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US5487018A
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Electronic design automation apparatus and method utilizing a physical information database
Assignee: Philips Semiconductors Inc
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Filing: 1993-08-13
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Granted: 1996-01-23
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Expires: 2013-08-13
Abstract
Abstract A physical information database is utilized as an interface between a datapath cell library and a number of electronic design automation tools, such as a datapath synthesis tool, a chip estimator, an HDL generation tool, and a datapath compilation tool. The physical information database includes global parameters applicable to every cell in the datapath cell library and local parameters defining attributes that are associated with individual cells in the datapath cell library. The physical information database includes a standard format allowing uniform access by the electronic design automation tools.
Inventors
- 👤 Joann Loos
- 👤 Chao-Yuan Wang
- 👤 Mossaddeg Mahmood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 20:36
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
An electronic design automation apparatus, comprising: a datapath cell library including a plurality of circuit elements that may be selected to implement a circuit specification corresponding to a desired functional operation; a plurality of electronic design automation tools for processing said circuit specification including at least one synthesis tool and at least one analysis tool; and a shared physical information database, accessible by said plurality of electronic design automation tools, including physical information data corresponding to said plurality of circuit elements, said plurality of electronic design automation tools using said physical information data of said physical information database for analysis of said circuit specification, said analysis utilizing information in said shared physical information database that is accessed by at least one synthesis tool and at least one analysis tool.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
An electronic design automation apparatus, comprising: a datapath cell library including a plurality of circuit elements that may be selected to implement a circuit specification corresponding to a desired functional operation; a plurality of electronic design automation tools for processing said circuit specification including at least one synthesis tool and at least one analysis tool; and a shared physical information database, accessible by said plurality of electronic design automation tools, including physical information data corresponding to said plurality of circuit elements, said plurality of electronic design automation tools using said physical information data of said physical information database for analysis of said circuit specification, said analysis utilizing information in said shared physical information database that is accessed by at least one synthesis tool and at least one analysis tool.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electronic design automation apparatus of claim 1 wherein said synthesis tool is selected from the group including a datapath synthesis tool and an HDL generation tool.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The electronic design automation apparatus of claim 2 wherein said datapath synthesis tool accesses said physical information data of said physical information database to select, based upon a predetermined criteria, a single cell element from a plurality of elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electronic design automation apparatus of claim 2 wherein said HDL generation tool accesses said physical information data of said physical information database to generate a timing report.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electronic design automation apparatus of claim 1 wherein said analysis tool is selected from the group including a datapath compilation tool and a chip estimation tool.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electronic design automation apparatus of claim 5 wherein said datapath compilation tool accesses said physical information data of said physical information database to calculate the total current through a datapath core.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electronic design automation apparatus of claim 5 wherein said datapath compilation tool accesses said physical information data of said physical information database to define power bus values.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The electronic design automation apparatus of claim 1 wherein said physical information database includes: global physical information defining physical attributes applicable to each of said plurality of circuit elements of said datapath cell library; and local physical information defining physical attributes associated with individual circuit elements of said plurality of circuit elements of said datapath cell library.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electronic design automation apparatus of claim 8 wherein said global physical information includes capacitance data, voltage data, and frequency data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electronic design automation apparatus of claim 8 wherein said local physical information includes a cell name, a fabrication library, pin information, timing information, size attributes, and power attributes.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of analyzing a circuit specification corresponding to a desired functional operation, said method comprising the steps of: providing a datapath cell library including a plurality of circuit elements that may be selected to implement said desired functional operation; operating a plurality of electronic design automation tools, including at least one synthesis tool and at least one analysis tool, to process said circuit specification; constructing a shared physical information database with information corresponding to said plurality of circuit elements; and using said plurality of electronic design automation tools to analyze said circuit specification, wherein at least one synthesis tool and at least one analysis tool access common information in said shared physical information database.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of analyzing a circuit specification corresponding to a desired functional operation, said method comprising the steps of: providing a datapath cell library including a plurality of circuit elements that may be selected to implement said desired functional operation; operating a plurality of electronic design automation tools, including at least one synthesis tool and at least one analysis tool, to process said circuit specification; constructing a shared physical information database with information corresponding to said plurality of circuit elements; and using said plurality of electronic design automation tools to analyze said circuit specification, wherein at least one synthesis tool and at least one analysis tool access common information in said shared physical information database.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said operating step includes the step of operating a datapath synthesis tool and an HDL generation tool.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said using step includes the step of using said datapath synthesis tool to access said physical information data of said physical information database to select, based upon a predetermined criteria, a single cell element from a plurality of elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said using step includes the step of using said HDL generation tool to access said physical information data of said physical information database to generate a timing report.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said operating step includes the step of operating a datapath compilation tool and a chip estimation tool.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said using step includes the step of using said datapath compilation tool to access said physical information data of said physical information database to calculate the total current through a datapath core.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said using step includes the step of using said datapath compilation tool to access said physical information data of said physical information database to define power bus values.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said constructing step includes the step of constructing a physical information database including: global physical information defining physical attributes applicable to each of said plurality of circuit elements of said datapath cell library; and local physical information defining physical attributes associated with individual circuit elements of said plurality of circuit elements of said datapath cell library.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said constructing step includes the step of constructing global physical information including capacitance data, voltage data, and frequency data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said constructing step includes the step of constructing local physical information including a cell name, a fabrication library, pin information, timing information, size attributes, and power attributes.
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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) | 1999-01-22 | 1999-07-24 | 2000-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-22 | 2003-07-24 | 2004-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-22 | 2007-07-24 | 2008-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |