Patent US5815402A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5815402A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for changing the connected behavior of a circuit design schematic
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1996-06-07
•
Granted: 1998-09-29
•
Expires: 2016-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for changing the connected behavior of a circuit design schematic at the time a netlist is being created by assigning instance parameters to each switch instance, the parameter having a value representing that the position of the switch is open or closed, the parameter being evaluated at the time the netlist is created to determine the position of the switch. When the netlist being created is a flat netlist, a closed switch condition is represented by printing information to the netlist file that identifies the nets being interconnected. When the netlist being created is a hierarchical netlist, the nets being interconnected are declared as "artificial" ports, allowing these nets to be tracked through the hierarchy to instances at which the parameters are evaluated and to provide a connection between these nets, allowing the interconnection of nets to be specified at a level in the hierarchy other than that at which the switch is declared.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald L. Taylor
- 👤 Larren Gene Weber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:31
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; G06F30/32; G06F30/33
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
A method for changing the connected behavior of a circuit design schematic by interpreting instance parameters at the time a netlist file is being created from a schematic data file representing the circuit design schematic, wherein the circuit design schematic includes a plurality of instances defined at different levels of hierarchy, said method comprising: in at least one of the instances, defining an instance of a switch having associated first and second nets; entering a parameter into the schematic data file for each instance of a switch to indicate the condition of the switch, the parameter having a first value for representing a closed switch condition when the associated first and second nets are connected together, and a second value for representing an open switch condition; creating a netlist file from the schematic data file, including the steps of traversing the hierarchy of the schematic to locate each of the instances in sequence; checking each instance located to determine if the instance includes an instance of a switch; evaluating the parameter for each instance that includes an instance of a switch; and, modifying the interconnectivity of the first and second nets associated with the instance of the switch for each instance of a switch for which the parameter evaluates to said first value.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
213 words
A method for changing the connected behavior of a circuit design schematic by interpreting instance parameters at the time a netlist file is being created from a schematic data file representing the circuit design schematic, wherein the circuit design schematic includes a plurality of instances defined at different levels of hierarchy, said method comprising: in at least one of the instances, defining an instance of a switch having associated first and second nets; entering a parameter into the schematic data file for each instance of a switch to indicate the condition of the switch, the parameter having a first value for representing a closed switch condition when the associated first and second nets are connected together, and a second value for representing an open switch condition; creating a netlist file from the schematic data file, including the steps of traversing the hierarchy of the schematic to locate each of the instances in sequence; checking each instance located to determine if the instance includes an instance of a switch; evaluating the parameter for each instance that includes an instance of a switch; and, modifying the interconnectivity of the first and second nets associated with the instance of the switch for each instance of a switch for which the parameter evaluates to said first value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said one instance is a sub-circuit of the circuit design schematic, and wherein said one switch changes the connected behavior of said sub-circuit instance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said one instance consists of an instance of a switch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
131 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein at least said switch instance of said one instance is defined at one level of the hierarchy and wherein the value of the parameter entered into the schematic data file for said one switch instance is specified as being one of said first and second values at another level of the hierarchy that is higher than said one level of the hierarchy, and including the step of applying to the parameter that is entered into the schematic data file for said one switch instance at said one level of the hierarchy, a third value representing that the condition of the switch of said one switch instance is determined at a level of the hierarchy that is higher than said one level of the hierarchy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 4, including evaluating the parameter at a plurality of levels of the hierarchy above said one level of the hierarchy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 4, wherein evaluating the parameter includes declaring the first and second nets to be respective first and second artificial ports for a sub-circuit when the parameter evaluates to said third value, except for ports of said sub-circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method according to claim 6, wherein declaring the first and second nets to be first and second artificial ports includes storing the net names for said first and second nets in a second data structure that stores data identifying ports for instances of switches of said sub-circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method according to claim 6, including associating the first and second artificial ports of said sub-circuit with first and second artificial nets, respectively, for said one instance; storing the association of the first and second artificial ports with the first and second artificial nets in a third data structure, and declaring the first and second artificial ports as being connected to the first and second artificial nets, respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 8, including storing the net names of the artificial ports of said sub-circuit and the net names of the artificial nets for said one instance in the netlist file.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method according to claim 8, including declaring the first and second nets to be first and second artificial ports at said one level of the hierarchy and mapping the first and second artificial ports to the first and second artificial nets at another level of the hierarchy that is higher than said one level of the hierarchy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
93 words
The method according to claim 4, wherein evaluating the parameter includes creating a descriptor for each instance of a switch for which the parameter evaluates to the third value, the descriptor including an expression to be evaluated at the next level of the hierarchy, a list of variables that are included in the expression, and a list of net names for the nets associated with the instance of the switch; and storing the descriptor in a first data structure for permitting the parameter to be evaluated at said next level of the hierarchy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein modifying the interconnectivity of the first and second nets includes mapping one of the nets into the other net, whereby the first and second nets are merged into a single net.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein modifying the interconnectivity of the first and second nets includes declaring a device for interconnecting the first and second nets.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the netlist file that is created is a flat netlist file.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the netlist file that is created is a hierarchical netlist file.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
227 words
A system for changing the connected behavior of a circuit design schematic by interpreting instance parameters at the time a netlist file is being created from a schematic data file representing the circuit design schematic, wherein the circuit design schematic includes a plurality of instances defined at different levels of hierarchy, and wherein at least one of said instances includes an instance of a switch having associated first and second nets; said system comprising: an input mechanism for entering a parameter into the schematic data file for each instance of a switch to indicate the condition of the switch, the parameter having a first value for representing a closed switch condition when the associated first and second nets are to be connected together, and a second value for representing an open switch condition; a traversal engine for creating a netlist file from the schematic data file, said traversal engine performing the steps of traversing the hierarchy of the schematic to locate each of the instances in sequence; checking each instance located to determine if the instance includes an instance of a switch; evaluating the parameter for each instance that includes an instance of a switch; and, modifying the interconnectivity of the first and second nets associated with the instance of the switch for each instance of a switch for which the parameter evaluates to said first value.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
227 words
A system for changing the connected behavior of a circuit design schematic by interpreting instance parameters at the time a netlist file is being created from a schematic data file representing the circuit design schematic, wherein the circuit design schematic includes a plurality of instances defined at different levels of hierarchy, and wherein at least one of said instances includes an instance of a switch having associated first and second nets; said system comprising: an input mechanism for entering a parameter into the schematic data file for each instance of a switch to indicate the condition of the switch, the parameter having a first value for representing a closed switch condition when the associated first and second nets are to be connected together, and a second value for representing an open switch condition; a traversal engine for creating a netlist file from the schematic data file, said traversal engine performing the steps of traversing the hierarchy of the schematic to locate each of the instances in sequence; checking each instance located to determine if the instance includes an instance of a switch; evaluating the parameter for each instance that includes an instance of a switch; and, modifying the interconnectivity of the first and second nets associated with the instance of the switch for each instance of a switch for which the parameter evaluates to said first value.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system according to claim 16, wherein said one instance is a sub-circuit of the circuit design schematic, and wherein said one switch changes the connected behavior of said sub-circuit instance.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system according to claim 16, wherein said one instance consists of an instance of a switch.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
128 words
The system according to claim 16, wherein at least said one switch instance of said one instance is defined at one level of the hierarchy and wherein the value of the parameter entered into the schematic data file for said one switch instance is specified as being one of said first and second values at another level of the hierarchy that is higher than said one level of the hierarchy, and wherein the parameter that is entered into the schematic data file for said one switch instance at said one level of the hierarchy has a third value representing that the condition of the switch of said one switch instance is determined at a level of the hierarchy that is higher than said one level of the hierarchy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system according to claim 19, wherein the traversal engine performs the additional step of evaluating the parameter at a plurality of levels of the hierarchy above said one level of the hierarchy.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
103 words
The system according to claim 19, including a first data structure, and wherein the traversal engine performs the further steps of creating a descriptor for each instance of a switch for which the parameter evaluates to the third value, the descriptor including an expression to be evaluated at the next level of the hierarchy, a list of variables that are included in the expression, and a list of net names for the nets associated with the instance of the switch; and storing the descriptor in said first data structure to permit the parameter to be evaluated at said next level of the hierarchy.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system according to claim 16, wherein the traversal engine, in modifying the interconnectivity of the first and second nets, declares a device interconnecting the first and second nets.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system according to claim 16, wherein the traversal engine, in modifying the interconnectivity of the first and second nets, maps one of the nets into the other net, whereby the first and second nets are merged into a single net.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system according to claim 19, wherein in evaluating the parameter, the traversal engine performs the step of declaring the first and second nets to be respective artificial first and second ports for a sub-circuit when the parameter evaluates to said third value, except for ports of said sub-circuit.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
61 words
The system according to claim 24, including a second data structure that stores data identifying ports for instances of switches of said sub-circuit, and wherein, in declaring the first and second nets to be first and second ports, respectively, the traversal engine performs the step of storing the net names for said first and second nets in said second data structure.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
82 words
The system according to claim 24, including a third data structure, and wherein the traversal engine performs the additional steps of associating the first and second artificial ports of said sub-circuit with first and second artificial nets, respectively, for said one instance; storing the association of the first and second artificial ports with first and second artificial nets in said third data structure; and declaring the first and second artificial ports as being connected to the first and second artificial nets, respectively.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
63 words
The system according to claim 26, wherein the traversal engine stores the first and second nets in said second data structure while traversing said one level of the hierarchy, and the traversal engine associates the first and second artificial ports with the first and second artificial nets at another level of the hierarchy that is higher than said one level of the hierarchy.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 16, wherein the netlist file that is created is a flat netlist file.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 16, wherein the netlist file that is created is a hierarchical netlist file.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
275 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code means embodied therein for changing the connected behavior of a circuit design schematic by interpreting instance parameters at the time a netlist file is being created from a schematic data file representing the circuit design schematic, wherein the circuit design schematic includes a plurality of instances defined at different levels of hierarchy, and wherein at least one of said instances includes an instance of a switch having associated first and second nets; the computer readable program means in said computer program product comprising: computer readable program code means for causing a computer to enter a parameter into the schematic data file for each instance of a switch to indicate the condition of the switch, the parameter having a first value for representing a closed switch condition when the associated first and second nets are connected together, and a second value for representing an open switch condition; computer readable program code means for causing a computer to traverse the hierarchy of the schematic to locate each of the instances in sequence; computer readable program code means for causing a computer to check each instance located to determine if the instance includes an instance of a switch; computer readable program code means for causing a computer to evaluate the parameter for each instance that includes an instance of a switch; and computer readable program code means for causing a computer to modify the interconnectivity of the first and second nets associated with the instance of a switch for each instance of a switch for which the parameter evaluates to said first value.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
275 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code means embodied therein for changing the connected behavior of a circuit design schematic by interpreting instance parameters at the time a netlist file is being created from a schematic data file representing the circuit design schematic, wherein the circuit design schematic includes a plurality of instances defined at different levels of hierarchy, and wherein at least one of said instances includes an instance of a switch having associated first and second nets; the computer readable program means in said computer program product comprising: computer readable program code means for causing a computer to enter a parameter into the schematic data file for each instance of a switch to indicate the condition of the switch, the parameter having a first value for representing a closed switch condition when the associated first and second nets are connected together, and a second value for representing an open switch condition; computer readable program code means for causing a computer to traverse the hierarchy of the schematic to locate each of the instances in sequence; computer readable program code means for causing a computer to check each instance located to determine if the instance includes an instance of a switch; computer readable program code means for causing a computer to evaluate the parameter for each instance that includes an instance of a switch; and computer readable program code means for causing a computer to modify the interconnectivity of the first and second nets associated with the instance of a switch for each instance of a switch for which the parameter evaluates to said first value.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
139 words
The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein at least said switch instance for said one instance is defined at one level of the hierarchy and wherein the value of the parameter entered into the schematic data file for said one switch instance is specified as being one of said first and second values at another level of the hierarchy that is higher than said one level of the hierarchy, and including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to apply to the parameter that is entered into the schematic data file for said one switch instance at said one level of the hierarchy, a third value representing that the condition of the switch of said one instance is determined at a level of the hierarchy that is higher than said one level of the hierarchy.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer program product according to claim 31, including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to evaluate the parameter at a plurality of levels of the hierarchy above said one level of the hierarchy.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer program product according to claim 31, including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to map one of the nets into the other net, whereby the first and second nets are merged into a single net.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer program product according to claim 31, including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to declare a device for interconnecting the first and second nets.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
111 words
The computer program product according to claim 31, including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to create a descriptor for each instance of a switch for which the parameter evaluates to the third value, the descriptor including an expression to be evaluated at the next level of the hierarchy, a list of variables that are included in the expression, and a list of net names for the nets associated with the instance of the switch; and computer readable program code means for causing a computer to store the descriptor in a first data structure for permitting the parameter to be evaluated at a higher level of the hierarchy.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
50 words
The computer program product according to claim 31, including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to declare the first and second nets to be respective first and second artificial ports for a sub-circuit when the parameter evaluates to said third value, except for ports of said sub-circuit.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer program product according to claim 36, including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to store the net names for the first and second nets in a second data structure that stores data identifying ports for instances of switches of said sub-circuit.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
69 words
The computer program product according to claim 36, including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to associate the first and second artificial ports of said sub-circuit with first and second artificial nets, respectively, for said one instance; and computer readable program code means for causing a computer to declare the first and second artificial ports as being connected to the first and second artificial nets, respectively.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
80 words
The computer program product according to claim 38, including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to declare the first and second nets to be first and second artificial ports at said one level of the hierarchy; and computer readable program code means for causing a computer to associate the first and second artificial ports with the first and second artificial nets at another level of the hierarchy that is higher than said one level of the hierarchy.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein the netlist file that is created is a flat netlist file.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein the netlist file that is created is a hierarchical netlist file.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-09-28 | 2002-03-30 | 2002-09-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-28 | 2006-03-30 | 2006-09-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-28 | 2010-03-30 | 2010-09-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |