Synthesis tools speed set-top-box chip design

By combining Module Compiler and Physical Compiler, Synopsys has helped Scientific-Atlanta to cut several months off design time while gaining complete control over the design process.

By combining the power of Module Compiler and Physical Compiler, Synopsys has helped Scientific-Atlanta to cut several months off design time while gaining complete control over the design process.

"By designing our own ASICs, a clear differentiator of Scientific-Atlanta's, we can eliminate the middleman and optimise the features of our chips in a highly cost-effective way, which we believe is giving our customers the best set-tops available for the delivery of interactive TV", says Michael Harney, corporate vice president and general manager of Subscriber Networks of Scientific-Atlanta.

"Synopsys' compiler technologies are helping us deliver on the promise of interactivity by significantly increasing the speed with which we can implement complex datapath designs".

Module Compiler Physical is an integrated flow using Module Compiler and Physical Compiler which enables structure preservation for datapath designs.

The relative placement information for the datapath design is automatically generated by Module Compiler and placed and legalised using Physical Compiler in a fully integrated flow.

Previously, designers at Scientific-Atlanta used Module Compiler's advanced datapath synthesis capabilities to re-implement portions of their datapath design to improve their timing.

The relative placement file generated by Module Compiler was then used by Scientific-Atlanta designers and their ASIC vendor to hand tile the design using a third-party place and route tool.

The hand tiling layout took a total of three months using two designers, one doing synthesis and another doing layout, to complete.

For their next ASIC design, the design team looked beyond this method and brought in Physical Compiler and Module Compiler Physical.

By using the Module Compiler Physical flow, Scientific-Atlanta was able to achieve better results in less than 24 hours using only one designer doing synthesis and placement.

Additionally, Scientific-Atlanta was able to gain complete control over their design process for increased timing predictability and improved timing closure.

Physical Compiler's unified synthesis and placement support coupled with the structured placement capability of the Module Compiler Physical flow, has enabled the company to reduce reliance on third-party assistance.

Scientific-Atlanta can now move more quickly from concept to reality in a fast moving consumer market by exploring new design architectures, screening for the best candidates and implementing them quickly.

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