EDA Tool Serialization for Circuit Design Resumption

Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic design automation (EDA) tools often waste time and resources by restarting entire processing phases when interrupted, as the saved state in databases is insufficient to resume processing at the exact point of interruption, leading to repeated completion of previously processed stages.

Innovation Solution

The method involves serializing EDA state data during interruptions and writing it to storage or sockets, allowing the EDA tool to deserialize and bypass completed phases, resuming processing exactly at the interrupted phase, thereby reducing resource wastage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the EDA tool restarts processing from the beginning after interruption, then the processing can be resumed, but time and computer resources are wasted by repeating completed phases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing resumption capabilityVSAvoidtime wasted by repeating phases

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The EDA tool performs preliminary serialization of state data at designated save points during processing. This preliminary action prepares the necessary state information in advance, enabling the tool to resume processing from the exact interruption point without repeating completed phases, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable resumption and time loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The EDA tool creates a copy of the processing state by serializing state data to storage or sockets at save points. This state copy serves as a snapshot that can be restored after interruption, allowing the tool to resume without recompleting previous phases, thereby eliminating time waste while maintaining resumption reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If the EDA tool restarts processing from the beginning after interruption, then the processing can be resumed, but computer resources are wasted by repeating completed phases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing resumption capabilityVSAvoidcomputer resources wasted by repeating phases

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The EDA tool performs preliminary serialization of state data at designated save points during processing. This preliminary action prepares the necessary state information in advance, enabling the tool to resume processing from the exact interruption point without repeating completed phases, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable resumption and energy loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The EDA tool creates a copy of the processing state by serializing state data to storage or sockets at save points. This state copy serves as a snapshot that can be restored after interruption, allowing the tool to resume without recompleting previous phases, thereby eliminating resource waste while maintaining resumption reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If the EDA tool serializes state data to resume processing, then time and resources are saved by bypassing completed phases, but the device complexity increases due to serialization mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiency after resumptionVSAvoidcomplexity of serialization mechanisms

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The EDA tool introduces an intermediary mechanism (serialization system) that mediates between the processing phases and the state data. This intermediary handles the complexity of state preservation and restoration, allowing efficient resumption while isolating the complexity from the core processing logic

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The EDA tool performs preliminary serialization of state data at designated save points during processing. This preliminary action prepares the necessary state information in advance, enabling the tool to resume processing from the exact interruption point without repeating completed phases, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable resumption and time loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11106851B1Serialization in electronic design automation flows

Publication Date: 2021.08.31 XILINX INC

AI summary

Disclosed approaches for processing a circuit design include interrupting processing of a circuit design by an electronic design automation (EDA) tool at a selected phase of processing. The tool serializes EDA state data into serialized state data while processing is interrupted and writes the serialized state data for subsequent restoration of tool state. To resume processing at the point of interruption, the EDA tool can read the serialized state data and deserialize the serialized state data. The EDA tool bypasses one or more phases of processing after reading the serialized state data and thereafter resumes processing of the circuit design.