What is the Ashton Tool Framework?

The Ashton Tool Framework is a set of proprietary tools which we have developed and improved over many years doing chip design.

The framework is a command-line environment written mostly in perl. We use it extensively in-house and when we engage with clients.

However, to let potential future clients get a taste of what the framework can do, we put a subset of the framework tools on a tool server allowing them to be easily run over the web, using a simple and consistent interface. We call this subset the Web Enabled Tools.

To improve user experience with these tools, we also set up forums to allow tool discussion among users, tool feature suggestions, and bug reporting,

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What tools are Available?

RBUILD [more info] [launch] [forum] [top]

Creates the software interface for a chip. This includes the RTL for the registers, and also the necessary documentation (in html), testbench utilities, C-driver utilities, and a 'reset value test' in RTL and C.

MCALL [more info] [launch] [forum] [top]

Creates the wrapper module (or testbench) that calls child modules. Intelligently creates connecting wires, and builds the module port list. Includes comments showing source and destination of all wires.

MVER [more info] [launch] [forum] [top]

Translator to convert M-Verilog into pure Verilog. M-Verilog has extensions to allow simpler coding and management of clocks and resets. It also has dedicated 'reg' types for flops and signals, and dedicated flop and signal assignment operators. All this allows combinational and sequential logic to be written together in a single mixed_always block.

ERPP [more info] [launch] [forum] [top]

This Enhanced RTL PreProcessor allows PERL to be mixed freely with RTL code (verilog or vhdl) using a style identical to PHP, <?erpp ... ?>.

FLAV [more info] [launch] [forum] [top]

This is a formatting tool to allow verilog to be indented according to GNU, KR, or ANSI standards.

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What IP Generators are Available?

CRCGEN [more info] [launch] [forum] [top]

Makes CRC calculators, using and arbitrary polynomial, with arbitrary data width.

LFSRCTR [more info] [launch] [forum] [top]

Makes a counter using an LFSR to save gates. LFSR's are also called pseudo-random number generators.

SCRAMGEN [more info] [launch] [forum] [top]

Makes both a scrambler and descrambler, using an arbitrary polynomial, with arbitrary data width.

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Questions and Answers

Why are we offering Web Enabled Tools?
We are experts at chip design, and the knowledge, expertise, and implicit methodology we have developed over many years has become embedded in these tools. We want our potential clients to evaluate and run these tools because we are confident they will conclude that we are highly competent to assist them on their next design project.

Who can run the Web Enabled Tools?
Anyone with web access, who is not a competitor in the design services business is welcome to use these tools. All we ask is you become a member so we can send you an email once or twice a month to promote our firm. Once you become a member, which is free, you can run the tools as often as you like. Please note that in general, we will eventually cancel the tool membership for users who work for competing design service firms.

If I can run the tools over the web, why do I need Ashton-Systems?
We created these tools, so if you conclude they work really well and you like using them, then it's a practical proof that we are experts. So if you have a design project where you need a top notch expert engineering team to deliver it quickly, cost effectively and with high quality, then of course you will want to hire experts you already know and trust, like us! So give us a call.

If you are not in a position to hire us, then we are happy to let you use the tools anyway, its no loss of revenue for us, and perhaps in the future you may give us a call. We are happy to build some goodwill.

Are these tools Supported?
Each tool we offer has a corresponding discussion forum area. In this area, users can share experiences and tips, file bug reports, make feature requests, and browse the answers to frequently asked questions.

The tools continue to evolve and updates with new features will be put on the tool server. Bugs will be fixed. We also have several other proprietary tools we might put on the tool server in the future. It depends how the initial reception goes.

Can I Download the Tools?
No. We want to retain the tools as closed source. In addition we want users to visit our website. Both objectives are compromised if users simply download executables.

What happens if Ashton Systems takes down the tool server?
All these tools add immediate value, and none of them lock the user into a long term commitment. For instance, RBUILD creates a software interface for a chip, including HTML documentation, C code, testbench code, a self-test driver starter file, self-test testbenches, and the RTL code. All the code produced is non-encrpyted, properly commented and indented. If support or changes were later required and the tool server was not available, a user could simply edit the RTL and C and HTML files directly. They would still have saved a lot of time compared to creating them from scratch in the first place.

Would you like to get more information about the Ashton Tool Framework?
You can get in touch with us with our online feedback form, by calling us at (613) 287-1551 or sending an email to tools@ashton-systems.com.