An ALGOL-like computer design language

Abstract

The idea of constructing a computer design language by making use of an ALGOL-like programming language is presented, A computer designer con benefit from using a design language at a higher level just as a computer user can benefit from a higher level programming language.The purposes and requirements of the design language are enumerated. To achieve most of the purposes a translator is required to translate a design of computer logic into a set of Boolean equations. The design language is presented in terms of vocabulary, statements, sequences and microprogram.Included are examples of identifiers, expressions with both unary and binary operators, declaration statements, transfer statements, terminal statements, exchange statements, if statements, do statements, go to statements, several sequences and a microprogram.

Formal Property Verification

“…In the 1950s and 60s, the cost of digital hardware remained high and was used primarily for generalpurpose computers. Chu's CDL [13] is representative of languages of this era: it uses a programming-language-like syntax; has a heavy bias toward processor design; and includes the notions of arithmetic, registers and register transfer, conditionals, concurrency, and even microprograms. Bell and Newell's influential ISP (described in their 1971 book [6]) was also biased toward processor design.…”

Quality of designs from an automatic logic generator (ALERT)

“…There has been wide interest in the possibility of automating the design of computer logic [i], [4], [5], [9], [ii], [14], [16]. Feasibility of an automated logic generator was demonstrated by Proctor in 1964 [12], howeverdetailed comparisons of automatically generated logic and manually prepared logic have not been made available.…”

A language to describe and simulate multiprocessor computer systems

“…Chu (6) suggested that the design language have the form of a high level language such as ALGOL (19) . With such a form, the translation techniques developed for high level languages would be applicable to the translation of the computer design language.…”

“…The program is fairly straight forward, in that if the computer has been described correctly, the order of execution of the instructions should be accord ing to their addresses 0, 1,2,3,4,7,5,6.…”

“…The language's provision for describing the serial, parallel and a combination of serial and parallel events allows the designer a greater degree of freedom than previously offered. Most other languages (6,8,21,25) allow for only parallel execution of actions and one allows for a limited form of parallel execution of serial events (2,3). This feature, in and of itself, allows the designer to describe when the multitude of events are to occur within the system more accurately.…”