Mentor Graphics Corporation

Mentor Graphics (holdings) Ltd.

Mentor Graphics (holding) Ltd.

Philippe Diehl

Charles W Selvidge

Frederic Reblewski

Peer Schmitt

Cyril Quennesson

Jean-Paul Clavequin

Pascal Couteaux

Gilles Laurent

Marc Vieillot

A system and method are disclosed for communicating in a programmable core. The programmable core is within a single integrated circuit and is divided into multiple independent sub-cores. The sub-cores are coupled together using a multiplexer based network. In another aspect, the multiplexer-based network includes multiplexers associated with some of the sub-cores for sending data and demultiplexers associated with other sub-cores for receiving data. In yet another aspect, a clock is included in the multiplexer-based network for synchronizing communication between the multiplexers and demultiplexers.

Communication scheme between programmable sub-cores in an emulation environment

A system and method are disclosed to trace memory in a hardware emulator. In one aspect, a first Random Access Memory is used to store data associated with a user design during emulation. At any desired point in time, the contents of the first Random Access Memory are captured in a second Random Access Memory. After the capturing, the contents of the second Random Access Memory are copied to a visibility system. During the copying, the user design may modify the data in the first Random Access Memory while the captured contents within the second Random Access Memory remain unmodifiable so that the captured contents are not compromised. In another aspect, different size memories are in the emulator to emulate the user model. Larger memories have their ports monitored to reconstruct the contents of the memories, while smaller memories are captured in a snapshot RAM. Together the two different modes of tracing memory are used to provide visibility to the user of the entire user memory.

Memory tracing in an emulation environment

Message send and receive blocks are provided to emulation ICs and reconfigurable interconnect ICs of an emulation system to reduce the multiplexed transfer latency of critical emulation signals. Each of a corresponding pair of a message send block and a message receive block is provided with a signal state value inclusion schedule to control operation of the message send and receive blocks. The signal state inclusion schedule calls for some signals within a message to be sent more often than other signals within the message. In some embodiments a parity value is implemented as part the message and included in the signal state inclusion schedule.

Message-based low latency circuit emulation signal transfer

In emulation systems having a plurality of chips, data communicated between the chips needs to be synchronized. A receiver chip may push or pull on incoming data from an emitter chip in order to synchronize it with a receiver clock. Unexpected latency on the link between the emitter and receiver chips may also be adjusted for.

Latency adjustment between integrated circuit chips

Methods and apparatuses for emulating a circuit design that includes an in-circuit memory. Sets of reconfigurable logic resources are configured to emulate a logic element of a circuit, where the circuit may include a plurality of logic elements. A memory resource is configured to emulate a portion of the in-circuit memory. Reconfigurable interconnect resources are configured to interconnect the sets of configurable logic resources to the memory resource by way of a memory access arbiter. The memory access arbiter is configured to arbitrate and serialize accesses for the memory resource by the sets of reconfigurable logic resources in an emulation cycle, in accordance with associated priority levels. The priority level of the set of reconfigurable logic resources may be dependent on timing requirements of the set of reconfigurable logic resources and on timing characteristics of the associated logic element of the circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Versailles, France

Philippe Diehl