dunc@eecg.toronto.edu (Duncan Elliott) (11/15/89)
Electrical Engineering Computer Group
Cider Seminar Series
AWSIM-3: A High Performance Hardware Accelerator
for Circuit Simulation
by
David Lewis
Electrical Engineering Computer Group
University of Toronto
Time: Friday, Nov. 17, 1989, 12:05 --- Place: GB 248
Awsim-3 is a hardware accelerator for electrical simulation of
VLSI circuits, designed to support a variety of algorithms ranging
from SPICE-style direct circuit simulation to timing simulation.
While other hardware accelerators have used an interpretive model,
with the processor interpreting a data structure that represents the
problem, Awsim uses a different organization. Awsim-3 uses a
compiled model, where each circuit is compiled into executable code
for the machine. This technique has three primary advantages.
First, it makes the hardware simple, since little of the problem
solution is hardwired. Second, it improves performance, since many
operations can statically be eliminated. Third, it makes the
processor more general, since little of the hardware is specific to
the problem being solved.
This talk will present the motivations for Awsim-3, and an
overview of the hardware under construction. It will also describe
the software used to achieve effective use of the hardware with low
preprocessing overhead. Specific performance data showing that the
machine is a factor of 1500 to 3000 times faster than a Sun-3/60
will be presented.
Coming Soon
Date Who Topic
Nov. 24 Duncan Elliott IRAM
Jan. 19 Pierre Delisle A Load Balancing Facility for Distributed Systems