Out in Front: January 4, 1996

MasterPort, a stand-alone tool from Cascade, automatically migrates cell libraries from one process technology to another. The product obviates the need to redesign cell libraries of basic logic when a process technology shrinks to provide higher density and speed. The silicon vendor offering the new chip process typically does this job, which means that the new library must "lock in" to that vendor’s process. Cascade designed MasterPort not only for ASIC vendors, but also for designers who want to automate cell migration, generate cell libraries for different vendors’ chips, and maintain proprietary in-house libraries.

As input for a library and process, you supply MasterPort with GDSII layout, Spice, and technology files. The technology file contains information about the process, including design rules, process parameters, and layer mapping. You or Cascade provide the technology file. When migrating the library to a new process, you enter the new process parameters and design rules via a new-technology file. As output, MasterPort generates new GDSII and annotated Spice files for the migrated library. MasterPort is available now, runs on Hewlett-Packard and Sun workstations, and has a starting price of $150,000.
-- by Jim Lipman

Cascade Design Automation, Bellevue, WA. (206) 643-0200