Patent EP0829812A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0829812A2
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Method of designing an integrated circuit and integrated circuit designed by such method
Assignee: Sharp Corp
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Filing: 1997-09-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-09-12
Abstract
Abstract An integrated circuit is designed by defining its functions in a programming language which supports parallelism and synchronised communication. The resulting source code 1 is supplied to a compiler which includes an optimiser module 8 for retiming synchronised communications without changing the order of external communications of the integrated circuit. The compiler produces output code 12 which represents the circuitry of the integrated circuit and which may be supplied to synthesis tools and subsequent steps in the manufacture of the integrated circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew Kay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of designing an integrated circuit comprising defining
the functions of the integrated circuit in a programming language (1)
supporting parallelism and synchronised communication, and applying a
compiler (3, 8) which is arranged to retime synchronised communications
without changing the order of external communications of the integrated
circuit so as to produce output code (2) representing circuitry of the
integrated circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the
synchronised communication comprises handshaking.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the
compiler (3, 8) is arranged to form an abstract syntax tree (7) and a symbol
table (5).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in Claim 3, characterised in that the
compiler (3, 8) includes a software optimiser (9) for simplifying the
abstract syntax tree (7).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that the
software optimiser (9) is arranged to convert compound data structures to
component parts such that there is one variable for each component part.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the
software optimiser (9) is arranged to remove unused variables.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6, characterised
in that the software optimiser is arranged to move common operators
outside loops.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the compiler (3, 8) includes a hardware optimiser (10)
for optimising the hardware implementation represented by the output
code.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in Claim 8, characterised in that the
hardware optimiser (10) is arranged to perform scheduling and allocation.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 9, characterised
in that the compiler (3, 8) is arranged to terminate optimisation when at
least one predetermined performance parameter has been achieved.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in Claim 10, characterised in that the at
least one predetermined performance parameter comprises a maximum
integrated circuit area.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in Claim 10 or 11, in which the at least one
predetermined parameter comprises a minimum integrated circuit
processing speed.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in any one of Claims 10 to 12,
characterised in that the at least one predetermined parameter comprises a
maximum power consumption.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,
characterised by generating register transfer level code (12) representing
circuitry for performing constructs defined by the output code.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
An integrated circuit designed by a method as claimed in any one
of the preceding Claims.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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