Circuit design point selection method and apparatus
AssigneeNeolinear, Inc.
InventorsPero Subasic, Rodney Phelps
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A visualization and data mining technique can be utilized to facilitate analysis of generated sets of design points for an integrated circuit to enable easy and fast understanding of important properties of generated designs. The use of the visualization and data mining technique significantly reduces the time needed for analysis of design space and decision on which design point to choose for implementing into a circuit design.
Claims21
A method of selecting one of a plurality of circuit design points to utilize for implementing a circuit, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a database having a plurality of design points for a circuit, with each design point determined as a function of a set of goals for the circuit and a set of variables for the circuit, with each design point having a value of at least one goal or one variable different from each other design point;
- (b) determining a cost for each design point as a function of the set of goals for the circuit;
- (c) displaying a cost versus design point chart having an indicia at the intersection of each cost-design point pair;
- (d) selecting a plurality of indicia in the cost versus design point chart;
- (e) displaying at least one of the following:
- (1) at least one goal-variable chart that includes an indicia for the value of the goal and the value of the variable of each design point associated with the selected indicia in the cost versus design point chart;
- (2) a parallel goal coordinates chart having a plurality of spaced parallel axes each associated with one of the set of goals, with the range of values of each axis related to the range of values of the corresponding goal of the design points associated with the selected indicia in the cost versus design point chart, the parallel goal coordinates chart including for each design point associated with the selected indicia in the cost versus design point chart a line extending through the parallel goal coordinates chart and intersecting each axis at the value of the corresponding goal for the design point;
- and
- (3) a radar chart having at least three radially extending axes, with each axis representing one of the set of goals, the radar chart including for each design point associated with the selected indicia in the cost versus design point chart a line intersecting each axis at the value of the corresponding goal for the design point;
- and
- (f) determining from the at least one chart, which design point to utilize to implement the circuit.
A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
- (a) display a cost versus design point chart that includes an indicia at the intersection of each cost-design point pair for a circuit, with each design point determined as a function of a common set of variables and a common set of goals for the circuit where a value of at least one variable or goal of each design point is different than the values of the variables and goals for each other design point, with each cost determined as a function of the values of the goals for the corresponding design point;
- (b) receive a selection of a plurality of indicia in the cost versus design point chart;
- and
- (c) display at least one chart having one of an indicia and a line for each design point associated with the selected indicia in the cost versus design point chart, each of the at least one chart having axes for one of (1) one goal-variable pair;
- (2) plural goals of the set of goals;
- and (3) one cost-goal pair, wherein the at least one displayed chart enables selection of one of the design points to utilize for implementing the circuit.
A method of selecting one of a plurality of circuit design points to utilize for implementing a circuit, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a database having a plurality of design points for a circuit, with each design point determined as a function of a common set of goals for the circuit and a common set of variables for the circuit, with each design point having a value of at least one goal or one variable different than each other design point;
- (b) selecting a set of design points;
- (c) selecting one of the goals;
- (d) grouping values of the selected design points for the selected goal;
- and
- (e) selecting one of the groups of values whereupon their design points are selected;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.