CAD/CAM/CAE : electronic design automation, 1992 - Archive Server

CAD/CAM/CAE—Electronic Design Automaiion Appiicab'ons
HDL-based simulator, Vcrilog-XL, which
expanded significantly once Cadence put its distrOmtion
musde behind it (after acquiring the
technology from Gateway Design Automation),
It was natural for users of the Verilog-XL simulator
to iavai adoption of the complCTnentary
Verilog HDL. Current HDL market share reflects
Cadence's ovetall strength in the Japanese
market—strength that is rooted in Cadence's
stronghold on the IC design market
Our studies conclude that approximately 34 percent
of the Verilog HDL-only installed base will
replace titie language with VHDh. Thus, coexistence
between VHDL and Verilog HDL is projected
to be widespread in Japan, with 53 percent
of the Verilog HDL-only user base planning
to use both Verilog HDL and VHDL. Only
13 percent wili continue to tise Verilog HDL
exclusively—that is, without adopting VHDL.
"Ilie number of VHDL-only users in Japan is currently
too small to draw any solid candusions,
but early indications suggest that 10 percent to
20 percent may displace it with Verilog HDL,
and another 15 percent to 25 percent will end
up using both Verilog HDL and VHDL. The
upshot is that we expect approximateiy 60 percent
of the VHDL-oiJy base to use VHDL exclusive
of Verilog HDL.
Reaction to VHDL among most Japanese manufacturers
over the past few years has been less
than positive. Negative perceptions about the
language among Japanese manufacturers have
been shaped by a number of factors. For
instance, VHDUs DoD roots were viewed somewhat
negatively. Eectronics manufacturers
believed that the language did not meet the
needs of the commercial sector. Indeed, because
VHDL was initially developed as a documentation
language, many of its constructs did not
lend themselves to either simulation or logic
synthesis. Furthermore, VHDL was more
difficult to use than other langttages: Its gatelevel
simulation speed was slow; the standard
itself was open to interpretation; and apphcations
were being developed for tmique subsets
of the language, which potentially precluded the
mixing and matching of VHDL-ba^d tools from
different vendors. Moreover, early widespread
endorsement of VHDL among EDA vendors was
viewed by Japan-based dectronics manufacturers
as a preemptive response aimed at curbing the
expanding presence of Cadence's Verilog HDL.
In sum, VHDL was perceived as language unable
to meet the needs of the customer, but
nonetheless was being forced upon iiie market
by the U.S. government and an array of EDA
suppliers determined to weaken Verilog HDL's
market position.
Many of the problems and stumbling blocks
sunounding VHDL persist today. Yet, the collective
market power criE the VHDL camp, which
consists not onty of EDA vendors but also of
ASIC suppliers, has eclipsed much of the
momentum previously garnered by the Verilog
HDL. Egure 4, which shows the projected market
share of the various HDLs in Japan, serves
as a dear indicator of the collective mind-set of
the Japanese electronics industry. Tliis figure
reflects the survey responses from electronic
design groups at over 100 different sites
throughout Japaxt Engineers and managers
Figure 4
Projected 1995 Japanese HDL Market Segmentation
Proprietary
(6.5%)
No Use
of HDL
(2.4%)
UDL/I
(3.7%)
Others
(Nonproprietary)
(1.7%)
Notes:
1. Segmentation data are based on end-user
survey results (Q4,1991).
2. Segments reflect percentage of users.
Source: Dalaquest (April 1992)
G2C00621
CCAM-EDA-DP-9201 ©1992 Dalaquest Incorporated Apra 27, 1992