Method and an apparatus to design a processing system using a graphical user interface

• US 20060036973A1
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Ogami, Kenneth, Pearson, Jon, Anderson, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 8,082,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 716/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A method and an apparatus to design a processing system using a graphical user interface (GUI) are described. The method includes allowing a user to define a transfer function via a GUI. The method may further include submitting the transfer function to a processing device maker associated with a processing device. The processing device maker may generate processing device code without intervention by the user. Furthermore, the processing device may execute the processing device code to perform the transfer function defined.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

allowing a user to define a transfer function via a graphical user interface (GUI); and

submitting the transfer function to a processing device maker associated with a processing device to cause the processing device maker to generate processing device code without intervention by the user, wherein the processing device code when executed by the processing device is configured to cause the processing device to perform the transfer function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the user to define the transfer function via the GUI comprises:

providing user interface control on the GUI to allow the user to select a transfer function type and at least one input to the transfer function and to assign an output of the transfer function to each of a plurality of input combinations; and

defining the transfer function in a predetermined pattern based on the transfer function type, the input, and the output.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inputting the processing device code to a processing device design engine to generate a read-only memory (ROM) image.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

loading the ROM image into the processing device to enable the processing device to perform the transfer function.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the user to modify the transfer function via the GUI; and

in response to modification of the transfer function by the user, automatically regenerating the processing device code using the processing device maker.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

validating the transfer function; and

simulating the transfer function without running the processing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer function comprises a truth table transfer function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer function comprises a setpoint transfer function.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

means for allowing a user to program a processing device to cause the processing device to perform a transfer function without the user writing processing device code; and

means for allowing the user to modify the transfer function without the user editing the processing device code.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for allowing the user to program the processing device comprises:

means for receiving inputs from the user; and

means for defining the transfer function based on the inputs.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for allowing the user to program the processing device further comprises:

means for automatically generating the processing device code based on the transfer function.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a graphical user interface (GUI) to allow a user to define a transfer function via the GUI; and

a processing device maker logically coupled to the GUI to generate processing device code based on the transfer function without intervention by the user, wherein the processing device code causes a processing device to perform the transfer function when executed by the processing device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a processing device design engine logically coupled to the processing device maker to generate a read-only memory (ROM) image based on the processing device code, the ROM image to be loaded into the processing device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the GUI further comprises:

a user interface control to allow the user to modify the transfer function, wherein the processing device maker automatically regenerates the processing device code in response to modification of the transfer function by the user.

15. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions that, if executed, performs operations comprising:

allowing a user to define a transfer function via a graphical user interface (GUI); and

submitting the transfer function to a processing device maker associated with a processing device to cause the processing device maker to generate processing device code without intervention by the user, the processing device code, when executed by the processing device, to cause the processing device to perform the transfer function.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein allowing the user to define the transfer function via the GUI comprises:

providing user interface control on the GUI to allow the user to select a transfer function type and at least one input to the transfer function and to assign an output of the transfer function to each of a plurality of input combinations; and

defining the transfer function in a predetermined pattern based on the transfer function type, the input, and the output.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

inputting the processing device code to a processing device design engine to generate a read-only memory (ROM) image.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

loading the ROM image into the processing device to enable the processing device to perform the transfer function.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

allowing the user to modify the transfer function via the GUI; and

in response to modification of the transfer function by the user, automatically regenerating the processing device code using the processing device maker.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

validating the transfer function; and

simulating the transfer function using the processing device maker without running the processing device.