Structural design composition for C++ hardware models

Abstract

This paper addresses the modeling of layout structure in high level C++ models. Researchers agree that the level of abstraction for integrated circuit design needs to be raised. New languages and methodologies are being proposed, most of them from the software engineering domain. However one of the fundamental hardware design challenges is often overlooked as push button synthesis solutions are sought: physical design predictability. In this paper we describe how C++ constructs should be used to capture structural and physical implementation concerns. Our explanation relies on the importance of the floorplan and component placement estimations at high levels of abstraction. We highlight how using object oriented mechanisms eases the structural modeling of circuit components, and we present a C++ class library design to specify these structural concerns.