A multi-representational design data capture system

A new design data capture system called FALcyber (function and logic cybernetic design framework) that unifies several different design representations is presented. To unify the representations, the system uses a database oriented toward design data objects. The database uses a base object from which all design representation data objects are derived. Design data are compiled incrementally into a common database used by a simulator, a logic synthesizer, and a functional test data generation assistant. System designers can select the representation most suitable for their needs and easily switch between representations. With this system, the readability of design data is greatly improved, easing the debugging process and resulting in substantial savings in design time. FALcyber was found to be an effective design tool for designs of over a million lines of HDL (hardware description language)