Patent US6484296B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US6484296B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrical rules checker system and method for reporting problems with tri-state logic in electrical rules checking

Assignee: DATA QUILL Ltd
•
Filing: 2000-08-15
•
Granted: 2002-11-19
•
Expires: 2020-08-15
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An electrical rules checker system and method are provided to report any errors discovered during appraisal of an element at a node in a netlist. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method selects a circuit configuration to be identified. Next, identify any element at a node, equal to or virtually equal to said circuit configuration. Then, the element equal to and virtually equal to said circuit configuration is appraised. Finally, any error discovered during appraisal of the element at the node is reported. hi accordance with another aspect of the invention, a system is provided for appraising tri-state logic connected to a selected node of an integrated circuit. The system operates by a code segment selecting a circuit configuration to be identified. A second code segment identifies any element at a node, equal to said circuit configuration, and a third code segment identifies any element at the node virtually equal to said circuit configuration. A fourth code segment appraises the element equal to and virtually equal to the circuit configuration, and a fifth code segment reports any error discovered during appraisal of the element at the node.

Inventors

  • 👤 John G McBride
  • 👤 Jan Kok

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 09:52
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; G06F30/32; G06F30/33

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 74 words
A method for reporting tri-state logic conditions, comprising the steps of: selecting a circuit configuration to be identified; identifying any element at a node where said element is equal to said circuit configuration; identifying any element at the node where said element is probably equal to said circuit configuration; appraising said element equal to and probably equal to said circuit configuration; and reporting any error discovered during appraising of said element at the node.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 74 words
A method for reporting tri-state logic conditions, comprising the steps of: selecting a circuit configuration to be identified; identifying any element at a node where said element is equal to said circuit configuration; identifying any element at the node where said element is probably equal to said circuit configuration; appraising said element equal to and probably equal to said circuit configuration; and reporting any error discovered during appraising of said element at the node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 36 words
The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the step of reporting any problems discovered further includes the step of: determining if said element sustained an error during appraising of said element at the node.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method as defined in claim 2 , wherein the step of reporting any problems discovered further includes the step of: reporting said element, the node and said error.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 50 words
The method as defined in claim 3 , wherein the step of reporting any problems discovered further includes the step of: determining if said element is equal to said circuit configuration; and setting a certainty flag of said element to positive if said element is equal to said circuit configuration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 52 words
The method as defined in claim 3 , wherein the step of reporting any problems discovered further includes the step of: determining if said element is probably equal to said circuit configuration; and setting a certainty flag of said element to probably if said element is virtually equal to said circuit configuration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method as defined in claim 5 , wherein the step of reporting any problems discovered further includes the step of: reporting said certainty flag of said element.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 91 words
A system for reporting any error discovered during appraising of said element at a node in a netlist, comprising: means for selecting a circuit configuration to be identified; means for identifying any element at a node where said element is to said circuit configuration; means for identifying any element at the node where said element is probably equal to said circuit configuration; means for appraising said element equal to and probably equal to said circuit configuration; and means for reporting any error discovered during appraising of said element at the node.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 91 words
A system for reporting any error discovered during appraising of said element at a node in a netlist, comprising: means for selecting a circuit configuration to be identified; means for identifying any element at a node where said element is to said circuit configuration; means for identifying any element at the node where said element is probably equal to said circuit configuration; means for appraising said element equal to and probably equal to said circuit configuration; and means for reporting any error discovered during appraising of said element at the node.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 26 words
The system of claim 7 , further comprising: a means for determining if said element sustained an error during appraising of said element at the node.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system of claim 8 , further comprising: a means for reporting said element, the node and said error.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 43 words
The system of claim 9 , further comprising: a means for determining if said element is equal to said circuit configuration; and a means for setting a certainty flag of said element to positive if said element is equal to said circuit configuration.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 45 words
The system of claim 10 , further comprising: a means for determining if said element is probably equal to said circuit configuration; and a means for setting a certainty flag of said element to probably if said element is virtually equal to said circuit configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system of claim 11 , further comprising: a means for reporting said certainty flag of said element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 119 words
A computer readable storage medium containing program code for reporting any error discovered during appraisal of an element at a node in a netlist comprising: a first code segment configured to selecting a circuit configuration to be identified; a second code segment configured to identify any element at a node where said element is equal to said circuit configuration; and a third code segment configured to identify any element at the node where said element is probably equal to said circuit configuration; a fourth code segment configured to appraise said element equal to and probably equal to said circuit configuration; and a fifth code segment configured to reporting any error discovered during appraising of said element at the node.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 119 words
A computer readable storage medium containing program code for reporting any error discovered during appraisal of an element at a node in a netlist comprising: a first code segment configured to selecting a circuit configuration to be identified; a second code segment configured to identify any element at a node where said element is equal to said circuit configuration; and a third code segment configured to identify any element at the node where said element is probably equal to said circuit configuration; a fourth code segment configured to appraise said element equal to and probably equal to said circuit configuration; and a fifth code segment configured to reporting any error discovered during appraising of said element at the node.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 31 words
The program code of claim 13 , wherein said fifth code segment is further configured to determine if said element sustained an error during appraising of said element at the node.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 24 words
The program code of claim 14 , wherein said fifth code segment is further configured to report said element, the node and said error.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 45 words
The program code of claim 15 , wherein said fifth code segment is further configured to determine if said element is equal to said circuit configuration, and set a certainty flag of said element to positive if said element is equal to said circuit configuration.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 47 words
The program code of claim 16 , wherein said fifth code segment is further configured to determine if said element is probably equal to said circuit configuration; and set a certainty flag of said element to probably if said element is virtually equal to said circuit configuration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 23 words
The program code of claim 17 , wherein said fifth code segment is further configured to report said certainty flag of said element.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US6321365B1 Cited
US6249899B1 Cited
US6301691B1 Cited
US6311314B1 Cited
US6260180B1 Cited
US6305003B1 Cited
US6308301B1 Cited
US6327542B1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2005-11-18 2006-05-20 2006-11-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2009-11-18 2010-05-20 2010-11-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2013-11-18 2014-05-20 2014-11-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag