Distributed Database Circuit Verification Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional emulation methods for integrated circuits are inefficient in terms of hardware and communication resources, as they require significant processing cycles and memory to analyze complex signals, limiting the size of the circuit that can be analyzed and resulting in slow data transfer due to large amounts of data being processed and transferred.
Innovation Solution
A distributed database processing system is used to divide input waveform data into segments, generate analysis rules, and store them as key-value pairs, allowing for parallel processing to generate analysis segments and results, thereby reducing the need for additional hardware and improving efficiency in verifying the functionality of integrated circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional emulation methods are used to analyze complex signals, then circuit functionality can be verified, but hardware resources and processing cycles increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the waveform data into multiple chunks and distributes them across different nodes in a distributed database system. Each node processes a specific segment independently, allowing parallel analysis without requiring additional hardware resources at the emulator. This segmentation enables the system to handle complex circuit verification while maintaining resource efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If additional tracking components are implemented to count signal toggles for power analysis, then power consumption can be measured, but hardware resources scale according to the number of signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a distributed database system as an intermediary between the emulator and the analysis function. Instead of implementing tracking components for each signal in the emulator, the system uses the distributed database to store and process waveform data segments. This intermediary approach enables precise power consumption measurement through software-based analysis without scaling hardware resources with the number of signals.
3Measurement precision
If large amounts of data are transferred to the host system for processing, then comprehensive analysis can be performed, but data bus or network bandwidth is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the waveform data into segments and distributes them across multiple nodes in the distributed database system. Each node processes its assigned segment locally, performing comprehensive analysis on that portion without requiring data transfer to the host system. This segmentation approach enables comprehensive analysis while minimizing network bandwidth consumption by keeping processing distributed and local.
4Quantity of substance
If more hardware resources are allocated to accommodate additional tracking components, then more signals can be tracked, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments waveform data into chunks distributed across multiple nodes, enabling parallel processing of multiple signals simultaneously. Each node processes its assigned segment independently, allowing the system to track and analyze a large number of signals without sequential processing delays. This segmentation approach increases the number of trackable signals while reducing overall processing time through parallel execution.
Data Source
AI summary
Example embodiments of disclosed configurations include a process (and system and non-transitory computer storage readable medium) for verifying an operation or a functionality of a design under test (DUT) through a distributed database processing system. In one or more embodiments, the emulator performs emulation of a DUT, and traces signals of the DUT based on the emulation. In one aspect, the traced signals are divided into multiple segments and are stored in the distributed database processing system in a form of key-value pairs. The distributed database processing system generates analysis segments based on corresponding segments of the traced signals and corresponding analysis rules. An analysis rule describes how to determine a particular characteristic of a corresponding segment of a signal. The distributed database processing system aggregates the analysis segments and generates a circuit analysis result indicating an aspect of the functionality of the DUT.