Field-Programmable Gate Arrays: Reconfigurable Logic for Rapid Prototyping and Implementation of Digital Systems

8.5   CAD SUPPORT

We have seen that the designer’s requirements can range from virtually automatic design, in which the user simply desires that the logic be packed into a given FPGA chip, and to run at the speed desired for the application, to more sophisticated ones, in which the user needs to control the detailed organization of a cell in, say, a systolic array. CAD support can be effective at many stages, including minimization steps, which are sensible for any implementation, that is, they are technology-independent.

8.5.1   NeoCAD Foundry

NeoCAD, Inc., based in Boulder, Colorado, has a unique strategy toward delivering an open FPGA design environment, which it refers to as FPGA Foundry. As an independent FPGA CAD tool supplier, NeoCAD provides a single set of high-performance tools supporting the many different architectures offered by a growing number of FPGA vendors. This focused strategy enables technology-transparent design, allowing the engineer to optimize cost and performance as the design progresses. Development tools include the Timing Wizard for timing and frequency-driven design, the Prism logic partitioning system, the HYDRA client/server place-and-route engine, and CAE tool integration.

The FPGA design process using FPGA Foundry is shown in Figure 8–28. Traditional schematic capture tools or logic synthesis tools can be used to create the FPGA design file in all popular formats. CAE tool integration includes Synopsys, Mentor Graphics, ViewLogic, and Exemplar ...