Web-based IP evaluation and distribution using applets

This paper introduces an IP evaluation and delivery framework that operates within Java applets. The use of such applets allows circuit designers to create, evaluate, test, and obtain FPGA circuits directly within a Web browser. Based on the JHDL design tool, these applets allow structural viewing, circuit simulation, and netlist generation of application-specific circuits. An important component of this framework is the ability to deliver black-box simulation models as executable Java applets. These applet-based simulation models can be tied to third-party simulation tools using network sockets. Several techniques for interfacing black-box applet models to external simulators are described.