Schema-based portal architecture for assessment and integration of silicon IPs

• US 7,870,381 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2006
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Salehi, Azadeh, Hekmatpour, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): Pich; Ponnoreay
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEHESHTI SHIRAZI, SAYED ARESH
• Application Number:
  US11/350,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 713/152, 713/189, 719/331, 703/13, 703/14, 703/15, 717/120, 717/123, 717153-154, 716/4, 716/8, 716/12
• US Class Current: 713/152
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling

Abstract

Systems, methods, and media for a schema-based portal for assessment and integration of silicon IPs are disclosed. Embodiments may generally include an IP portal system having a portal interface to receive inputs from users and to provide output to users and a database interface to transmit and receive information to and from a silicon IP database and an IP file system. Embodiments of the system may also include a secure access layer (HTTP tunnel, firewall, or proprietary secure access protocol) to securely communicate information and an internal interface protocol and an external interface protocol and the secure access layer. The internal interface protocol may authorize and encrypt communications to an internal user or design system and the external interface protocol may authorize and encrypt communications to an external user or design system. The portal interface may be a Web-based interface and schema-based in some embodiments.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing evaluation of third party silicon intellectual properties (IPs) and integration of the IPs into a chip design, the method comprising:

receiving directly from a third party IP vendor at a Web-based IP portal;

executing on one or more processors, external IP information associated with a third party IP from the third party IP vendor via a secure access layer, the external IP information comprising a design and functional specification associated with a third party silicon IP of the third party IP vendor;

automatically converting by the IP portal the received external IP design and functional specification to a schema describing inputs, outputs, available design files and languages, design rule checker reports, EDA platforms used for design and validation, and interface protocols of the third party IP without disclosing proprietary information about internal company chip design requirements to the third party IP vendor, the schema having a specified dynamic format consistent with the internal design requirements and utilizing a hardware description language (HDL);

wherein automatically converting the received external IP design and functional specification to the schema comprises analyzing the design and functional specification using rule-based analysis, decomposing, and classifying a structure of the schema, and wherein automatically converting the received external IP information to the schema further comprises dynamically binding IP features and schema attributes at runtime during the analysis of the third party IP;

qualifying by the IP portal the received external IP information received directly from the third party IP vendor as a third party IP submission in conformance with the internal company chip design requirements;

performing by the IP portal one or more functions on the received IP information;

authorizing by the IP portal user access privileges and encrypting a message based on an interface protocol; and

transmitting by the IP portal the encrypted message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating by the IP portal feedback to the third party to be included in the transmitted message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions include one or more of an IP search, an IP qualification, an IP certification, an IP request, or an IP design data delivery and exchange.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving external IP information at the IP portal comprises receiving IP information from an external EDA design environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises one or more information relating to sharing silicon IP design tasks between internal users and the third party, information relating to co-design of a silicon IP design, or design information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface protocol is an external interface protocol, and wherein further the encrypted message is transmitted to the third party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface protocol is an internal interface protocol, and wherein further the encrypted message is transmitted to an internal user.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium containing instructions effective, when executing in a data processing system, to cause said data processing system to perform operations to manage evaluation of third party silicon (IPs) and integration of the IPs into a chip design, the operations comprising:

receiving directly from a third party IP vendor at a Web-based IP portal executing on one or more processors, external IP information associated with a third party IP from the third party IP vendor via a secure access layer, the external IP information comprising a design and functional specification associated with a third party silicon IP of the third party IP vendor;

automatically converting by the IP portal the received external IP design and functional specification to a schema describing inputs, outputs, available design files and languages, design rule checker reports, EDA platforms used for design and validation, and interface protocols of the third party IP without disclosing proprietary information about internal company chip design requirements to the third party IP vendor, the schema having a specified dynamic format consistent with the internal design requirements and utilizing a hardware description language (HDL);

wherein automatically converting the received external IP design and functional specification to the schema comprises analyzing the design and functional specification using rule-based analysis, decomposing, and classifying a structure of the schema, and wherein automatically converting the received external IP information to the schema further comprises dynamically binding IP features and schema attributes at runtime during the analysis of the third party IP;

qualifying by the IP portal the received external IP information received directly from the third party IP vendor as a third party IP submission in conformance with the internal company chip design requirements;

performing by the IP portal one or more functions on the received IP information;

authorizing by the IP portal user access privileges and encrypting a message based on an interface protocol; and

transmitting by the IP portal the encrypted message.

9. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising generating by the IP portal feedback to the third party to be included in the transmitted message.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more functions include one or more of an IP search, an IP qualification, an IP certification, an IP request, or an IP design data delivery and exchange.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein receiving external IP information at the IP portal comprises receiving IP information from an external EDA design environment.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the message comprises one or more information relating to sharing silicon IP design tasks between internal users and the third party, information relating to co-design of a silicon IP design, or design information.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the interface protocol is an external interface protocol, and wherein further the encrypted message is transmitted to the third party.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the interface protocol is an internal interface protocol, and wherein further the encrypted message is transmitted to an internal user.

15. An IP portal system having one or more processors to execute software modules to manage evaluation of third party silicon intellectual properties (IPs) and integration of the IPs into a chip design, the system comprising:

a Web-based portal interface to receive inputs from one or more users and to provide output to one or more users;

a database interface to transmit and receive information to and from a silicon IP database and a IP file system;

a secure access layer, wherein the secure access layer is adapted to securely communicate information;

an IP submission module to receive external IP information associated with a third party IP directly from a third party IP vendor via the secure access layer, the external IP information comprising a design and functional specification associated with a third party silicon IP of the third party IP vendor;

wherein the IP submission module automatically converts the received external IP design and functional specification to a schema describing inputs, outputs, available design files and languages, design rule checker reports, EDA platforms used for design and validation, and interface protocols of the third party IP without disclosing proprietary information about internal company chip design requirements to the third party IP vendor, the schema having a specified dynamic format consistent with the internal design requirements and utilizing a hardware description language (HDL);

wherein the IP submission module automatically converts the received external IP design and functional specification to the schema by analyzing the design and functional specification using rule-based analysis, decomposing, and classifying a structure of the schema, and wherein the IP submission module automatically converts the received external IP information to the schema further by dynamically binding features and schema attributes at run-time during the analysis of the third party IP;

an IP qualification/certification module to qualify receive external IP information received directly from a third party IP vendor as a third party IP submission in conformance with the internal company chip design requirements; and

an internal interface protocol and an external interface protocol in communication with the portal interface and the secure access layer, wherein the internal interface protocol is adapted to authorize and encrypt communications to an internal user, and wherein further the external interface protocol is adapted to authorize and encrypt communications to an external user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the secure access layer includes one or more of an HTTP tunnel, a firewall, or a proprietary secure access protocol.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the portal interface is schema-based.