Flexible design for memory use in integrated circuits

An article of manufacture, comprising a data storage medium tangibly embodying a program of machine readable instructions executable by an electronic processing apparatus to perform method steps for operating an electronic processing apparatus, said method steps comprising the steps of:

• (a) reading a plurality of input files relating to a plurality of embodiments of processing functions that could be incorporated into a design of a partially manufactured semiconductor product having a transistor fabric;
• (b) determining the largest common superset of memory that can be used by all of the plurality of embodiments of the processing function;
• (c) embedding the superset of memory into the design of the partially manufactured semiconductor product;
• (d) generating a plurality of output files to configure the embedded memory superset for use by a selected embodiment of the plurality of processing functions;
• and
• (e) updating the design of the partially manufactured semiconductor product with the output files.

A method of configuring a partially manufactured semiconductor product having a transistor fabric and embedded with a memory superset capable of satisfying the memory/register requirements of all of a range of processing functions, the method of configuring comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting one processing function from the range of processing functions;
• (b) determining how the memory superset is to be apportioned to the selected one processing function;
• (c) apportioning the memory superset;
• (d) tying off that portion of the memory superset that is not apportioned;
• (e) determining how to access the apportioned memory superset;
• (f) creating logic within the transistor fabric to access the apportioned memory superset.

A system to design a partially manufactured semiconductor product, comprising:

• (a) means to receive a functional description of the partially manufactured semiconductor product;
• (b) means to determine if the functional description may include a range of processing functions;
• (c) means to evaluate the memory and/or register requirements of the range of processing functions;
• (d) means to specify a memory superset configurable for a memory and/or register requirement for all of the processing functions in the range;
• and
• (e) means to embed the memory superset into the partially manufactured semiconductor product.

A partially manufactured semiconductor product, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of functional areas, at least one of the functional areas embedded into the semiconductor product as a configurable superset of semiconductor memory;
• (b) at least another of the functional areas reserved for one of a range of processing circuits, each one of the range of processing circuits capable of using all or a portion of the configurable superset of semiconductor memory;
• (c) configuration logic capable of fulfilling a memory/register requirement of at least one of the range of processing circuits from the configurable superset of semiconductor memory;
• and
• (d) port logic capable of accessing the memory/register requirement fulfilled from the configurable superset of semiconductor memory.