Optimization of digital designs

• US 6,993,731 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UNM Rainforest Innovations (f/k/a STC.UNM) (The University of New Mexico)
• Original Assignee: Science & Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Miles, Lowell H., Whitaker, Sterling R.
• Primary Examiner(s): DO, THUAN V
• Application Number:
  US10/172,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 716 2- 5, 716/17, 716/18, 716/1, 716/19
• US Class Current: 716/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/30 Circuit design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/327 Logic synthesis; Behaviour synthesis, e.g. mapping logic, HDL to netlist, high-level language to RTL or netlist
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/337 Design optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An application specific integrated circuit is optimized by translating a first representation of its digital design to a second representation. The second representation includes multiple syntactic expressions that admit a representation of a higher-order function of base Boolean values. The syntactic expressions are manipulated to form a third representation of the digital design.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing an application specific integrated circuit, the method comprising:

translating a first representation of a digital design for the application specific integrated circuit to a second representation of the digital design, the second representation comprising a plurality of syntactic expressions that admit a representation of a higher-order function of base Boolean values; and

manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions to form a third representation of the digital design.

2. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising identifying data and control in the second representation.

3. The method recited in claim 2 wherein manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions comprises reassigning data and control.

4. The method recited in claim 3 wherein manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions comprises assigning a control variable for at least one of the syntactic expressions as a flip-flop input to such syntactic expression.

5. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising identifying data and control in the first representation.

6. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising translating the third representation of the digital design to a fourth representation of the digital design, wherein the first and fourth representations are expressed within the same syntax.

7. The method recited in claim 6 wherein the first and fourth representations comprise netlists.

8. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the first and fourth representations identify Boolean logic elements for implementing the digital design.

9. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the second and third representations identify sets of cell elements that comprise multiplexors for implementing the digital design.

10. The method recited in claim 9 wherein at least one of the multiplexors comprises a depletion-mode transistor.

11. The method recited in claim 1 wherein manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions comprises removing logical inversions within the syntactic expressions.

12. The method recited in claim 1 wherein manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions comprises reducing a number of nodes within the syntactic expressions.

13. The method recited in claim 12 wherein at least one of the nodes comprises a fanout node.

14. A method for optimizing a digital design, the method comprising:

translating a first representation of the digital design to a second representation of the digital design, the second representation comprising a plurality of syntactic expressions, wherein at least 20% of the syntactic expressions identify a higher-order function of base Boolean values;

identifying data and control in at least one of the first and second representations; and

manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions to form a third representation of the digital design.

15. The method recited in claim 14 wherein a majority of the syntactic expressions identify higher-order functions of base Boolean values.

16. The method recited in claim 14 further comprising translating the third representation of the digital design to a fourth representation of the digital design, wherein the first and fourth representations comprise netlists.

17. The method recited in claim 14 wherein the second and third representations identify sets of cell elements that comprise multiplexors for implementing the digital design.

18. The method recited in claim 14 wherein manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions comprises removing logical inversions within the syntactic expressions.

19. The method recited in claim 14 wherein manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions comprises reducing a number of nodes within the syntactic expressions.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a computer system including a processor and at least one input device, wherein the computer-readable program includes instructions for operating the computer system for optimizing a digital design in accordance with the following:

receiving a first representation of the digital design from the at least one input device;

translating the first representation of the digital design to a second representation of the digital design, the second representation comprising a plurality of syntactic expressions that admit a representation of a higher-order function of base Boolean values; and

manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions to form a third representation of the digital design.

21. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 20 wherein the computer-readable program further includes instructions for translating the third representation of the digital design to a fourth representation of the digital design, wherein the first and fourth representations comprise netlists.

22. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 21 wherein the first and fourth representations identify sets of cell elements that comprise multiplexors for implementing the digital design.

23. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 20 wherein the second and third representations identify sets of cell elements that comprise multiplexors for implementing the digital design.

24. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 20 wherein manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions comprises removing logical inversions within the syntactic expressions.

25. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 20 wherein manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions comprises reducing a number of nodes within the syntactic expressions.

26. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 20 wherein the computer-readable program further includes instructions for identifying data and control in the second representation.

27. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 20 wherein manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions comprises reassigning data and control.

28. The computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 20 wherein:

the computer-readable program further includes instructions for receiving commands from the at least one input device; and

manipulating the plurality of syntactic expressions to form the third representation of the digital design is performed in accordance with the commands.