Other

Mentor Graphics Corporation

Calypto Design Systems, Inc.

Peter Pius Gutberlet

Bryan Darrell Bowyer

Simon Joshua Waters

Andres Rafael Takach

David Gaines Burnette

Pankaj P Chauhan

Sameer Kapoor

Saurabh Jain

Kunal Bindal

Gagandeep Singh

Maheshinder Goyal

Michael F Fingeroff

Shiv Prakash

Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for performing formal verification of circuit descriptions. In certain example embodiments, the disclosed technology involves the formal verification of a register-transfer-level ('RTL') circuit description produced from a high level synthesis tool (e.g., a C++ or SystemC synthesis tool) relative to the original high level code from which the RTL description was synthesized (e.g., the original C++ or SystemC description) using sub-functional-call-level transactions.

Formal verification using microtransactions

A design tool hierarchically presents information about a design with nested blocks. For example, the design tool presents scheduling information for the design in a hierarchical Gantt chart. The scheduling information includes hierarchical design schedule blocks which accurately depict the timing and scheduling of the nested blocks of the design. Each of the hierarchical design schedule blocks includes control steps numbered relative to the block. The scheduling information also includes a hierarchical list of scheduled operations for the design. The hierarchical list emphasizes which operations are associated with which nested blocks. The scheduling information further includes pseudo-operation icons that are easily differentiated from real operation icons in the hierarchical Gantt chart.

Hierarchical presentation techniques for a design tool

An algorithmic programming language approach to system design enables design, synthesis, and validation of structured, system-level specifications, and integrates system-level design into the rest of the design process. The algorithmic programming language design approach includes various techniques and tools, which can be used in combination or independently. For example, the design approach includes techniques and tools for simplifying specification of a design unit interface in a programming language specification and/or simplifying specification of synchronization and sub-design unit concurrency for a design unit. According to a first aspect of the design approach, design occurs at the algorithmic level of abstraction. According to a second aspect, the design approach leverages existing simulation technology for validation at various stages of the design flow. According to a third aspect, a design tool synthesizes a structured, programming language specification into a lower-level specification, such as a VHDL specification.

Structured algorithmic programming language approach to system design

A behavioral synthesis tool for generating an integrated circuit design is described. The behavioral synthesis tool allows a designer to interactively allocate loop configuration information without having to modify a source code description of the integrated circuit. The behavioral synthesis tool reads the source code description and generates a synthesis intermediate format stored in memory. The synthesis tool searches the in-memory synthesis intermediate format to find loops. The loops are then listed in a graphical user interface (GUI) in hierarchical fashion. The GUI also lists loop configuration information associated with the loops, such as loop frequency, loop unrolling and loop pipelining. The GUI allows the designer to modify the loop configuration information without having to update the source code description. Upon completion of modifying the loop configuration information, the designer saves the changes illustrated in the GUI and such changes are effectuated by automatically updating the synthesis intermediate format.

Interactive loop configuration in a behavioral synthesis tool

Methods and apparatus for optimizing memory accesses in a circuit design are described. According to one embodiment, a method comprises identifying a subset of variables from a multi-variable memory space that are accessed by a plurality of loops, storing the subset of variables in a separately accessible memory space, and accessing one of the stored subset of variables to recover a stored value of the one of the stored subset of variables for use by at least one of the plurality of loops during synthesis. According to another embodiment, a method comprises identifying at least a first loop and a second loop, determining whether a dependency exists between the first loop and the second loop, and merging the first loop and the second loop into a single merged loop, wherein the merging comprises mapping a plurality of memory accesses from the first loop to a sliding window.

Loop manipulation if a behavioral synthesis tool

A behavioral synthesis tool that allows a designer to design an integrated circuit using a generic programming language, such as ANSI C or C++, without the need to include timing information into the source code. In one aspect, the source code is read into the behavioral synthesis tool and the user may dynamically allocate interface resources to the design. In another aspect, the dynamic allocation is accomplished through user input, such as a GUI, a command line, or a file. In another aspect, the behavioral synthesis tool automatically analyzes variables in the source code description and assigns the variables to interface resources. In yet another aspect, the variables and interface resources associated with the variables may be displayed in a hierarchical format in a GUI. In still another aspect, the GUI may allow for expanding and collapsing of different layers in the hierarchy. The GUI may also allow for drag-and-drop operations for modifying the allocation of variables to interface resources.

Interactive interface resource allocation in a behavioral synthesis tool

Methods and apparatus for analyzing and processing loops within an integrated circuit design are described. According to one embodiment, the processing comprises unrolling loops. In another embodiment, the processing comprises pipelining loops. In yet another embodiment, the processing comprises merging loops. In any of the disclosed embodiments, loops comprise independent loops, dependent loops or some combination thereof. Other embodiments for processing loops are disclosed, as well as integrated circuits and circuit design databases resulting from the disclosed methods. Computer-executable media storing instructions for performing the disclosed methods are also disclosed.

Loop manipulation in a behavioral synthesis tool

Optimization of memory accesses in a circuit design

A behavioral synthesis tool for generating an integrated circuit design is described. The behavioral synthesis tool allows a designer to interactively allocate variables or arrays to memory resources without having to modify a source code description of the integrated circuit. The behavioral synthesis tool reads the source code description and generates a synthesis intermediate format stored in memory. The synthesis tool searches the in-memory synthesis intermediate format to find arrays for each process. The arrays are then listed in a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI allows the designer to create memory resources, specifying the type of memory, the packing mode, etc. The designer is also provided the ability to vary the format among a plurality of formats used to pack arrays to memory during the memory packing process. Upon completion of modifying the memory allocation, the designer saves the changes and such changes are effectuated by automatically updating the synthesis intermediate format.

Growing community of inventors

Wilsonville, OR, United States of America

Peter Pius Gutberlet