Thanks to visit codestin.com
Credit goes to www.scribd.com

Scribd
Upload
34 views6 pages

Typical Design Flow

The document outlines the typical design flow for digital circuits, starting from specifications to verification and fabrication. It discusses two design methodologies: top-down and bottom-up, detailing their processes. Additionally, it traces the evolution of computer-aided digital design from early circuits to the emergence of EDA tools and the VLSI era, highlighting the increasing complexity and need for automation in design.

Uploaded by

notfairksd
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
34 views6 pages

Typical Design Flow

The document outlines the typical design flow for digital circuits, starting from specifications to verification and fabrication. It discusses two design methodologies: top-down and bottom-up, detailing their processes. Additionally, it traces the evolution of computer-aided digital design from early circuits to the emergence of EDA tools and the VLSI era, highlighting the increasing complexity and need for automation in design.

Uploaded by

notfairksd
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

1) Typical Design Flow

• Specifications – The first step is to define what the digital circuit should do, its interface,
and overall structure.

• Behavioral Description – The design is analyzed for functionality and performance,


usually written in HDLs (like Verilog) or other high-level languages like C++.

• RTL Description – The Register Transfer Level (RTL) design describes how data flows
in the circuit. At this stage, EDA tools start assisting the process.

• Logic Synthesis – EDA tools convert RTL into gate-level netlists (circuit representation
with logic gates) while ensuring performance constraints.

• Place and Route – The netlist is placed and routed to create the physical layout of the
chip.

• Verification & Fabrication – The design is verified and fabricated into a real IC chip.
2) Design Methodologies (Hierarchical Modeling Concepts)

There are two basic types of digital design methodologies:


1. a top-down design methodology
2. bottom-up design methodology.

• In a top-down design methodology we define the top-level block and identify the sub-
blocks necessary to build the top-level block.
• We further subdivide the sub-blocks until we come to leaf cells, which are the cells that
cannot further be divided.
• Figure 2-1 shows the top-down design process.

In a bottom-up design methodology, we first identify the building blocks that are available to us.
We build bigger cells, using these building blocks.
These cells are then used for higher-level blocks until we build the top-level block in the design.
Figure 2-2 shows the bottom-up design process.
3)Evolution of Computer-Aided Digital Design

• Early Designs – Digital circuits were first made using vacuum tubes and transistors.

• Integrated Circuits (ICs) – Logic gates were placed on a single chip, leading to:

• SSI (Small Scale Integration) – Few gates per chip.


• MSI (Medium Scale Integration) – Hundreds of gates per chip.
• LSI (Large Scale Integration) – Thousands of gates per chip.

• Need for Automation – As circuits got complex, manual design became difficult.

• EDA Tools Emerge – Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools helped with logic
simulation and verification.

• VLSI Era – Very Large Scale Integration allowed over 100,000 transistors per chip,
making manual testing impossible.

• Computer-Aided Design (CAD) – Tools for automatic placement, routing, and


verification became essential.

You might also like