Method for designing a circuit for programmable microcontrollers
First Claim
1. A method of designing a circuit for a programmable device, said method comprising:
- a) a user selecting a first module of a plurality of modules;
b) said user placing said first module in a graphical user interface, wherein said graphical user interface comprises a plurality of resource images representing a layout of resources in said programmable device in which to implement said modules, and wherein said placement is an allowable position overlaying at least one of said resource images and is based on characteristics of said first module and characteristics of said layout of resources;
c) said user repeating a) and b) to place multiple modules overlaying additional resource images in said graphical user interface, wherein said circuit comprises said placed modules; and
d) said user selecting parameters for at least one of said placed modules.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method to program a microcontroller using a software program. First a user selects a module from a catalog of available modules. The module may be for implementing an amplifier, timer, pulse width modulator, etc. This causes information related to the selected module to be displayed. For example, a schematic and data sheet for the selected module may be displayed. Next, the user requests a position and places the selected module in a graphical user interface, which represents the resources available to implement the available modules. For example, the resources may be programmable system blocks. Additional user modules may then be selected and placed. The user then configures the circuit by selecting circuit parameters for the user modules (e.g., amplifier gain), pin configurations, and interconnections between programmable system blocks. The user may then edit source code used to cause the user modules to perform their functions.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of designing a circuit for a programmable device, said method comprising:
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a) a user selecting a first module of a plurality of modules; b) said user placing said first module in a graphical user interface, wherein said graphical user interface comprises a plurality of resource images representing a layout of resources in said programmable device in which to implement said modules, and wherein said placement is an allowable position overlaying at least one of said resource images and is based on characteristics of said first module and characteristics of said layout of resources; c) said user repeating a) and b) to place multiple modules overlaying additional resource images in said graphical user interface, wherein said circuit comprises said placed modules; and d) said user selecting parameters for at least one of said placed modules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of designing a circuit for a programmable device, said method comprising:
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selecting a module from a plurality of predefined modules to be used in said circuit; requesting a valid placement for said module in a graphical user interface comprising resource images representing programmable resources in said programmable device, said valid placement specifying at least one of said resource images; and selecting said valid placement to place said module in said graphical user interface. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of using a graphical user interface to facilitate implementing a design in a programmable device, said method comprising:
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selecting a module from a plurality of predefined modules for placement in said graphical user interface comprising resource images representing programmable resources of said programmable device; requesting valid placements for said module in said graphical user interface, each of said valid placements specifying at least one of said resource images; receiving respective indications of valid placements for said module in said graphical user interface; and selecting one of said valid placements to place said module in said graphical user interface. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification