The logic engine development system support for microprogrammed bit-slice development

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Abstract
The Logic Engine Development System is an integrated hardware and software system that aids the designer in many phases of microprogrammed bit-slice hardware design. It is the first commercially-available system to provide, direct support for the microprogram sequencer, or to supply a built-in host computer for the designer's use. The Logic Engine includes a new microassembler that encourages structured coding while remaining simple to use.Microprogramming permits the designer to tackle complex control tasks, but this ability to deal conceptually with complex designs brings with it numerous implementation problems. On what type of breadboard should we build the architecture? How will we debug the architecture? How will we produce the microcode? How will we load the microcode into a control store? How will we design and build the microinstruction sequencer? How will we debug the microcode? How will we modify the microcode?These questions imply that the designer will need a powerful support system to allow him to manage microprogrammed control. The control unit itself is only one part of a good development system. Such a system must provide support for the development and debugging of both the architecture and the control algorithm. The system should suppress the usual design headaches and subtleties of hardware construction. A development system should provide the convenience of wire-wrap for initial testing. It should provide lights and switches to assist the designer in displaying and controlling individual signals during the testing stages of design. Of course, it should give powerful support to the development, debugging, and modification of the control program.The Logic Engine Development System, manufactured by Logic Design, Inc., offers a high standard of performance for development systems for microprogrammed bit-slice design.

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