ACCORDO: second generation floor planning

The layout automation of modern VLSI `cell-based´ chips relies on the availability of a powerful set of algorithms able to generate the layout of whole ICs, maximally exploiting the cell library and taking advice from the designer through a user-friendly interaction. This paper deals with a new floor planner, ACCORDO, that brings some innovative concepts and facilities to the floor planning task and emphasizes the user-interaction in order to deliver a successful mix between the power of the algorithms and the versatility of `ad-hoc´ solutions. Key features of ACCORDO are the hierarchy editor that allows for changes in the circuit partitioning, a tight integration with the module generators, a powerful placement editor and a contour channel router