A Database Approach to Communication in VLSI Design

This paper describes recent and planned work at Stanford University in applying database technology to the problems of VLSI design. In particular, it addresses the issue of communication within a design's different representations and hierarchical levels in a multiple designer environment. We demonstrate the heretofore questioned utility of using commercial database systems, at least while developing a versatile, flexible, and generally efficient model and its associated communication paths. Completed work and results from initial work using DEC DBMS-20 is presented, including macroexpansion within the database, and signaling of changes to higher structural levels. Considerable discussion regarding overall philosophy for continued work is also included.