Centralized Parameterized Connection Management in EDA Hierarchies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in centrally managing and viewing parameterized connections across multiple levels of hierarchy in integrated circuit design, requiring manual searches to locate and modify net assignments, which is inefficient and error-prone.
Innovation Solution
A system that retrieves and displays connection definition information for parameterized connections through a graphical user interface (GUI), allowing users to navigate and modify net assignments across different levels of the hierarchy, with features like parameter and net assignment lists, editable fields, and color-coded assignment states for easy identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hierarchical design is used to manage large integrated circuit designs, then design capacity and parallel development are improved, but difficulty in centrally managing and viewing parameterized connections across multiple hierarchy levels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary tool that acts as a mediator between the hierarchical design structure and the user. This tool automatically traverses multiple hierarchy levels, collects parameterized connection information, and presents it in a unified centralized view, eliminating the need for users to manually navigate complex hierarchy structures while maintaining design capacity benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The tool provides multi-functional capabilities by simultaneously supporting viewing, editing, and validation of parameterized connections across all hierarchy levels through a single interface. It universalizes the management approach by applying consistent rules and display formats regardless of the specific hierarchy depth or structure
2Ease of operation
If manual searching is used to locate and modify net assignments in hierarchical designs, then flexibility in modification is maintained, but time consumption and error rate increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tool performs preliminary actions by automatically traversing the hierarchy structure and pre-collecting all parameterized connection information before the user needs to view or edit it. This pre-processing organizes data by parameter names and filters by hierarchy level in advance, so when users need to modify connections, the information is already prepared and readily accessible
Solution Approach 2:
The tool creates a copied, simplified representation of the complex hierarchical connection data in a user-friendly format. Instead of requiring users to work directly with the original complex hierarchy, it generates a virtual copy that maintains all necessary information but presents it in an easily navigable and editable form
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a system that facilitates the creation of a design in an electronic design automation (EDA) application. During operation, the system obtains a set of parameters associated with parameterized connections in a hierarchy of the design and a set of net assignments to the parameters. Next, the system displays the parameters and the net assignments to a user of the EDA application through a graphical user interface (GUI) associated with the EDA application. Finally, the system enables modifications to the net assignments by the user through the GUI.