An integrated design and characterization environment for the development of a standard cell library

A design environment is described for the development of a standard cell library. This environment controls a central database called the Cell Data File (CDF). The CDF is a flexible database format for describing a cell technology library. CDF contains all the information necessary to build icon, schematic, and layout views from module generators or custom-crafted cells. Characterization data (transport delays, delay/pf, setup and hold times) can be automatically measured and inserted back in the CDF for translation to logic synthesis timing tables and functional models