Methods and apparatus for transforming the function of an integrated circuit
OwnerYu-Liang Wuinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method to transform the function of a circuit is provided. The method provides a first register-transfer level (RTL) document and a second RTL document, provides a first gate level (GTL) netlist and a second GTL netlist, compares the two RTL documents to identify the instances to be modified, locates the instances to be modified in the first GTL netlist, and transforms the function of the circuit by patching the circuit such that the patched first GTL netlist is equivalent to the second GTL netlist. The method improves performance and efficiency of the transformation by reducing the number of instances to be input into the engineering change order (ECO) engine, and also minimizes change in circuit design.
Claims20
A method executed by a computer system to transform the function of a circuit for improving circuit security and performance of the computer system, the method comprising:
- providing a first register-transfer level (RTL) document of the circuit, the first RTL document being of an original specification;
- providing a second RTL document of the circuit, the second RTL document being of a revised specification wherein the revised specification is modified from the original specification and has a transformed function from the original specification;
- generating a first gate level (GTL) netlist of the circuit from the first RTL document;
- generating a second GTL netlist of the circuit from the second RTL document;
- identifying, by the computer system, a list of instances in the circuit to be modified by comparing the first RTL document with the second RTL document;
- locating, by the computer system, a list of modules in the circuit to be patched based on the list of instances to be modified and the first GTL netlist and a second list of modules to be preserved based on the list of instances in the circuit to be modified and the first GTL netlist of the circuit from the first RTL document;
- transforming, by the computer system and an engineering change order (ECO) engine, the function of the circuit by patching the list of modules, wherein a GTL netlist of the patched circuit is corresponding to the second GTL netlist to perform same locations such that an associated circuit can be restored in accordance with the revised specification;
- and
- the preservation of the second list of modules reduces resource usage of the computer system in the transformation.
A computer system that identifies and locates modules to be patched in a circuit to transforms the function of the circuit for improving circuit security and performance of the computer system, the computer system comprising:
- a hardware processor;
- a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that when executed cause the hardware processor to:
- identify a list of instances in the circuit to be modified by comparing the first RTL document with the second RTL document, wherein the circuit has a first register-transfer level (RTL) document and a first gate level (GTL) netlist being of an original specification, and has a second RTL document and a second GTL netlist being of a revised specification wherein the revised specification is modified from the original specification and has a transformed function from the original specification;
- locate a first list of modules in the circuit to be patched and a second list of modules to be preserved based on the list of instances in the circuit to be modified and the first GTL netlist of the circuit from the first RTL document;
- and
- transform, along with an engineering change order (ECO) engine, the function of the circuit by patching the list of modules, wherein a GTL netlist of the patched circuit is corresponding to the second GTL netlist to perform same functions such that an associated circuit can be restored in accordance with the revised specification;
- and
- the preservation of the second list of modules reduces resource usage of the computer system in the transformation.
A computer-implemented method that improves circuit security and performance of a computer system to transform the function of a circuit, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the computer system, a first register-transfer level (RTL) document of the circuit, the first RTL document being of an original specification;
- receiving, by the computer system, a second RTL document of the circuit, the second RTL document being of a revised specification, where the revised specification is modified from the original specification and has a transformed function from the original specification;
- generating, by the computer system, a first gate level (GTL) netlist of the circuit from the first RTL document;
- generating, by the computer system, a second GTL netlist of the circuit from the second RTL document;
- identifying, by the computer system, a list of instances in the circuit to be modified by comparing the first RTL document with the second RTL document;
- improving performance of the computer system by locating, by the computer system, a first list of modules in the circuit to be patched and a second list of modules to be preserved based on the list of instances in the circuit to be modified and the first GTL netlist of the circuit from the first RTL document;
- and
- transforming, by the computer system and an engineering change order (ECO) engine, the function of the circuit by patching the first list of modules, wherein a GTL netlist of the patched circuit is corresponding to the second GTL netlist to perform same functions such that an associated circuit can be restored in accordance with the revised specification;
- and
- the preservation of the second list of modules reduces resource usage of the computer system in the transformation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.