Apple Inc.

Intrinsity, Inc.

Jeffrey B Reed

Donald W Glowka

James S Blomgren

Robert D Kenney

Paul K Miller

Raymond Cheung Yeung

Timothy A Olson

Thomas W Rudwick, Iii

Brian J Nalle

Michael A Dukes

Techniques and structures relating to consistency management for fabrication data are disclosed. A plurality of data sources may contain different values for a variety of design parameters usable by electronic circuit design tools to physically lay out at least a portion of an integrated circuit (such as minimum spacing rules, etc.). By seeking to detect different parameter values and/or parameter values that fail to meet a confidence threshold, potential errors may be uncovered at an earlier stage of the design process. Error detection may occur in response to a request to a database, or as part of a consistency check. Different file formats for different design tools may be imported into a central database to facilitate system operation, and an application programming interface may be used to acquire or calculate data values and perform checks in some embodiments.

Managing consistency of multiple-source fabrication data in an electronic design environment

A hardware description language representation of an original circuit block containing one or more hierarchies may be obtained. Some, or all of the hierarchies may be dissolved to access each circuit component within the original circuit block at a same level of hierarchy. Designated circuit components may then be grouped together to create new circuit blocks at a new level of hierarchy. Components and signals within each new circuit block may be renamed to match logically corresponding components and signals within each other new circuit block. Missing pins may be added for each new circuit block, and connected to respective associated signals within the new circuit block, and logically equivalent pins may be given the same name to ensure the new circuit blocks are logically equivalent to each other and have identical interfaces. One of the new circuit blocks may be selected for physical build to obtain one or more physical instances corresponding to the selected new circuit block, and a top-level build may link each new circuit block instance to one of those one or more physical instances.

Method for manipulating and repartitioning a hierarchical integrated circuit design

The matching algorithm of the layout synthesis method and apparatus disclosed locates transistor pattern matches in a design, links a parameterized tile to each identified match, and adjusts certain variable parameters of the linked parameterized tile to meet the physical design requirements of each located match. Each transistor pattern corresponds to a parameterized tile, which is an actual physical representation of the corresponding pattern and includes variable parameters, which may include transistor size. The matching algorithm locates matches in the design for an ordered list of patterns, names each located match, links the proper parameterized tile to each named match, and adjusts the tile's variable parameters as required. Transistors in the design are included in one and only one named located match.

Physical realization of dynamic logic using parameterized tile partitioning

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Jeffrey B Reed