Implementing A Circuit Using An Integrated Circuit Including Parametric Analog Elements

• US 20100306722A1
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: LeHoty, David A., Visconti, Antonio
• Granted Patent: US 8,966,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 716/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/12 Symbolic schematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/30 Circuit design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/367 Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods

Abstract

An environment and method are provided for designing and implementing a circuit comprising an integrated circuit (IC) including a number of parametric analog elements for which operating parameters can be set. Generally, the method comprises: specifying requirements for the circuit including physical properties to be sensed by the circuit and actions to be taken by the circuit; designing the circuit based on the specified requirements and resources available on the IC; and setting parameters of at least one of the parametric analog circuit elements of the IC based on the circuit design. In one embodiment, the specifying, designing, and setting parameters steps are performed using a computer executable code embodied in a computer readable medium on a server coupled to a client computer through an internet protocol network. Other embodiments are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a circuit comprising:

specifying requirements for the circuit including physical properties to be sensed by the circuit and actions to be taken by the circuit;

designing the circuit based on the specified requirements and resources available on an integrated circuit (IC) including a number of parametric analog circuit elements for which operating parameters can be set; and

setting parameters of at least one of the parametric analog circuit elements of the IC based on the circuit design.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein designing the circuit comprises translating specified requirements into parameter settings of the number of the parametric analog circuit elements.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein designing the circuit comprises selecting one IC from a plurality of ICs including a number of parametric analog circuit elements based on the specified requirements and resources available on each of plurality of ICs.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein designing the circuit comprises automatically designing the circuit using a program resident in computer readable medium on a server.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein specifying requirements comprises a user providing information through a user interface on a client computer coupled to the server.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein setting parameters of at least one of the parametric analog circuit elements of the IC comprises setting parameters through an IC interface board electrically coupled to the based on the client computer.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the client computer is coupled to the server through an internet protocol (IP) network, and wherein designing the circuit comprises enabling the user to interact via the IP network with an analog design expert having access to user design requirements as entered into the user interface.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein designing the circuit comprises enabling the analog design expert to override user specified requirements as entered into the user interface.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising building the circuit based on the circuit design and including the IC in which parameters of at least one of the parametric analog circuit elements have been set.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein designing the circuit comprises designing a number of sensor sub-circuits based on the specified requirements, and wherein building the circuit comprises electrically coupling the number of sensor sub-circuits to the IC.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein designing the circuit comprises designing a number of actuator sub-circuits based on the specified requirements, and wherein building the circuit comprises electrically coupling the number of actuator sub-circuits to the IC.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein designing the circuit comprises selecting a number of discrete sensors and actuators to be coupled to the same IC through the sensor or actuator sub-circuits based on data from a sensor/actuator database and the specified requirements, including measurement requirements, output requirements, and overall circuit requirements.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising prior to setting parameters verifying the circuit design satisfies a number of the specified requirements.

14. A design environment for implementing a circuit comprising:

an input module to receive from a user information specifying requirements for the circuit including physical properties to be sensed by the circuit and actions to be taken by the circuit;

a design module to;

(i) design based on the specified requirements a circuit comprising an integrated circuit (IC) including a number of parametric analog circuit elements for which operating parameters can be set and a number of sub-circuits electrically coupled thereto; and

(ii) verify the circuit design satisfies a number of the specified requirements; and

an output module to;

(i) set parameters of at least one of the parametric analog circuit elements of the IC based on the circuit design; and

(ii) communicate to the user instructions for electrically coupling the number of sub-circuits to the configurable IC to implement the circuit.

15. A design environment according to claim 14, wherein the design module comprises program code to translate the specified requirements into parameter settings of the number of the parametric analog circuit elements.

16. A design environment according to claim 14, wherein the design module comprises program code to select one IC including a number of parametric analog circuit elements from a plurality of ICs based on the specified requirements and resources available on each of plurality of ICs.

17. A design environment according to claim 14, wherein the number of sub-circuits include a sensor sub-circuit or an actuator sub-circuit, and wherein the design module comprises program code to enable the user to select from a prioritized list a number of discrete sensors or actuators to be coupled based on the specified requirements and data from a sensor/actuator database.

18. A design environment according to claim 14, wherein user information specifying requirements is input through a user interface on a client computer coupled to a server on which at least the design module is resident through an internet protocol (IP) network, and wherein the design environment further includes program code to enable the user to interact via the IP network with an analog design expert having access to user design requirements as entered into the user interface and to the circuit design designed by the design module.

19. A parameterizable integrated circuit (IC) comprising:

a number of parametric analog blocks, each including a number of analog elements and sub-circuits, for which operating parameters can be set; and

a number of digital blocks, each including a number of digital elements and sub-circuits; and

a number of output pins, each of the output pins electrically coupled to one or more of the number of parametric analog blocks and to one or more of the number of digital blocks.

20. An IC according to claim 19, wherein a layout of the number of parametric analog blocks and the interconnection of the number of parametric analog blocks with the number of output pins is fixed, and wherein a layout of the number of digital blocks is configurable.