US6701504B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Block based design methodology
Assignee: Cadence Design Systems Inc
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Filing: 2001-01-04
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Granted: 2004-03-02
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Expires: 2021-01-04
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for designing a circuit system, including selecting a plurality of pre-designed circuit blocks to be used to design the circuit system, collecting data reflecting the experience of the designer regarding the pre-designed circuit blocks, the designer's experience being adaptable to a processing method, accepting or rejecting a design of the circuit system in a manner based on the designer's experience data and acceptable degree of risk, upon acceptance, forming block specifications containing criteria and modified constraints for each of the circuit blocks, upon acceptance, forming block specifications for deploying the circuit blocks on a floor plan of a chip, as a system on a chip, in compliance with the criteria and modified constraints, and substantially without changing the selected circuit block and the processing method.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry Chang
- 👤 Larry Cooke
- 👤 Merrill Hunt
- 👤 Wuudiann Ke
- 👤 Christopher K. Lennard
- 👤 Grant Martin
- 👤 Peter Paterson
- 👤 Khoan Truong
- 👤 Kumar Venkatramani
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 00:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; G06F30/32; G06F30/33; G06F30/3308; G06F2115/00; G06F2115/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of increasing glue logic distribution efficiency, the method comprising the steps of: copying a selected glue logic element, thereby creating a duplicate element set including said selected element and its copy; distributing said duplicate element set to the plurality of design blocks.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of increasing glue logic distribution efficiency, the method comprising the steps of: copying a selected glue logic element, thereby creating a duplicate element set including said selected element and its copy; distributing said duplicate element set to the plurality of design blocks.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein: said method is embodied in a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable media; said computer instructions, when loaded into a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of said method.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of distributing a plurality of glue logic elements among the design blocks, the method comprising the steps of: if a first glue logic element includes an output net driving a plurality of loads, splitting the first element into a plurality of derivative glue logic elements; and distributing said derivative elements to the plurality of design blocks.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of distributing a plurality of glue logic elements among the design blocks, the method comprising the steps of: if a first glue logic element includes an output net driving a plurality of loads, splitting the first element into a plurality of derivative glue logic elements; and distributing said derivative elements to the plurality of design blocks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein each derivative element includes only a single output load.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein if a first glue logic element includes a plurality of inputs, the split element is the first element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein a derivative element includes only two-inputs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of distributing a plurality of glue logic elements among the design blocks, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the plurality of elements for a selected quality; merging a selected glue logic element into a selected block in a manner based upon the analysis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of distributing a plurality of glue logic elements among the design blocks, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing the plurality of elements for a selected quality; merging a selected glue logic element into a selected block in a manner based upon the analysis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the selected block is selected in a manner based upon its functional affinity to the selected element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said functional affinity comprises whether the merger would reduce the number of physical I/O elements required for the proper function of said circuit device design.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said functional affinity comprises whether a selected element and a selected block together have improved chip level timing characteristics.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein if two or more design blocks are equal candidates for the merger, the block having the lowest pin density is chosen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 7 , wherein: said method is embodied in a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable media; said computer instructions, when loaded into a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of said method.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of distributing glue logic, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a plurality of elements that can be neither copied and distributed among the design blocks or merged with the design blocks; clustering the identified plurality of elements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of distributing glue logic, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a plurality of elements that can be neither copied and distributed among the design blocks or merged with the design blocks; clustering the identified plurality of elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the clustered elements includes multiple loads on input nets and multiple loads on output nets.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of elements include inputs having similar function.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said integrated circuit design scheme is configured to produce a System On Chip (SOC) design.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 16 , wherein the pre-existing design blocks comprise at least one of comprise at least one of an IP-block, a core block, a DSP core, an analog/mixed signal block, and a customer supplied block.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer program product capable of being stored on a computer readable media, comprising a computer readable program for causing a processor to execute of the steps of claim 13 .
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
82 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of distributing glue logic among the design blocks, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a first feature of a first glue logic element; identifying a second glue logic element having a second feature making the second glue logic element compatible with the first glue logic element; merging said first glue logic element with the identified second glue logic element.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
82 words
For execution in an integrated circuit device design scheme, wherein a device design comprises a plurality of pre-existing design blocks, a method of distributing glue logic among the design blocks, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a first feature of a first glue logic element; identifying a second glue logic element having a second feature making the second glue logic element compatible with the first glue logic element; merging said first glue logic element with the identified second glue logic element.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said first feature comprises the number of pins required by said first glue logic element.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said first feature comprises the input structure of said first glue logic element.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said first feature comprises the output structure of said first glue logic element.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the second glue logic element is a design block.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for design of a System On Chip (SOC) device, comprising: providing a plurality of pre-existing design blocks; determining a set of glue-logic elements for coupling at least one of the pre-existing design blocks to other design blocks; analyzing the plurality of glue logic elements for at least one selected quality; and merging at least one of the glue logic elements into one of the design blocks based on the analysis.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for design of a System On Chip (SOC) device, comprising: providing a plurality of pre-existing design blocks; determining a set of glue-logic elements for coupling at least one of the pre-existing design blocks to other design blocks; analyzing the plurality of glue logic elements for at least one selected quality; and merging at least one of the glue logic elements into one of the design blocks based on the analysis.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 24 , wherein at least one of the design blocks comprise at least one of an IP-block, a core block, a DSP core, and a customer supplied block.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 24 , wherein at least one of the design blocks comprise a circuit block design described by at least one of RTL level, GDSII level, gate level, and netlist level descriptions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 24 , wherein at least one of the design blocks is an analog/mixed signal block.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 25 , further comprising: selecting glue logic elements to be merged with a candidate block based on the candidate block's functional affinity to the selected elements.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer program product capable of being stored on a computer readable media, comprising a computer readable program for causing a processor to execute of the steps of claim 24 .
Claim 36
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for design of a System On Chip (SOC) device, comprising: providing a plurality of pre-existing design blocks; determining a set of glue-logic elements for coupling at least one of the pre-existing design blocks to other design blocks; copying a selected glue logic element, thereby creating a duplicate element set including said selected element and its copy; and distributing said duplicate element set to the plurality of design blocks.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for design of a System On Chip (SOC) device, comprising: providing a plurality of pre-existing design blocks; determining a set of glue-logic elements for coupling at least one of the pre-existing design blocks to other design blocks; copying a selected glue logic element, thereby creating a duplicate element set including said selected element and its copy; and distributing said duplicate element set to the plurality of design blocks.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 30 , wherein at least one of the design blocks comprise at least one of an IP-block, a core block, a DSP core, and a customer supplied block.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 30 , wherein at least one of the design blocks comprise a circuit block design described by at least one of RTL level, GDSII level, gate level, and netlist level descriptions.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 30 , wherein at least one of the design blocks is an analog/mixed signal block.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer program product capable of being stored on a computer readable media, comprising a computer readable program for causing a processor to execute of the steps of claim 30 .
Claim 42
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for design of a System On Chip (SOC) device, comprising: providing a plurality of pre-existing design blocks; determining a set of glue-logic elements for coupling at least one of the pre-existing design blocks to other design blocks; identifying a first feature of a first glue logic element; identifying a second glue logic element having a second feature making the second glue logic element compatible with the first glue logic element; merging said first glue logic element with the identified second glue logic element.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for design of a System On Chip (SOC) device, comprising: providing a plurality of pre-existing design blocks; determining a set of glue-logic elements for coupling at least one of the pre-existing design blocks to other design blocks; identifying a first feature of a first glue logic element; identifying a second glue logic element having a second feature making the second glue logic element compatible with the first glue logic element; merging said first glue logic element with the identified second glue logic element.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to claim 35 , wherein at least one of the design blocks comprise at least one of an IP-block, a core block, a DSP core, an analog/mixed signal block, and a customer supplied block.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 35 , wherein at least one of the design blocks comprise a circuit block design described by at least one of RTL level, GDSII level, gate level, and netlist level descriptions.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method according to claim 35 , wherein said first feature comprises at least one of a number of pins required by the first glue logic element, an input structure of the first glue logic element, and an output structure of the first glue logic element.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 38 , wherein said computer instruction are compiled computer instructions stored as an executable program on said computer readable media.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 35 , wherein the second glue logic element is a design block.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
31 words
A computer program product capable of being stored on a computer readable media, comprising a computer readable program for causing a processor to execute of the steps of claim 35 .
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 41 , wherein said computer instruction are compiled computer instructions stored as an executable program on said computer readable media.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-03-02 | 2007-09-01 | 2008-03-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-03-02 | 2011-09-01 | 2012-03-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-03-02 | 2015-09-01 | 2016-03-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |