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- From: altarrib@mingus.ece.ucdavis.edu (Michael Altarriba)
- Subject: comp.lsi.cad Frequently Asked Questions With Answers (Part 4/4) [LONG]
- Message-ID: <lsi-cad-faq/part4_765764461@bird.ece.ucdavis.edu>
- Followup-To: comp.lsi.cad
- Summary: This is a biweekly posting of frequently asked questions with answers
- the for comp.lsi / comp.lsi.cad newsgroups. It should be consulted
- before posting questions to comp.lsi or comp.lsi.cad.
- Keywords: FAQ
- Sender: usenet@ucdavis.edu (News Guru)
- Supersedes: <lsi-cad-faq/part4_764292766@bird.ece.ucdavis.edu>
- Reply-To: clcfaq@ece.ucdavis.edu
- Organization: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Davis
- References: <lsi-cad-faq/part3_765764461@bird.ece.ucdavis.edu>
- Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 00:19:43 GMT
- Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
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- Archive-name: lsi-cad-faq/part4
-
- and Vitesse-specific technology information.
-
- Point Of Contact For Acquiring MagiCAD And MagiCAD Support:
-
- Thomas J. Smith
- Mayo Foundation
- Special Purpose Processor Development Group
- 200 First St. S. W.
- Rochester, Minnesota 55905
- Telephone: (507) 284-0840
- Telefax: (507) 284-9171
- EMail: tsmith@mayo.edu
-
- Point Of Contact For Acquiring General MOSIS Information
- And Vitesse-specific Technology Information:
-
- Sam Reynolds
- The MOSIS Service
- USC/ISI
- 4676 Admiralty Way
- Marina del Rey, CA 90292-6695
- Telephone: (310) 822-1511 x172
- Telefax: (310) 823-5624
- EMail: sdreynolds@mosis.edu
-
- 50: XSPICE, extended version of Spice
-
- (from Jeff Murray <jm67@hydra.gatech.edu>)
-
- I am one of the developers of XSPICE, and at the risk of being deluged
- with requests for specific information on the tools, I can volunteer to
- answer at least some questions. Currently there is no ftp site for infor-
- mation; if there were, this posting would likely be unnecessary. However,
- we are prohibited from posting even the User's Manual due to technology
- export restrictions.
-
- The following is a copy of the original press release on XSPICE. If
- anyone would like additional clarification beyond this, or if some
- aspects of the release are unclear, we can certainly take this as an
- opportunity to remedy the situation. Please note that at the current time
- there are many dozens of individuals who have obtained a copy of the
- tools; if they have any comments or observations to make, I'm sure they
- would be most welcome to other members of the user community.
-
- XSPICE Press Release
-
- January 2, 1993
-
- Georgia Tech Research Corporation
-
- XSPICE, introduced at the 1992 International Symposium on Circuits and
- Systems (ISCAS), is an extended and enhanced version of the popular SPICE
- analog circuit simulation program originally developed at the University
- of California at Berkeley. XSPICE was developed at the Georgia Tech
- Research Institute (GTRI) as a tool for simulating circuits and systems
- at multiple levels of abstraction. XSPICE permits a user to simulate ana-
- log, digital, and even non-electronic designs from the circuit level
- through the system level in a single simulator. A special Code Modeling
- feature allows users to add new models directly into the simulator exe-
- cutable for maximum simulation speed and accuracy. Code models are writ-
- ten in the C programming language allowing arbitrarily complex behavior
- to be described. Code model development tools are provided to simplify
- the process of creating new models, compiling them, and linking them with
- the XSPICE core.
-
- XSPICE provides a rich set of predefined code models in addition to the
- standard discrete device models available in SPICE. The XSPICE code model
- library contains over 40 new functional blocks including summers, multi-
- pliers, integrators, magnetics models, limiters, S-domain transfer func-
- tions, digital gates, digital storage elements, and a generalized digital
- state-machine.
-
- Digital functions are simulated in XSPICE through an embedded event-
- driven algorithm added to the SPICE core. This algorithm is coordinated
- with the analog simulation algorithm to provide fast and accurate simula-
- tion of mixed-signal circuits and systems. The event-driven algorithm
- supports a new "User-Defined Node" capability allowing additional event-
- driven data types to be defined and used. XSPICE comes with a 12-state
- digital data type as well as a user-defined node library that includes
- 'real' and 'integer' types useful in simulating sampled-data systems such
- as Digital Signal Processing algorithms.
-
- XSPICE is currently available for UNIX workstations and is supplied in
- source code form allowing users to customize and extend the simulator and
- models to particular needs. To date, the simulator has been successfully
- compiled and used on HP Apollo and Sun workstations. The XSPICE simulator
- and User's Manual are available with a cost-free license arrangement from
- the Georgia Tech Research Corporation for a distribution charge of US
- $200 (including first class postage within the U.S.A.; an additional US
- $25 is required for overseas delivery by air). For further information,
- please contact the Office of Technology Licensing, Georgia Tech Research
- Corporation, Georgia Institute of Technology, 400 Tenth Street, Atlanta,
- GA 30332-0415, USA, or phone (404) 894-6287 (voice) or (404) 894-9728
- (FAX). Internet users may send email to XSPICE@GTRI.GATECH.EDU to obtain
- copies of the order form and license agreement (please include the word
- "license" in the subject header when mailing to this address).
-
- 51: MISIM, a model-independent circuit simulation tool
-
- (from Bardo Muller <bardo@ief-paris-sud.fr>)
-
- University of Washington has recently released the updated MISIM simula-
- tor. The new release (Sun version) is now available through ftp with
- anonymous login. The node address is 128.95.31.10. The release is under
- /pub/misim.SUN.2.3.a. If you have any question, please don't hesitate to
- contact us (misim_support@ee.washington.edu). Or, you can contact Prof.
- Andrew Yang at 206-543-2932.
-
- Attention:
- ---------
-
- We are currently re-writing the whole MISIM system in C with broader
- design consideration. The noise and temperature simulation capability
- will be incorporated into our next release. It would have more flexible
- front end with better simulation performance. The new version is
- expected sometime around the end of this summer. Since the actual
- release no longer reflected the level of our technology, we removed it
- from our ftp directory.
-
- MISIM Development Team
- Department of Electrical Engineering
- University of Washington
-
- MISIM 2.3A Release: General Information
- ------------------------------------------
-
- A) New capabilities:
- ----------------
-
- MISIM 2.3A is distinguishable from the previous release in that is now
- integrates a transistor-level mixed analog-digital simulator based on
- analytical digital macromodeling. The mixed-signal simulator is equipped
- with a front-end translator which accepts standard SPICE netlist syntax
- and converts it into MISIM mixed-mode syntax. Analytic macromodels for
- digital subcircuits are generated and loaded into MISIM core simulator
- automatically. Synchronized simulation is then performed for the digital
- subcircuits (processed by analytic solution) and the analog subcircuits
- (processed by proven analog simulation algorithms) with much accelerated
- speed and superior analog accuracy ( within 3-5 % of SPICE).
-
- Thenal simulator supports all standard Berkeley MOS model
- (Level 1, 2, 3, BSIM 1, BSIM 2). User-defined MOS models of arbitrary
- complexity are also supported.
-
- Currently, the procedure of processing analytic digital macromodeling
- cannot be applied to bipolar devices (G-P model). Hence, all bipolar
- transistors will be simulated as "analog" components.
-
- MISIM's X-window graphic environment, WISE, has been upgraded to support
- the mixed-signal simulation capabilities.
-
- B) Model Improvements:
- ------------------
-
- MISIM 2.3A now supports improved SPICE models (MOS, Diode, BJT). Many of
- the model discontinuities have been resolved leading to more reliable
- simulation. The MOS Level 2 and Level 3 models have also been upgraded to
- an improved charge-conserved models. The standard SPICE diode model has
- been enhanced to a non-quasi-static model capable of simulating accu-
- rately the diode recovery effect.
-
- These improved SPICE models are released as linked models. Users are not
- recommeded to unload these improved models.
-
- C) A New Parser:
- ------------
-
- MISIM 2.3A incorporates a new netlist parser which supports two different
- modes:
-
- 1) Standard SPICE netlist syntax - default mode. 2) Enhanced SPICE net-
- list syntax - MISIM mode.
-
- This new capability is designed to make MISIM completely spice-
- compatible. In addition, the new parser now handles symbolic names and
- expressions.
-
- D) Updated Documentations:
- ----------------------
-
- An updated MISIM User's guide is available in postcript form. On-line
- documentations is also provided.
-
- E) Future Release (MISIM 3.0):
- --------------------------
-
- 1) The next release will include a new C-version analog simulator which
- has been benchmarked to be a factor of 2 to 3 times faster than the
- current fortran version.
-
- 2) The mixed-signal simulator will be enhanced to improve digital cover-
- age rate (percentage of a mixed A/D circuit which can be processed by the
- analytic digital macromodel) for better simulation performance.
-
- 52: Nelsis Cad Framework
-
- (from their 'README' file)
-
- Release 4.3 is the latest version of the Nelsis IC Design System. It
- contains a CAD framework that puts a substantial added-value under the
- fingertips of the designer by organizing the design information and
- keeping track of the design evolution. It permits integration of
- tools of different origin and achieves run-time efficiency. The
- framework is based on intelligent management of meta data on top of
- the actual design descriptions; it administers high level information
- about the design activities and the structure and status of the design,
- rather than operating at the level of the detailed design descriptions.
-
- The framework services, such as flow management, version manage-
- ment, concurrency control and state management, have been implemented
- on top of the meta data management module. The framework controls
- access to the design objects and administers meta data by performing
- OTO-D queries. Tools operate on top of the framework via the Data
- Management Interface, obtaining access to the design data according to a
- nested transaction schema.
-
- The Nelsis CAD Framework is available, together with a set of design
- tools for demonstration purposes, through anonymous ftp from
- dutente.et.tudelft.nl:pub/nelsis .
-
- 53: APLAC, a system-level simulator and IEEE-488 measurement tool
-
- (from Sakari Aaltonen <sakari@picea.hut.fi>)
-
- -----------------------------------------
- APLAC 6.1
- -----------------------------------------
-
- General information
-
- APLAC, a program for circuit simulation and analysis, is a joint develop-
- ment of the Circuit Theory Lab of Helsinki University of Technology and
- Nokia Corporation's Research Center. The main analysis modes are DC, AC,
- noise, transient, oscillator, and (multitone harmonic) steady state.
- APLAC can also be used for measurements with IEEE-488 apparatus. APLAC's
- transient analysis uses convolution for correct treatment of components
- with frequency-dependent characteristics. Monte Carlo analysis is avail-
- able in all basic analysis modes, as is sensitivity analysis in DC and AC
- modes. N-port Z, Y, and S parameters, as well as two-port H parameters,
- can be used in AC analysis. APLAC also includes a versatile collection of
- system level blocks for the simulation and design of analog and digital
- communication systems.
-
- Component models
-
- Too many to be listed here. In addition to familiar Spice models, a great
- number of microwave components (microstrip/stripline) are included. Sys-
- tem models include formula-based and discrete-time models useful in RF
- design. The model parameters of the components may have any functional
- dependency on frequency, time, temperature, or any other parameter. Users
- can create new components by defining their - possibly nonlinear - static
- and dynamic characteristics in APLAC's interpreter-type language. Spice-
- syntax models can be imported.
-
- Input
-
- APLAC reads its input - the nodes, branches, and model parameters of the
- components - from a text file. Model libraries can be created and
- included. Expressions are written in a program-like manner; user func-
- tions may be defined. Conditional and looping control structures are sup-
- ported.
-
- Output
-
- The output results from one or several sweeps of any user-defined func-
- tion of the circuit parameters, time, frequency, or temperature. The
- results may be printed or plotted in rectangular or polar coordinates, or
- on the Smith chart. Graphics output can be directed to an HPGL- or CSDF-
- type file, or to a graphics file for later viewing.
-
- Optimization
-
- APLAC includes several optimization methods: gradient, conjugate gra-
- dient, minmax, random, simulated annealing, tuning (manual optimization)
- and gravity center (design centering). Any parameter in a design problem
- can be used as a variable and any user-defined function may act as an
- objective.
-
- Machine environment
-
- Unix: X11; PC: MS-Windows (math coprocessor required).
-
- Contact information
- -------------------
- Martti Valtonen Heikki Rekonen
- Helsinki University of Technology Nokia Research Center
- Circuit Theory Laboratory Hardware Design Technology
- Otakaari 5A, SF-02150 Espoo, FINLAND P.O.Box 156, SF-02101 Espoo,
- FINLAND
- Fax: 358-0-460224 Tel: 358-0-43761
- e-mail:martti@aplac.hut.fi Fax: 358-0-455 2557
-
- Free (university version) binaries for HP9000/700, Sun4, and PC machines
- are available via FTP from nic.funet.fi:pub/cae/aplac . Help files, PS
- manuals, and collections of APLAC examples are in the same directory.
-
- 54: SLS, a switch-level simulator
-
- (from comp.lsi.cad)
-
- DELFT UNIVERSITY OFFERS UNIQUE SWITCH-LEVEL SIMULATOR
-
- SLS is a switch-level simulator that can be used to simulate the logic
- and timing behavior of large digital circuits that are described at the
- (mixed) MOS transistor, gate and functional level. It has fast and accu-
- rate algorithms to predict the timing behavior of MOS circuits containing
- > 100,000 transistors. MOS transistor-level circuit descriptions are
- easily mixed with gate-level and functional-level circuit descriptions,
- where the behavior of the latter are described in the C programming
- language. There is an X-window based user-interface to graphically edit
- the input signals and to inspect the simulation output signals. The same
- interface is used to alternatively simulate the circuit with the well-
- known circuit simulator SPICE. SLS has already been used by many people
- at many different sites, and numerous chips have been designed with it.
- SLS is now made available world-wide to serve as a useful design and
- verification tool to the international design community. Apart from
- bof the
- popular design system for Sea-Of-Gates circuits OCEAN, or it can be con-
- nected to the advanced Nelsis CAD framework.
-
- The SLS simulator has three different simulation levels:
-
- 1. Purely logic simulation based on abstract transistor strengths:
- This level more or less behaves similar to the original switch-level
- model as proposed by R.E. Bryant. It computes logic states by
- only considering node states and transistor types.
-
- 2. Logic simulation based on exact transistor dimensions and node
- capacitances: This level uses resistance division and capacitance
- division algorithms to compute logic states. It finds correct logic
- states in much more situations than conventional switch-level
- simulators, e.g. when a resistance division occurs between a saturated
- transistor and a non-saturated transistor.
-
- 3. Logic and timing simulation based on transistor and node parameters:
- RC time constant evaluations are used to approximate real voltages by
- PIECEWISE-LINEAR VOLTAGE WAVEFORMS. This not only provides delay times
- for the circuit, but is also delivers an accurate representation for
- transient effects like spikes and races.
-
- Apart from electrical network elements like MOS transistors, resistors
- and capacitors, an SLS network may contain (i) gate primitives like
- inverters, nands, nors, etc. and (ii) user-defined function blocks like
- roms, shiftregisters, multipliers. The behavior of function blocks is
- described by the user in the C programming language: it is specified by
- the user how the values of the output terminals and the state variables
- are computed from the values of the input terminals and the state vari-
- ables.
-
- For more information about SLS, see,
-
- "Switch-level timing simulation," P.M. Dewilde, A.J. van Genderen,
- A.C. de Graaf, Proc. ICCAD 85 Conf., Santa Clara, Nov. 1985,
- pp. 182-184
-
- "SLS: An Efficient Switch-Level Timing Simulator Using Min-Max Voltage
- waveforms," A.J. van Genderen, Proc. VLSI 89 Conf., Munich, Aug. 1989,
- pp. 79-88.
-
- "SLS: Switch-Level Simulator User's Manual," A.C. de Graaf, A.J. van
- Genderen, Delft University of Technology (available for ftp at the
- address below).
-
- Availability:
-
- SLS is written in C and runs under UNIX and X-windows. It runs, among
- other things, on Sun SPARC stations, HP 9000 series 700/800 machines, and
- PCs running Linux. The program is available for free under the terms of
- the GNU General Public License. It can be retrieved via anonymous ftp
- from dutentb.et.tudelft.nl:pub/sls .
-
- It is also possible to obtain SLS as a part of the OCEAN system for the
- design of Sea-Of-Gates circuits. This system can be obtained from on
- donau.et.tudelft.nl:pub/ocean . The OCEAN system among other things con-
- tains a layout-to-circuit extractor that can extract large layouts and
- that stores the result directly in the database that is read by SLS.
- Furthermore, SLS is available as a tool in the Nelsis CAD framework from
- the directory pub/nelsis on dutente.et.tudelft.nl. The latest version of
- SLS can always be found on dutentb.et.tudelft.nl .
-
- For questions, remarks and bug reports, contact
-
- Arjan van Genderen
- Delft University of Technology
- Department of Electrical Engineering
- Mekelweg 4 phone: 31-15-786258
- 2628 CD Delft fax: 31-15-623271
- The Netherlands email: arjan@dutentb.et.tudelft.nl
-
- 55: OCEAN, a sea-of-gates design system
-
- (from Patrick Groeneveld <ocean@donau.et.tudelft.nl>)
-
- About OCEAN: the sea-of-gates design system
- -------------------------------------------
-
- OCEAN is a comprehensive chip design package which was developed at Delft
- University of Technology, the Netherlands. It includes a full set of
- powerful tools for the synthesis and verification of semi-custom sea-of-
- gates and gate-array chips. OCEAN covers the back-end of the design tra-
- jectory: from circuit level, down to layout and a working chip. In a nut-
- shell, OCEAN has the following features:
-
- + Available for free, including all source code.
- + Short learning curve making it suitable for student design courses.
- + Hierarchical (full-custom-like) layout style on sea-of-gates.
- + Powerful tools for placement, routing, simulation and extraction.
- + Any combination of automatic and interactive manual layout.
- + OCEAN can handle even the largest designs.
- + Running on popular HP, Sun and 386/486 PC machines, easy
- installation.
- + Includes three sea-of-gates images with libraries and a
- 200,000 transistor sea-of-gates chip.
- + Can be easily adapted to arbitrary images with any number of layers.
- + Interface programs for other tools and systems (SIS, cadence, etc.)
- + Robust and 'combat-proven', used by hundreds of people.
-
- How to retrieve OCEAN and additional documentation?
- ---------------------------------------------------
-
- The entire OCEAN system is available for free via anonymous ftp, gopher
- or on tape. A powerful installation script is included, so you can get
- started very quickly without hacking up the code. You can retrieve OCEAN
- and additional documentation via:
-
- anonymous ftp: donau.et.tudelft.nl:pub/ocean
- gopher: olt.et.tudelft.nl (port 70) or use the path
- World --> Europe --> Netherlands -->
- Delft University of Technology Electronic Engineering
- --> Research activities -->
- The OCEAN sea-of-gates Design System
-
- We advise to retrieve first the documents with the user manual. (The file
- 'ocean_docs.tar.gz'). If you have any questions, remarks or problems,
- just contact us:
-
- Patrick Groeneveld or Paul Stravers
- Electronic Engineering Group, Electrical Engineering Faculty
- Delft University of Technology
- Mekelweg 4, 2628 CD Delft The Netherlands
- Phone: +31-15786240 Fax: +31-15786190
- Email: ocean@donau.et.tudelft.nl
-
- 56: ALLIANCE, a CAD package and simulator for teaching digital VLSI design
-
- (from Gilles-Eric DESCAMPS <descamps@masi.ibp.fr>)
-
- ******************************************************
- * ANNOUNCEMENT OF ALLIANCE RELEASE 2.0 17 Feb 94 *
- ******************************************************
-
- The release 2.0 of the public domain ALLIANCE VLSI/CAD system is
- now available at:
-
- ftp.ibp.fr:ibp/softs/masi/alliance [132.227.60.2]
- cao-vlsi.ibp.fr:pub/alliance [132.227.60.20]
-
- CONTENT
-
- ALLIANCE is a complete set of CAD tools and portable libraries for
- research and education in digital VLSI design. The ALLIANCE CAD system
- has been developed at the MASI laboratory (Universite Pierre et Marie
- Curie, Paris France). It includes a VHDL compiler and simulator, logic
- synthesis tools, automatic place and route, DRC, extractor, functional
- abstraction and formal proof tools etc... All the ALLIANCE cell
- libraries use a symbolic layout approach in order to provide pro-
- cess independence: Cmos process from 1.6 micron to 0.8 micron have been
- successfully targetted.
-
- Several new tools and portable cell libraries have been introdu- ced
- into release 2.0:
-
- * Six parameterized portable CMOS generators:
- - RAGE static RAM generator
- - GROG high speed ROM generator
- - RSA fast adder generator
- - BSG barrel-shifter generator
- - AMG pipelined multiplier generator
- - RFG multi-ports register file generator
-
- * A data-path compiler for high performance and high density cir-
- cuits (including a dedicated portable standard cell library)
-
- * A Finite State Machine Synthesiser SYF, the logic synthesis
- implementation of high complexity controllers from VHDL input.
-
- * A procedural layout debugger GENVIEW allows new portable gen-
- erators or custom blocks to be developed easily. A new symb-
- olic layout editor GRAAL has a MOTIF interface.
-
- INSTALLATION
-
- ALLIANCE is totally free, under the terms of the GNU General Pub- lic
- License. It includes C source files and on-line English do- cumentation
- (UNIX man)
-
- 1) A hierarchical makefile allows each ALLIANCE tool to be com-
- piled and installed separately. The disk space required to
- compile and install the full ALLIANCE package is about 150
- megs.
-
- 2) The release 2.0 has been successfully compiled with K&R cc and
- GNU gcc compilers. The full alliance package can now run on
- SPARC, LINUX and DEC architectures.
-
- TUTORIALS
-
- The release ALLIANCE 2.0 contains three separate tutorials:
-
- 1) ADDACCU
- The design of a very simple chip (adder/accumulator) to get
- started with the ALLIANCE tools (about 500 transistors).
-
- 2) AMD2901
- The design of the 4 bits AMD2901 processor, from the VHDL spe-
- cification to the GDSII layout, using the ALLIANCE portable
- standard cell library (about 3000 transistors).
-
- 3) DLX
- The design of the 32 bits DLX microprocessor (HENNESSY & PAT-
- TERSON) from the VHDL specification to the GDSII layout, using
- the ALLIANCE data-path compiler and logic synthesis tools
- (about 30000 transistors).
-
- 57: ceBox EDIF Viewer
-
- <from comp.archives>
-
- A free demo version of the ceBox EDIF Viewer is now available on the
- ftp-server:
-
- ftp.Germany.EU.net:shop/concept-engineering/EDIF [192.76.144.75]
-
- you find the following files:
-
- README.german ( 2k ASCII text)
- README.english ( 2k ASCII text)
- demo.edif.Z ( 10k EDIF file)
- edif_viewer_demo.Z (808k SPARC executable)
- tutorial-demo-viewer.ps.Z ( 31k PostScript document)
-
- The *ceBox EDIF Viewer* displays schematic pages and symbols of any
- EDIF 200 (level 0) file. It is an easy-to-use tool to analyse EDIF
- schematic files.
-
- The *ceBox EDIF Kit* is a programming library to bundle C++ user func-
- tions to the Viewer and to build standalone EDIF processors. The Kit's
- in-core data base allows to access/modify all EDIF data.
-
- For more information, please contact:
-
- Concept Engineering
- Burkheimer Str. 10
- D-79111 Freiburg
- Germany
-
- Tel: ..49-761-473099
- Fax: ..49-761-441063
- email: cebox@concept.de
-
- 58: Analog CMOS VLSI Design Educational Resource Kit
-
- (from MUG)
-
- UMass Dartmouth is pleased to announce the release of Version 1 of the
- Analog CMOS VLSI Design Educational Resource Kit. Version 1 of the
- Resource Kit may be obtained via anonymous ftp at the site
-
- micron.ece.umassd.edu
-
- The release includes the following files and information:
-
- The CIF file for a 2 micron Mosis Tinychip using p-well technology; and
- manuals containing five tutorials based on the chip set.
-
- These circuits were used in an undergraduate course on analog VLSI design
- during the spring semester at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
- They are also being currently used in a graduate level course in analog
- VLSI design. The students in the undergraduate course had a single
- introductory digital VLSI design course as background, and were familiar
- with MAGIC, SPICE and CAzM, a SPICE-like circuit simulator.
-
- If you have any comments, corrections or suggestions regarding the
- release, or ideas for other circuits that you have found useful in your
- classes and that could be incorporated in later releases, please feel
- free to contact me. Good luck!
-
- Robert H. Caverly, Ph.D.
- ECE Department
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
- N. Dartmouth, MA 02747
- caverly@micron.ece.umassd.edu
- (508) 999-8474
-
- 59: TDX Fault Simulation and Test Generation Software
-
- (from Dan Holt <dan@attest.com>)
-
- TDX Fault Simulation and Test Generation Software
-
- Free demo/student copies of Attest Software's fault simulation, Iddq,
- DFT, and automatic test pattern generation tools are available by
- anonymous ftp.
-
- This software is fully functional on any circuit with less than 1000
- gate-level primitives. It is also fully functional on the GL85 micropro-
- cessor circuit (about 3000 primitives) which is included with the suite
- of tools. General-use licenses can be provided free to accredited univer-
- sities for non-commercial, educational purposes.
-
- The software is built around a high-performance concurrent fault simula-
- tor that is accurate on a wide-range of state and timing sensitive cir-
- cuits. It supports synchronous and asynchronous designs containing logic
- gates, MOS transistors, tri-state buffers, flip-flops, single/multi-port
- RAMs, complex bus resolution functions, and Verilog User Defined Primi-
- tives (UDPs). The software also supports the detailed pin timing and
- strobing features found on "tester-per-pin" automatic test equipment. The
- software supports Verilog and VHDL netlists.
-
- The GL85 microprocessor, which is a clone of the once-popular 8085
- microprocessor, is a fully functional model for which three views are
- provided: behavioral, RTL, and gate level. Using this clone, a tutorial
- shows the user how to achieve improved controllability and/or observabil-
- ity for his or her circuit, resulting in improved fault coverage, some-
- times with very little additional time or effort expended in the design
- cycle. The tutorial was written by Dr. Alex Miczo.
-
- The software is available by ftp from netcom.netcom.com:pub/attest. The
- README contains installation instructions, and identifies the location of
- the GL85 models and the postscript tutorial.
-
- For more information, please contact:
-
- Attest Software Inc.
- 4677 Old Ironsides Drive, Suite 100
- Santa Clara CA 95054 USA
-
- (408) 982-0244 voice
- (408) 982-0248 fax
-
- info@attest.com
-
- 60: Nascent Technologies CDROM - magic and spice releases for Linux
-
- The Linux from Nascent CDROM, Version 1.0, is only $39.95 plus shipping
- and handling, and comes with an 30-day unconditional money-back guaran-
- tee. If you aren't completely satisfied, return the package with your
- receipt within 30 days and the purchase price, excluding shipping and
- handling, will be refunded to you.
-
- In addition, Nascent offers the Linux from Nascent Plus package for only
- $89.95, which includeds six months of email support and a 30% discount
- off a future release of the CDROM with your CDROM purchase.
-
- Nascent Technology
- 811 Haverhill Drive
- Sunnyvale CA 94087 USA
- Tel: (408) 737-9500
- Fax: (408) 241-9390
- Email: nascent@netcom.com
-
- Linux is a freely distributable Unix(R) compatible operating system for
- the IBM(R) 386/486 PC and compatibles written by Linus Torvalds from the
- University of Helsinki, Finland. It was developed by a unique world-wide
- collaboration of programmers over the internet, and is covered by the GNU
- General Public License. Linux is a modern, high performance network
- operating system, much like ones used for years on engineering and pro-
- fessional workstations.
-
- The Linux from Nascent CDROM is an entirely new distribution of the Linux
- operating system, and includes over 400 mbytes of source code, binaries,
- and documentation for Linux and applications. The Linux from Nascent
- distribution features:
-
- * 52 page User Guide
- * automated root, swap, and package installation from CDROM
- * simple user account and network administration scripts
- * Linux 0.99.14 plus net-2 networking
- * extensive online documentation and manuals
- * network printer support
- * X Window System(TM)
- * OpenLook(TM) 3d window manager
- * SCSI disk and tape support
- * TeX(TM) and ghostscript word processor and viewer
- * Ingres database management
- * GNU C compiler and utilities
- * GNU emacs, vi clone text editors
- * sound and graphics support
- * Over 100 high resolution images translated from Kodak PhotoCD(TM)
- * magic and spice electronic design tools
- * GNU Chess, Shogi, pooltable, xpilot, flight simulator, ...
-
- 61: Time Crafter 1.0, a timing diagram documentation tool
-
- (from Rick Burgett <burgett@csips1.nrlssc.navy.mil>)
-
- I have uploaded to the SimTel Software Repository (available by anonymous
- ftp from the primary mirror site
- OAK.Oakland.Edu:pub/msdos/electric/timecrft.zip and its mirrors):
- timecrft.zip WIN3: Electronic ckt timing diagram generator
-
- Time Crafter Version 1.0 is a timing diagram documentation tool. A tim-
- ing diagram is used by electrical engineers and technicians to document
- the way a circuit or system operates or should operate. This type of
- documentation is crucial to good design and debugging but up to now one
- could only use paper and pencil (with a good eraser) or an expensive CAD
- package costing $1000 or more to produce these diagrams on a PC. Time
- Crafter has features that make it easy to document and update a circuit
- design of any complexity.
-
- Time Crafter is Microsoft Windows based to provide a simple yet powerful
- user interface which is device independent.
-
- Special requirements: Windows 3.x
-
- 62: ACS, a general purpose mixed analog and digital circuit simulator
-
- (from comp.lsi.cad)
-
- A new version of ACS (Al's Circuit Simulator) has been posted to
- alt.sources. It is also available by ftp from cs.rit.edu:pub/acs or
- ee.rochester.edu:pub/acs . If you don't have net access you can get it
- by dial-up from (USA) 716-272-1645.
-
- ACS is a general purpose mixed analog and digital circuit simulator. It
- performs nonlinear dc and transient analyses, fourier analysis, and ac
- analysis linearized at an operating point. At this point the analog is
- stronger than the digital. (In fact, the digital part is rather weak.)
- It is fully interactive and command driven. It can also be run in batch
- mode or as a server. The output is produced as it simulates. Spice com-
- patible models for the MOSFET (level 1 and 2) and diode are included in
- this release.
-
- This version (0.13) includes several improvements including real Fourier
- analysis and better time step control based on truncation error. There
- are other minor improvements.
-
- Since it is fully interactive, it is possible to make changes and re-
- simulate quickly. The interactive design makes it well suited to the
- typical iterative design process used it optimizing a circuit design. It
- is also well suited to undergraduate teaching where Spice in batch mode
- can be quite intimidating. This version, while still officially in beta
- test, should be stable enough for basic undergraduate teaching and
- courses in MOS design, but not for bipolar design.
-
- In batch mode it is mostly Spice compatible, so it is often possible to
- use the same file for both ACS and Spice.
-
- The analog simulation is based on traditional nodal analysis with itera-
- tion by Newton's method and LU decomposition. An event queue and incre-
- mental matrix update speed up the solution for large circuits.
-
- It also has digital devices for true mixed mode simulation. The digital
- devices may be implemented as either analog subcircuits or as true digi-
- tal models. The simulator will automatically determine which to use.
- Networks of digital devices are simulated as digital, with no conversions
- to analog between gates. This results in digital circuits being simu-
- lated faster than on a typical analog simulator, even with behavioral
- models. The digital mode is experimental and needs work. There will be
- substantial improvements in future releases.
-
- The source and documentation can be obtained by anonymous ftp from
- ee.rochester.edu:pub/acs or cs.rit.edu:pub/acs . It can also be obtained
- by dial-up (USA) 716-272-1645 in /pub/acs. It may be distributed under
- the terms of the GNU general public license. The dial-up also has some
- test circuits, pre-compiled executables for Next, Sun4, MSDOS and possi-
- bly others, and documentation in dvi and postscript.
-
- 63: LOG/iC, a logic synthesis package for PLDs
-
- (from Ralph Remme <RR@ns.isdata.de>)
-
- LOG/iC EVAL
-
- - - ISDATA GmbH Karlsruhe, Germany / ISDATA Inc. Oakland CA
- - - FSM and logic synthesis for programmable logic devices
- - - Several output formats: JEDEC, POF, HEX, EDIF, XNF, Open-PLA,
- PALASM, ...
- - - PLD data base as an electronic reference
- - - PC Windows
- - - free version of LOG/iC PLUS for educational and research use only
- - - anonymous ftp: gate.fzi.de:pub/ISDATA (141.21.4.3)
- - - email: isdata@isdata.de
-
- ISDATA GmbH ISDATA Inc.
- Daimlerstrasse 51 P.O. Box 19278
- D-76185 KARLSRUHE Oakland, CA 94619
- GERMANY U.S.A.
- Phone:(+49) 721 75 10 87 Phone: (++1) 510 5318553
- FAX: (+49) 721 75 26 34 Fax: (++1) 510 5318417
- Mr. Peter Bauer Mr. Paul Hoy
-
-