AUTOMATED DESIGN PROCESS AND CHIP DESCRIPTION SYSTEM

An automated design process and chip description system is disclosed. The automated design process and chip description system compensates for the loss in design information that occurs when the design is represented in traditional functional descriptions. The automated design process includes the steps of processing a design definition according to a functional description and generating a modified design output such that communication between design process steps is seamless. The chip description system comprises a storage element and a functional element, wherein a first design object couples to a second design object such that the coupling uses at least one functional element to access one or more storage elements usable by the chip description system. A data structure for use in a chip description system is also disclosed and comprises a plurality of design objects, a plurality of tool objects interactively coupled with the design objects, a plurality of process objects interactively coupled with the tool objects and the design objects, a plurality of people objects interactively coupled with the process objects, the design objects and the tool objects, wherein the interactive coupling provides improved data management for a plurality of design files.