LAMMERT, ADAM CRAWFORD. Searching for Better Logic Circuits: Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques to Automate Digital Design. (Under the direction of Dr. Edward Willmore Davis Jr.) Logic circuits are at the core of modern computing. The process of designing circuits which are efficient is thus of critical importance. Usually, logic circuits are designed by human beings who have a specific repertoire of conventional design techniques. These techniques limit the solutions that may be considered during the design process in both form and quality. The limits guide designers through the immense realm of possible circuits, thus making the problem more manageable. Simultaneously, the limits sometimes eliminate from consideration circuits which are optimal in terms of size, depth, etc. By exploring the full range of possible solutions, circuits could be discovered which are superior to the best known human designs. Automated design techniques borrowed from artificial intelligence have allowed exactly that. Specifically, the application of genetic algorithms has allowed the creation of circuits which are substantially superior to the best known human designs. This paper expands on such previous research with a three-fold approach. This approach is comprised of (1) two distinct optimizations for the application of genetic algorithms to design, (2) the formulation and implementation of a systematic search technique to the problem and (3) a comparison of the relative merits of the optimized genetic algorithm and the systematic search technique. It is contended that both genetic algorithms and systematic search can be preferable depending on the situation at hand.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NCSU/oai:NCSU:etd-06072006-140938 |
| Date | 14 June 2006 |
| Creators | Lammert, Adam Crawford |
| Contributors | Dennis Bahler, James Lester, Edward Davis |
| Publisher | NCSU |
| Source Sets | North Carolina State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-06072006-140938/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to NC State University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
Page generated in 0.0031 seconds