IDaSS is an Interactive Design and Simulation System
for digital circuits, targeted towards VLSI and ULSI designs of complex
data processing hardware. It's main features are the following:
Graphics to describe system structure
IDaSS describes a design as a hierarchy of schematics
(with re-use of complete schematics possible). A schematic contains elements
like registers, RAM's, ROM's, combinatorial (ALU-like) 'operators' and
associated Finite State Machine controllers. Data transfer is described by
drawing lines representing data buses.
Textual languages to describe behaviour
IDaSS uses specially tailored languages to describe
the functional behaviour of specific parts of a system (like operators
and FSM controllers). These languages are created specifically for the kind
of functionality they have to specify, but have a lot of common constructs
and are easy to learn (for instance, there are no reserved words).
Completely integrated design and simulation
IDaSS simulates while designing. Placing an
element on a schematic immediately simulates its behaviour. Saving a
textual description immediately compiles this into behaviour and simulates
it. There is no need to restart simulation if a design error is found,
just fix the error, bring the system into a usable state and continue
simulation.
IDaSS can be compared to a very advanced electronic breadboard:
Never shortage of parts, the parts you use are always
of the correct size and functionality
Complex parts and wide datapaths form no problem at all
Power-on insertion and removal of parts without destroying
anything
Errors lead to a simulation halt, not a blown up device
System operation can be observed through an unlimited
supply of test probes
System state can be modified easily using interactive
editing facilities
Embedded higher abstraction level 'language'
The basic building blocks in IDaSS comprise an abstraction
level comparable to Register Transfer Languages. So-called 'Algorithmic
Level' blocks are available for prototyping complex (sub-)systems,
finding optimal algorithms and timing or as fast(er) simulating substitutes
for already designed hardware (without revealing the actual hardware
architecture). They can also be applied to build 'intelligent' test
benches which can probe into the system without the need to draw
physical connections.
Each Algorithmic Level block can specify and simulate
the operation of a complete datapath and associated controller(s) using
structured programming language constructs. Basic operations and local data
storage primitives are hardware oriented, communication and synchronisation
with the register transfer level environment is incorporated in the language.
A full suite of debugging facilities is available (including execution stack
editing and single stepping). Unlike most debugging environments, specified
algorithms may be modified while they are executing (remember, IDaSS integrates
design and simulation!). A hidden fuzzy logic system will try to keep
the execution state consistent after a change.
Friendly to both novices and experienced designers
IDaSS is completely menu driven and its textual languages are
easy to learn. An on-line help system (using the [F1] key) gives
detailed information on all the system design elements, embedded languages,
windows and (most of the-) menus. Yet, the system is powerful enough to
handle very complex designs and allows libraries of reusable components/subsystems
to be built. To protect against system crashes, automatic saving of designs
at regular intervals is possible.
On-the-fly syntax and semantics checking
IDaSS does not allow any operation which can be regarded
a syntax error (like connecting buses of different widths). IDaSS will
warn the user if he/she tries to do something which may result in system
failure (like asking a system element to perform a function which has not
been defined yet).
Advanced debugging facilities
A 'probe-set' can be used to attach test probes to
different points in a simulated system. Such a probe-set's values can
be made visible in a central window, providing more overview of what is
going (wr)on(g) in the system. Test point values can be combined using
user-defined expressions which can perform tests for special values (like
three-state or overload on a bus).
Probe set values can be used to trigger messages, warnings
or breakpoints. It is also possible to record simulation traces to external
files in a variety of (user-defined!) formats. This facility is powerful
enough to generate complete hardware description language test environments.
A planned (but not yet available) feature is the capability to play back
an already recorded test vector file to compare different simulation runs.
Direct path to hardware
IDaSS design files can be converted into different
hardware description languages (see examples of this conversion in
VHDL
or
Verilog
). The actual language/dialect/target libaries/textual layout/etc.
to be generated can be chosen by attaching a so-called 'template file'
- actually a large rulebase - to the system. Algorithmic Level blocks
can not be converted directly into hardware description language form
(yet).
To be able to match IDaSS timing simulation and technology
limitations (for instance maximum embedded memory sizes) to a synthesis
target library, a 'technology file' can also be attached to the system. This
technology file can even be changed during simulation.
It is possible to use several different template files
for the same technology file (for instance to switch between different
synthesis systems) or use different technology files with a single template
(for instance to switch to a new -more aggressively scaled- process).