The input/output specifications analyzer for IC designs

Abstract

The input/output specifictions (IOSpec) analyzer is a tool designed to ensure that the original specifications of the IC design will be taken into account during verification and analysis. Design specifications tend to get distorted in the numerous intermediate steps that are associated with any design verification and analysis process, and therefore this task is essential for any design process. The IOSpec analyzer greatly reduces design verification and analysis turnaround time by automating an otherwise cumbersome and error-prone process. It can be used either as a stand-alone program or as a facility within an integrated design automation system. It uses an object-oriented, rule-based programming paradigm in conjunction with a customizable user interface. Although current applications are geared toward IC designs, the program can easily be extended for circuit board designs. The authors present the overall program architecture and its applications