RIOT -- A Simple Graphical Chip Assembly Tool

Abstract

Riot is a simple interactive graphical tool designed to facilitate the assembly of cells into integrated systems. Riot supplies the user with primitive operations of connection -- abutment, routing and stretching -- in an interactive graphic environment. The designer retains full control of the design, including the assignment of positions to instances of cells and the choice of connection mechanism. The computer takes care of the tedious and exacting implementation detail, guaranteeing that connections are made correctly. The powerful connection primitives give the user of Riot the ability to quickly assemble a custom chip from a collection of low-level cells. This document provides a discussion of the motivation for Riot and a description of the Riot chip assembly system, its capabilities and its use.