Object-oriented hardware modelling—where to apply and what are the objects?

The importance of reusability of hardware models for the necessary increase in design productivity are explained for different modelling problems. Methods having previously been proven to be successful in software engineering are analysed with respect to their applicability to hardware design. It is shown that object-oriented modelling techniques do potentially increase design productivity, but that VHDL in its current version does not support object oriented modelling. Possible subjects to object-orientation are discussed.