ASIC Shell and Core Partitioning for Reusable Pad Libraries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuit design template libraries are costly and difficult to manage due to duplication and lack of flexibility, as they include numerous templates and packaging information, leading to inefficiencies in design customization and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The integrated circuit design is bifurcated into a core design and a shell, with the shell representing the ASIC package, allowing for a reusable shell that includes a limited set of pads and a core design that includes functions, enabling flexible customization while reducing library size and improving maintainability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If integrated circuit design template libraries include numerous templates and packaging information, then design coverage and functionality are improved, but library size and management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the integrated circuit design into two distinct components: a reusable shell that contains packaging information and I/O circuitry, and a customizable core that contains the functional design. This segmentation allows the shell to be maintained independently in a library, reducing the overall complexity of managing design templates while maintaining comprehensive design coverage through combinations of shells and cores.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell component is designed to be universal and reusable across multiple different integrated circuit designs. It contains common packaging information and I/O circuitry that can be applied to various cores, eliminating the need to duplicate this information in every design template and thereby reducing library management complexity.
2Reliability
If integrated circuit design templates include complete packaging information and I/O circuitry, then design completeness is improved, but template duplication and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
By separating packaging information and I/O circuitry into an independent shell component, the patent eliminates duplication across templates. The shell is maintained once in a library and reused multiple times, significantly reducing maintenance difficulty while ensuring design completeness through consistent application of the shell to various cores.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of copying complete templates with packaging information into each design, the patent uses a reference or pointer mechanism where the shell is copied or referenced from a central library. This ensures design completeness without creating redundant copies that would increase maintenance burden.
3Adaptability or versatility
If numerous design templates are maintained in the library, then design flexibility is improved, but library size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces library size by segmenting designs into reusable shells and customizable cores. Instead of maintaining numerous complete templates, the library only needs to store shells, which are relatively small and highly reusable. Design flexibility is maintained through the ability to combine shells with different cores and customize core functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Each shell in the library is designed to be universally applicable to multiple different cores and design scenarios. This universality reduces the total number of templates needed in the library while maintaining design flexibility, as a single shell can support numerous variations through different core implementations.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for integrated circuit design using integrated circuit shells. For example, a system may generate an integrated circuit core design expressed in a hardware description language. The integrated circuit core design may express circuitry that describes one or more functions to be included in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The one or more functions may have connection points providing first inputs and outputs to the one or more functions. The system may query an integrated circuit shell expressed in a hardware description language. The integrated circuit shell may express circuitry that describes a limited set of pads to be implemented in the ASIC. The limited set of pads may provide second inputs and outputs to the integrated circuit. The query may determine availability of pads of the limited set of pads to connect to the connection points of the one or more functions.