Method to back annotate programmable logic device design files based on timing information of a target technology

• US 6,018,624 A
• Filed: 01/15/1999
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baxter, Glenn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fiul, Dan
• Application Number:
  US09/232,333
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500.2, 395/500.04, 395/500.05, 395/500.06, 395/500.07, 395/500.08, 395/500.17, 395/500.34, 395/500.35, 395/500.36, 395/500.37 , 395/500.4, 714/726
• US Class Current: 703/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention allows a designer to quickly and efficiently obtain a simulation model for a new integrated circuit implementation of a circuit design from the PLD simulation model for that circuit design. The designer begins with the simulation model of the PLD and back annotates the simulation model with timing characteristics from a target technology. The back annotation substitutes timing values in the PLD simulation model with timing values from the target technology to generate the new integrated circuit simulation model.

Claims

1. A method of verifying an operation of a mask programmed integrated circuit (MPIC) implementation of a programmable logic device (PLD) implementation of a circuit design using a computer system, said method comprising:

generating a PLD simulation model of said circuit design as implemented in a PLD;

back annotating said PLD simulation model using timing information corresponding to said MPIC implementation to generate an MPIC simulation model; and

verifying said operation by simulating said MPIC simulation model.

2. The method of claim 1 further including characterizing a fabrication technology used to fabricate an MPIC to generate said timing information corresponding to said MPIC implementation.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said characterizing said fabrication technology includes:

determining a set of specification delay values, where a specification delay value corresponds to a delay value of an electronic device implemented in said fabrication technology.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said characterizing said fabrication technology includes:

determining a set of derived delay values, where a derived delay value corresponds to a circuit implemented in said fabrication technology which performs a function corresponding to a portion of said circuit design.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said characterizing said fabrication technology includes:

determining a set of net delay values, where a net delay value corresponds to a delay of a length of interconnect implemented in said fabrication technology.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein back annotating said PLD simulation model includes, for each element defined in said PLD simulation model, identifying a delay value for said each element, determining a type of delay value corresponding to said each element, and replacing said delay value for said each element with a corresponding type of delay value from said timing information corresponding to said MPIC implementation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said simulating includes performing a static timing analysis on said MPIC simulation model.