ASCAM: an expert system for automatic silicon compilation of abstract machines

As the complexity of VLSI systems is rapidly growing, the demand for new methodologies and new tools able to manage the whole design process, from the behavioural to the layout mask level, is becoming ever more pressing. A huge design space needs to be explored before a good solution in terms of performance and cost is found. The present paper describes the methodology of a new aid tool for the synthesis of complex systems-ASCAM (Automatic Silicon Compilation of Abstract Machines)-which exploits statistical information on the behavioural description and high level design rules to rapidly explore the design space