Method and apparatus for identifying connections between configurable nodes in a configurable integrated circuit
AssigneeTabula, Inc.
InventorsAndre Rohe, Steven Teig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Some embodiments provide a method that defines a set of connections that connect the nodes in a configurable node array. The method identifies different sets of connections for connecting a set of the nodes. For each identified set of connections, the method computes a metric score that quantifies a quality of the identified set of connections. The method then selects one of the identified sets of connections to connect the configurable nodes in the array.
Claims38
A method of designing an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of configurable nodes, the method comprising:
- identifying a plurality of different direct connection schemes for connections between configurable nodes;
- computing a cost for the IC for each of said plurality of different direct connection schemes;
- selecting a first direct connection scheme for a first set of configurable nodes based on the computed costs;
- and
- connecting said plurality of configurable nodes in said IC according to said first direct connection scheme.
A method of designing an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of configurable nodes, the method comprising:
- generating a first direct connection scheme comprising a set of direct connections from a particular configurable node to a first set of configurable nodes to which said particular configurable node is directly connected in said first direct connection scheme;
- computing a score for said first direct connection scheme based on applying said first direct connection scheme to each of at least two configurable nodes of said plurality of configurable nodes;
- generating a second direct connection scheme comprising a set of direct connections from said particular configurable node to a second set of configurable nodes to which said particular configurable node is directly connected in said second direct connection scheme;
- computing a score for said second direct connection scheme based on applying said second direct connection scheme to each of at least two configurable nodes of said plurality of configurable nodes;
- selecting a direct connection scheme for implementing on said IC based on a score of said direct connection scheme;
- and
- connecting said plurality of configurable nodes in said IC according to said selected direct connection scheme.
A method of designing an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of sets of configurable nodes, the method comprising:
- generating a first set of direct connection schemes, each direct connection scheme comprising a set of direct connections from a particular configurable node to a set of configurable nodes to which said particular configurable node is directly connected in said direct connection scheme;
- generating a second set of direct connection schemes, each direct connection scheme comprising a set of direct connections from a particular configurable node to a set of configurable nodes to which said particular configurable node is directly connected in said direct connection scheme;
- computing a score for said first set of direct connection schemes based on applying each direct connection scheme of said first set of direct connection schemes to at least one set of configurable nodes of said plurality of sets of configurable nodes;
- computing a score for said second set of direct connection schemes based on applying each direct connection scheme of said second set of direct connection schemes to at least one set of configurable nodes of said plurality of sets of configurable nodes;
- selecting a set of direct connection schemes for implementing on said IC based on a score of said set of direct connection schemes;
- and
- connecting said plurality of sets of configurable nodes in said IC according to said selected set of direct connection schemes.
A method of generating a plurality of direct connection schemes for connecting a plurality of configurable nodes in an integrated circuit (IC), said method comprising:
- generating a first direct connection scheme comprising a set of direct connections from a given configurable node to a set of at least two other configurable nodes;
- generating a second direct connection scheme that is different from said first direct connection scheme but is symmetrically related to said first direct connection scheme;
- and
- connecting said plurality of configurable nodes in said IC according to said first and second direct connection schemes.
A method of designing hardwired connections of an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of configurable nodes, said method comprising:
- specifying an arrangement of configurable nodes;
- performing a constrained optimization process to define an optimal set of direct connections between configurable nodes of said plurality of configurable nodes in view of a set of objectives;
- and
- connecting said plurality of configurable nodes in said IC according to said optimal set of direct connections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.