Method and system for creating, deriving and validating structural description of electronic system from higher level, behavior-oriented description, including interactive schematic design and simulation

Abstract

A system for interactive design, synthesis and simulation of an electronic system allowing a user to design a system either by specification of a behavioral model in a high level language such as VHDL or by graphical entry. The user can view full or partial simulation and design results simultaneously, on a single display window. The synthesis process uses a systematic technique to map and enforce consistency of the semantics imbedded in the intent of the original, high-level descriptions. The design activity is generally a series of transformations operating upon various levels of design representations. At each level, the design can be simulated and reviewed in schematic diagram form. The simulation results can be displayed immediately adjacent to signal lines on the diagram to which they correspond. In one embodiment, design rule violations are processed by an expert system to suggest possible corrections or alterations to the design which will eliminate the design rule violations. Schematic diagram and simulation displays showing those portions of the electronic system and simulated signal patterns which are related to the design rule violations are used to help the user identify and appropriately correct problems in the design.