Netlist analysis tool by degree of conformity
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorGuy Dupenloup
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of determining circuit characteristics of an integrated circuit design as defined by a generic netlist comprising the steps of identifying hardware elements in the generic netlist, determining key characteristics for each of said identified hardware elements, determining interconnections of said identified hardware elements, and detecting the degree of conformity of said identified hardware elements, said key characteristics, and said interconnections to predetermined configurations. The systems further identifies all cells in the generic netlist, determines for each cell the type of cell, accumulates cell types and cell type counts, and notifies an operator of said accumulated values.
Claims17
A method of determining circuit characteristics of an integrated circuit design as defined by a generic netlist, said method comprising the steps of:
- identifying hardware elements in the generic netlist;
- determining key characteristics for each of said identified hardware elements;
- determining interconnections of said identified hardware elements;
- and
- detecting degree of conformity of said identified hardware elements, said key characteristics, and said interconnections to predetermined configurations.
A method of determining a hierarchical map of an integrated circuit design as defined by a generic netlist, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) identifying hardware elements in the generic netlist;
- (b) identifying modules in the generic netlist;
- (c) determining membership of each said hardware element to said modules;
- (d) accumulating, for each said modules, total number of generic cells and total number of technology cells;
- (e) accumulating, for each said modules, counts of registered output signal lines and unregistered output signal lines;
- (f) determining hierarchical purity of each of said modules;
- (g) determining depth of each of said modules;
- and
- (h) detecting a degree of conformity of at least some of the information obtained in steps (a)-(g) to predetermined configurations.
A method of determining net configuration of an integrated circuit design as defined by a generic netlist, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) identifying, from the generic netlist, all nets of the design;
- (b) selecting multiply-driven nets from said identified nets;
- (c) determining all connected ports and pins of each of said selected multiply-driven nets for the purposes of flagging accidental multiply-driven nets;
- and
- (d) detecting a degree of conformity of at least some of the information obtained in steps (a)-(c) to predetermined configurations.
An apparatus for determining circuit characteristics of an integrated circuit design as defined by a generic netlist, comprising:
- a processor;
- memory connected to said processor;
- said memory having instructions for said processor to
- identify hardware elements in the generic netlist;
- determine key characteristics for each of said identified hardware elements;
- determine interconnections of said identified hardware elements;
- and
- detect degree of conformity of said identified hardware elements, said key characteristics, and said interconnections to predetermined configurations.
An apparatus for determining circuit characteristics of an integrated circuit design as defined by a generic netlist, comprising:
- means for identifying hardware elements in the generic netlist;
- means for determining key characteristics for each of said identified hardware elements;
- means for determining interconnections of said identified hardware elements;
- and
- means for detecting degree of conformity of said identified hardware elements, said key characteristics, and said interconnections to predetermined configurations.
A computer storage medium for determining circuit characteristics of an integrated circuit design as defined by a generic netlist, said instructions comprising the steps of:
- identifying hardware elements in the generic netlist;
- determining key characteristics for each of said identified hardware elements;
- determining interconnections of said identified hardware elements;
- and
- detecting degree of conformity of said identified hardware elements, said key characteristics, and said interconnections to predetermined configurations.
A computer system for determining circuit characteristics of an integrated circuit design as defined by a generic netlist, said system comprising:
- means for identifying hardware elements in the generic netlist;
- means for determining key characteristics for each of said identified hardware elements;
- means for determining interconnections of said identified hardware elements;
- and
- means for detecting degree of conformity of said identified hardware elements, said key characteristics, and said interconnections to predetermined configurations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.