Advanced BDD Optimization - Hardcover

Ebendt, Rudiger; Fey, Görschwin; Drechsler, Rolf

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0387254536 ISBN 13: 9780387254531

Publisher: Springer, 2005

Synopsis

VLSI CADhas greatly bene?ted from the use of reduced ordered Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs) and the clausal representation as a problem of Boolean Satis?ability (SAT), e.g. in logic synthesis, ver- cation or design-for-testability. In recent practical applications, BDDs are optimized with respect to new objective functions for design space exploration. The latest trends show a growing number of proposals to fuse the concepts of BDD and SAT. This book gives a modern presentation of the established as well as of recent concepts. Latest results in BDD optimization are given, c- ering di?erent aspects of paths in BDDs and the use of e?cient lower bounds during optimization. The presented algorithms include Branch ? and Bound and the generic A -algorithm as e?cient techniques to - plore large search spaces. ? The A -algorithm originates from Arti?cial Intelligence (AI), and the EDA community has been unaware of this concept for a long time. Re- ? cently, the A -algorithm has been introduced as a new paradigm to explore design spaces in VLSI CAD. Besides AI search techniques, the book also discusses the relation to another ?eld of activity bordered to VLSI CAD and BDD optimization: the clausal representation as a SAT problem.

About this title

Synopsis

The size of technically producible integrated circuits increases continuously. But the ability to design and verify these circuits does not keep up with this development. Therefore today's design flow has to be improved to achieve a higher productivity. In "Robustness and Usability in Modern Design Flows" the current design methodology and verification methodology are analyzed, a number of deficiencies are identified and solutions suggested. Improvements in the methodology as well as in the underlying algorithms are proposed. An in-depth presentation of preliminary concepts makes the book self-contained.Based on this foundation major design problems are targeted. In particular, a complete tool flow for Synthesis for Testability of SystemC descriptions is presented. The resulting circuits are completely testable and test pattern generation in polynomial time is possible. Verification issues are covered in even more detail. A whole new paradigm for formal design verification is suggested. This is based upon design understanding, the automatic generation of properties and powerful tool support for debugging failures.

All these new techniques are empirically evaluated and experimental results are provided. As a result, an enhanced design flow is created that provides more automation (i.e. better usability) and reduces the probability of introducing conceptual errors (i.e. higher robustness).

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387254536
• ISBN 13: 9780387254531
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 232