WHERE DO WE GO FROM progress are evident in areas designs (simulators will use as much HERE? such as automatic test pattern CPU performance as they are generation. However, in a broader provided with). Ideally, of course, a In his original article, Wolfendale sense, circuit synthesis is still very simulator would give 'real-time' mentions 'synthesis' as well as much the sole province of the feedback to a designer as work is analysis. At one level considerable human being. For the most part CAE done, but this feedback is not really progress has been madein producing performs computation and present-available 'just yet. We can also software for synthesizing physical ation of results, with the human anticipate new tools such as hardlayout data. We have seen substan-designer having to input precise ware description languages (HDLs) tial progress in the competence of definition of circuit function, judge and other means of describing tools such as autorouters that are whether the results of the comput-circuits finding their way onto the now capable of completely gener-ation are acceptable, and indicate desks of the majority of designers. ating the physical connectivity that the design is correct. In the In conclusion, the EDA industry between circuit elements to achieve future we can look toward the use is making good progress in the the required connectivity for large of 'expert systems' that will be directions outlined by Eric Wolfendale designs, while observing complex capable of taking a high-level. 21 years ago. He and the other physical and electrical constraints, description of what is required from pioneers are to be congratulated on Synthesis in the sense of automatic the human and automatically fleshing how farsighted their vision was. generation of lower-level logic out the detail of the design below definitions from higher-level specifi-that subject to clear design criteria. REFERENCE cations is, however, in its infancy. We can also anticipate a progres-Some effective tools do exist. For sive improvement in the simplicity 1 Wolfendale, E 'Computer aids instance, generation of fuse maps of use of simulation tools together for electronic equipment design' for PLDs from Boolean equations is with improvement in their per-Comput.-Aided Des. Vol 1 No 1 a well-developed area. Signs of formance, particularly with large (1968) pp 12-20
COM PUT ER-INTEGRATE D MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
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