Method and apparatus for optimizing real functions in Boolean domain

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for circuit design comprising:
• computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to express a real function as a Boolean function, wherein said computer readable program code is embedded in an electronic circuit;
• computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to determine a binary decision diagram for said Boolean function, said binary decision diagram having a root and at least one variable node;
• computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to determine a number of vertices corresponding to said at least one variable node of the binary decision diagram;
• computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to select a path from said root to said at least one variable node of said binary decision diagram having a least number of said vertices;
• and
• computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to determine solution values for one or more of said variables nodes of said Boolean function in accordance with said selected path through said binary decision diagram.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a circuit for optimizing a real function in Boolean domain comprising:
• said circuit comprising a Boolean function generator for generating a Boolean function representing said real function;
• said circuit comprising a binary decision diagram generator for generating a binary decision diagram of said Boolean function;
• said circuit comprising a vertex computator for determining the number of vertices of one or more nodes of said binary decision diagram;
• said circuit comprising a path selector for selecting a path from a root of said binary decision diagram to a variable node of said binary decision diagram having a least number of said vertices;
• and
• said circuit comprising a solution generator for generating solution values for one or more of said variables nodes of said Boolean function in accordance with said selected path from said binary decision diagram.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a circuit for optimizing a real function in Boolean domain comprising:
• said circuit comprising Boolean function generating means for generating a Boolean function representing said real function;
• said circuit comprising binary decision diagram generating means for generating a binary decision diagram of said Boolean function;
• said circuit comprising vertex computing means for determining the number of vertices of one or more nodes of said binary decision diagram;
• said circuit comprising path selecting means for selecting a path from a root of said binary decision diagram to a variable node of said binary decision diagram;
• and
• said circuit comprising solution generating means for generating solution values for one or more of said variable nodes of said Boolean function in accordance with said selected path from said binary decision diagram.