EDN -- 03.28.96 Electronic Design Automation

Electronic Design Automation: March 28, 1996

Router tackles deep submicron design. Combining channel-based routing with the advanced features of area-based routing, the Silicon Ensemble place-and-route system provides numerous tools for deep submicron design. Through efficient mixed layout, simplified submicron timing, design-iteration containment, a system-level clock interface, power-intelligent routing, advanced interconnect analysis, and a Windows-compliant user interface, Silicon Ensemble enhances usability, performance, density, and engineering-change-order management. A base configuration starts at $265,000. Cadence Design Systems Inc, San Jose, CA. (408) 943-1234.

Software links PC and Unix EDA tools. EDA Bridge 5.0 allows tool interoperability between PC- and Unix-based EDA systems. Version 5.0 offers advanced integration with Viewlogic Workview Office and Cadence Allegro environments, as well as AutoCAD and PADS. It permits on-line business-design-rule checking and lets you reuse a bill of materials from a design. EDA Bridge 5.0 comes with the entire Viewlogic master parts library in a DBase file. Prices start at $4995/seat (one to four seats) and $3995/seat (five to nine seats). The Team Corp, Oakville, ON, Canada. (905) 842-1303.

IBIS graphical editor is free from WWW. The Visual IBIS editor, a Windows-based tool for creating and maintaining I/O Buffer Information Specification (IBIS) signal-integrity and electromagnetic-compatibility (EMC) models, can be downloaded free from Hyper-Lynx's Worldwide Web (WWW) site. The software automatically creates templates for new models, displays tabular IBIS model information as plotted curves, and integrates the IBIS syntax-validation program. The shareware application is part of the company's BoardSim and LineSim Pro signal-integrity- and EMC-design programs. To download the IBIS editor,
go to http://www.hyper-lynx.com/. HyperLynx Inc,Redmond, WA. (206) 869-2320.

System builds dynamic thermal models of transistors. The HP 85124A pulsed modeling system aids development of transistor self-heating effects and dynamic thermal models. Combining a pulsed-RF network-analyzer subsystem, a pulsed-bias subsystem, and pulsed-current voltage-characterization subsystem, the HP 85124A measures frequencies as high as 2 GHz and pulse widths as low as 1 ľsec. Configurations covering other frequency bands are also available. Measurements are automated using IC-CAP modeling software. Prices start at $475,000. Hewlett-Packard, Santa Clara, CA. (800) 452-4844, ext 1301.

Fault simulator generates Verilog IDDQ tests. Working with any mix of behavioral-, gate-, and switch-level Verilog models, the PowerFault-I_DDQ test tool performs I_DDQ fault detection and tester-strobe selection. The software operates with the same circuit-description netlist and libraries used for sign-off. In addition, it produces a fault report that describes the fault coverage for each selected strobe. PowerFault-I_DDQ runs on Sun SPARC and HP 9000/700 platforms and works with Cadence Design Systems' Verilog-XL and Chronologic's VCS simulators. A single-copy license costs $24,500. Systems Science Inc, Palo Alto, CA. (415) 812-1800.

Software routes across four layers. GARDS 8.0 for ASIC and IC layout uses line-probe area-routing technology to produce denser and higher performing chips. This version of the software performs four layers of area routing; subsequent versions will support additional layers. Prices start at $165,000. Silicon Valley Research Inc, Mountain View, CA. (415) 962-3000.

EDA tools merge schematic capture, layout, and routing. The Accel EDA series melds the power and flexibility of P-CAD Master Designer with the ease and productivity of TangoPro to provide enhanced schematic capture, pc-board layout, and autorouting under Windows 3.1 or later. The design tools provide true split-plane support, interactive shape-based routing, configurable hot keys, replowable copper pouring with island removal, and pad-stack browsing. Respective prices for Accel Schematic, Accel P-CAD PCB, Accel Tango PCB, Accel Pro Route, and Accel Pro Route 2/4 are $1000, $7950, $1995, $5500, and $2950. Accel Technologies Inc, San Diego, CA. (619) 554-1000.