Logic Synthesis Using Synopsys®

Book excerpt: Logic synthesis has become a fundamental component of the ASIC design flow, and Logic Synthesis Using Synopsys® has been written for all those who dislike reading manuals but who still like to learn logic synthesis as practised in the real world. The primary focus of the book is Synopsys Design Compiler®: the leading synthesis tool in the EDA marketplace. The book is specially organized to assist designers accustomed to schematic capture based design to develop the required expertise to effectively use the Compiler. Over 100 `classic scenarios' faced by designers using the Design Compiler have been captured and discussed, and solutions provided. The scenarios are based both on personal experiences and actual user queries. A general understanding of the problem-solving techniques provided will help the reader debug similar and more complicated problems. Furthermore, several examples and dc-shell scripts are provided. Specifically, Logic Synthesis Using Synopsys® will help the reader develop a better understanding of the synthesis design flow, optimization strategies using the Design Compiler, test insertion using the Test Compiler®, commonly used interface formats such as EDIF and SDF, and design re-use in a synthesis-based design methodology. Examples have been provided in both VHDL and Verilog. Audience: Written with CAD engineers in mind to enable them to formulate an effective synthesis-based ASIC design methodology. Will also assist design teams to better incorporate and effectively integrate synthesis with their existing in-house design methodology and CAD tools.