Electronic Design Automation: November 23, 1995

Graphical state-diagram-design tools add support for Altera AHDL. StateCAD lets you graphically design and analyze state diagrams and then generate code in a variety of languages, including VHDL, Verilog, Abel-HDL, Altera-AHDL, and C. The Altera-AHDL version costs $995. Visual Software Solutions, Coral Springs, FL. (305) 346-8890.

Verilog simulator now available for Windows. VCS for Windows runs under Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 3.1 operating systems. The simulator is now part of Workview Office. The tool uses the same development and debugging environment as the Vantage SpeedWave for Windows VHDL simulator. Prices start at $10,000. Viewlogic Systems Inc., Marlborough, MA. (508) 480-0881.

Design-verification tool. The Vera verification tool comes with the new Vera VL language and Vera VS simulator. To use the tool, you create a specification and test benches in Vera VL, and use those test benches to drive the simulation and verification. You can combine Vera, Verilog, and C code. According to the company, typical hardware-description languages, such as Verilog, focus on the structure of circuits, but Vera focuses on specifying and verifying the circuit. The tool is available for Sun SPARC and HP700 workstations. A single-copy license costs $17,500. System Science Inc., Palo Alto, CA. (415) 812-1800.

PC-board-design software. The Encore PCB physical-design and -layout software system for pc boards performs floor-planning, placement synthesis, design analysis, design verification, and integration functions. The software minimizes design iterations of complex, high-speed, and mixed-signal designs by using top-down, system-level design methodologies. The tool runs on Sun SPARC and HP-9000/7000 workstations. Prices for the software begin at $25,000. Harris Electronic Design Automation Inc., Fishers, NY. (716) 924-9303.

Windows-based VHDL simulator offers 50% speed increase. According to the company, release 4.3 of the V-System VHDL simulator runs 50% faster than release 4.0. A single floating license costs $3495. Model Technology Inc., Beaverton, OR. (503) 641-1340.

Tool performs physical simulation of semiconductor technology. TMA WorkBench Version 2.0 lets you combine software tools that simulate semiconductor-fabrication processes and devices, analyze parasitic effects, extract electrical parameters, and perform circuit simulation. The software costs $30,000. Technology Modeling Associates Inc., Palo Alto, CA. (415) 856-8862.

Design tool runs on Windows 95 and NT. Synario is now available for the new Windows operating systems. The electronic-design-automation tool is an integrated design system for PLD, field-programmable gate-array, and board-level design. The tool includes mixed schematic and hardware-description-language design descriptions and provides VHDL and Verilog simulation. It supports a variety of device architectures and board-layout packages. Price of the design system starts at $2995. Data I/O, Redmond, WA. (206) 881-6444.

Modeling and verification environments for GSM and IS-54/136. The Intellectual Property (IP) Systemization Service provides system-though-silicon IP for the Personal Communication Services (PCS) standards of Global System for Mobile (GSM) and IS-54/136. The vendor plans to ship the IS-54/136 delivery and verification environments in the fourth quarter of 1995 and the GSM product in the first quarter of 1996. The verification environments cost $30,000 each and require use of the company’s other tool sets. Alta Group, Sunnyvale, CA. (408) 733-1595.

Schematic-design tool for PC works with Unix-based system. The Personal Architect, a PC version of the company’s Unix-based Design Architect, comes in two versions: Personal Architect Pro ($5000) and Personal Architect ($2000). The Pro version allows members of a networked global-design team to access a single source of Design Architect files and symbol libraries from a Unix server in real time. Personal Architect lets you use a batch process to transfer needed design information between workstations and PCs and then to use the PC remotely. Mentor Graphics, Wilsonville, OR. (503) 685-8000.

Design software for programmable logic. MachXL 3.0, a 32-bit, Windows 95-compatible design tool for the company’s Mach family of programmable logic, includes syntax features and options to automatically balance partitioning between blocks, allowing for more successful placement and routing. The tool also takes advantage of the Mach 3 and 4 multitiered switch-matrix architecture. The software costs $495 and is free to all registered MachXL and Palasm users until Dec 31, 1995. Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Sunnyvale, CA. (408) 749-5703.