Recent developments in the automated design and analysis of digital systems

Some of the recent developments in the automated design and analysis of digital systems are reviewed. Two new areas alluded to are centralized data base systems for design automation and interactive graphic computer-aided design. The areas of gate level simulation, synthesis, partitioning, interconnection, and fault test generation are dealt with in more detail. New algorithms in each of these areas are presented and compared, and a few important unsolved problems are mentioned. Some of the systems, techniques, and/or algorithms discussed are: A. Gate level simulation; 1) fault list propagation, 2) three-valued simulation. B. Synthesis; 1) register transfer level, 2) logic gate level. C. Partitioning; 1) clustering algorithms, 2) functional partitioning via simulation. D. Interconnect; 1) path seeking algorithms, 2) Steiner's problem. E. Fault test generation; 1) D algorithm, 2) Boolean difference, 3) equivalent normal form, 4) extensions to sequential circuits.