Golden Circuit Subcircuit Replacement for Equivalence Checking

Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity of integrated circuit (IC) designs leads to significant differences in implementation architectures between golden and revised circuits during equivalence checking, resulting in excessive system resources and runtime requirements, especially when datapath components are involved.

Innovation Solution

A method for subcircuit architecture selection and replacement is implemented to regenerate the golden circuit, creating candidates, evaluating their similarity to the revised circuit, and selecting the best candidate to replace subcircuits, thereby minimizing resource consumption during equivalence checking without relying on external auxiliary files.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the implementation architecture for the golden circuit is generated without considering power consumption, footprint, or timing constraints, then the equivalence checking can be performed, but the architecture may be dramatically different from the synthesized revised circuit, resulting in excessive system resources and runtime

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequivalence checking accuracyVSAvoidequivalence checking runtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts the golden circuit architecture generation process by incorporating synthesis constraints (power consumption, footprint, timing) as selectable parameters. This allows the golden circuit to be generated with architectures that match the synthesized revised circuit, thereby reducing equivalence checking runtime while maintaining accuracy. The dynamic adaptation enables the system to adjust the generation strategy based on the specific design context.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameters used in generating the golden circuit architecture by introducing constraints such as power consumption, footprint, and timing as selectable generation parameters. By varying these parameters to match the synthesized circuit's optimization goals, the system achieves architectural similarity between golden and revised circuits, reducing the resources needed for equivalence checking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the implementation architecture for the golden circuit is generated without considering power consumption, footprint, or timing constraints, then the equivalence checking can be performed, but excessive system resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequivalence checking accuracyVSAvoidsystem resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts the golden circuit architecture generation process by incorporating synthesis constraints (power consumption, footprint, timing) as selectable parameters. This allows the golden circuit to be generated with architectures that match the synthesized revised circuit, thereby reducing equivalence checking runtime while maintaining accuracy. The dynamic adaptation enables the system to adjust the generation strategy based on the specific design context.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameters used in generating the golden circuit architecture by introducing constraints such as power consumption, footprint, and timing as selectable generation parameters. By varying these parameters to match the synthesized circuit's optimization goals, the system achieves architectural similarity between golden and revised circuits, reducing the resources needed for equivalence checking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If datapath components are used in the circuit design, then functionality is enhanced, but the likelihood of different architectures being chosen increases, leading to excessive equivalence checking resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecircuit functionalityVSAvoidarchitecture variation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the circuit into datapath components and control logic, allowing independent generation and optimization of each segment. By treating datapath components as modular units with standardized interfaces, the system can generate multiple architecture candidates for each component and select the one that best matches the synthesized circuit, reducing overall architectural complexity while maintaining functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameters used in generating the golden circuit architecture by introducing constraints such as power consumption, footprint, and timing as selectable generation parameters. By varying these parameters to match the synthesized circuit's optimization goals, the system achieves architectural similarity between golden and revised circuits, reducing the resources needed for equivalence checking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7373618B1Method and system for selection and replacement of subcircuits in equivalence checking

Publication Date: 2008.05.13 CADENCE DESIGN SYST INC

AI summary

A system, method, computer program, and article of manufacture for generating a golden circuit including datapath components for equivalence checking of synthesized revised circuit. The method includes generating a set of static, dynamic and derived candidates for the datapath component subcircuit, evaluating the similarity degree for each candidate in relation to the revised circuits and selecting one candidate for implementation in the golden circuit. As a result, the subcircuit of datapath component in the golden circuit is replaced with the subcircuit which is more similar to the revised circuit to improve the efficiency of the equivalence checking.