link system design to electrical engineering and form a key issue in contemporary VLSI design. This volume examines the past, present and future of this topic. The first part of the book treats subjects from logic synthesis, which is followed by a review of logic simulation and related topics. Finally, the book takes a look at the future of silicon compilation and artificial intelligence, showing how programming is gaining importance in chip development, allowing access to non-experts. It highlights the fact that VLSI design systems of the future will be characterized by an efficient combination of traditional algorithmic processes and the new knowledge-based AI techniques.