EDACafe: ASICs .. the Book

Designers are increasingly using logic synthesis as a replacement for schematic entry. As microelectronic systems and their ASICs become more complex, the use of schematics becomes less practical. For example, a complex ASIC that contains over 10,000 gates might require hundreds of pages of schematics at the gate level. As another example, it is easier to write A = B + C than to draw a schematic for a 32-bit adder at the gate level.

The term logic synthesis is used to cover a broad range of software and software capabilities. Many logic synthesizers are based on logic minimization. Logic minimization is usually performed in one of two ways, either using a set of rules or using algorithms. Early logic-minimization software was designed using algorithms for two-level logic minimization and developed into multilevel logic-optimization software. Two-level and multilevel logic minimization is well suited to random logic that is to be implemented using a CBIC, MGA, or PLD. In these technologies, two-level logic can be implemented very efficiently. Logic minimization for FPGAs, including complex PLDs, is more difficult than other types of ASICs, because of the complex basic logic cells in FPGAs.

There are two ways to use logic synthesis in the design of FPGAs. The first and simplest method takes a hardware description, optimizes the logic, and then produces a netlist. The netlist is then passed to software that maps the netlist to an FPGA architecture. The disadvantage of this method is the inefficiency of decoupling the logic optimization from the mapping step. The second, more complicated, but more efficient method, takes the hardware description and directly optimizes the logic for a specific FPGA architecture.

Some logic synthesizers produce files in PALASM, ABEL, or CUPL formats. Software provided by the FPGA vendor then take these files and maps the logic to the FPGA architecture. The FPGA mapping software requires detailed knowledge of the FPGA architecture. This makes it difficult for third-party companies to create logic synthesis software that can map directly to the FPGA.

A problem with design-entry systems is the difficulty of moving netlists between different FPGA vendors. Once you have completed a design using an FPGA cell library, for example, you are committed to using that type of FPGA unless you repeat design entry using a different cell library. ASIC designers do not like this approach since it exposes them to the mercy of a single ASIC vendor. Logic synthesizers offer a degree of independence from FPGA vendors (universally referred to vendor independence, but this should, perhaps, be designer independence) by delaying the point in the design cycle at which designers need to make a decision on which FPGA to use. Of course, now designers become dependent on the synthesis software company.

8.2.1 FPGA Synthesis

For low-level logic synthesis, PALASM is a de facto standard as the lowest-common-denominator interchange format. Most FPGA design systems are capable of converting their own native formats into a PALASM file. The most common programmable logic design systems are ABEL from Data I/O, CUPL from P-CAD, LOG/iC from IsData, PALASM2 from AMD, and PGA-Designer from Minc. At a higher level, CAD companies (Cadence, Compass, Mentor, and Synopsys are examples) support most FPGA cell libraries. This allows you to map from a VHDL or Verilog description to an EDIF netlist that is compatible with FPGA design software. Sometimes you have to buy the cell library from the software company, sometimes from the FPGA vendor.

TABLE 8.3 The VHDL code for the sequence detector of Table 8.2 .

entity detector is port (X, CLK: in BIT; Z : out BIT); end;

architecture behave of SEQDET is

type STATES is (S1, S2, S3, S4);

signal current, next: STATES;

begin

combinational: process begin

case current is

when S1 =>

if X = '1' then Z <= '0'; next <= S3; else Z <= '0'; next <= S1; end if;

when S2 =>

if X = '1' then Z <= '0'; next <= S2; else Z <= '0'; next <= S1; end if;

when S3 =>

if X = '1' then Z <= '0'; next <= S2; else Z <= '0'; next <= S1; end if;

when S4 =>

if X = '1' then Z <= '1'; next <= S4; else Z <= '0'; next <= S1; end if

end case;

end process

sequential: process begin

wait until CLK'event and CLK = '1'; current <= next ;

end process;

end behave;

As an example, Table 8.3 shows a VHDL model for a pattern detector to check for a sequence of three '1's (excluding the code for the I/O pads). Table 8.4 shows a script or command file that runs the Synopsys software to generate an EDIF netlist from this VHDL that targets the TI version of the Actel FPGA parts. A script is a recipe that tells the software what to do. If we wanted to retarget this design to another type of FPGA or an MGA or CBIC ASIC, for example, we may only need a new set of cell libraries and to change the script (if we are lucky). In practice, we shall probably find we need to make a few changes in the VHDL code (in the areas of I/O pads, for example, that are different for each kind of ASIC). We now have a portable design and a measure of vendor independence. We have also introduced some dependence on the Synopsys software since the code in Table 8.3 might be portable, but the script (which is just as important a part of the design) in Table 8.4 may only be used with the Synopsys software. Nevertheless, using logic synthesis results in a more portable design than using schematic entry.