Digital System Design Automation: Languages, Simulation & Data Base

Design automation deals with the use of computers as a tool or aid in the design and manufacturing of digital systems. In 1968, the Executive Committee of the IEEE Computer Group created a committee to produce a sequence of books on design automation. This book is primarily concerned with digital system synthesis and the use of high level languages and support programs as design aids. Chapter 1 deals with the subject of system level simulation (evaluation) where complex digital systems are described in terms of the I/O characteristics (probabilistically). Chapter 2 deals with concepts of high level hardware design languages called register transfer (RT) languages, which have important applications to design using microprogramming, microprocessors, and functional IC chips. Chapter 3 deals with the construction of simulators for models of systems described by RT languages. Chapter 4 deals with the use of various design automation tools for the efficient development of correct and minimal micro-code. Chapter 5 deals with various approaches to achieving an efficient data base system and how to manage various data manipulation and search problems associated with large design automation software systems. Each chapter concludes with a set of problems thus making it a useful text for a design automation course as well as an essential reference.