Integrated Circuit Routing Optimization via Dynamic Driver Replication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated circuit design techniques for integrated circuits (ICs) fail to effectively optimize routing and fanout reduction by not considering the existing wiring resources, leading to suboptimal timing improvements and inefficient use of wiring resources.
Innovation Solution
The method involves routing connections using two sets of wiring resources with different physical sizes, optimizing fanout by replicating driving components based on existing wire usage, and adjusting wiring delays based on geometry, allowing for improved routing decisions and reduced fanout through load-based replication and progressive routing techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fanout reduction is performed by replicating critical components without considering existing wiring resources, then fanout is reduced and timing is improved, but wiring resources are used inefficiently and compiler runtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of existing wiring resources before replicating critical components. The system identifies which wiring resources are already available and can be reused, then performs replication only when necessary and routes connections using existing resources where possible. This preliminary planning reduces unnecessary replication and optimizes compiler runtime while maintaining timing performance improvements.
2Reliability
If fanout reduction is performed by replicating critical components, then timing performance is improved, but wiring resources are used inefficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fanout reduction objective with existing wiring resource utilization. When replicating critical components, the system combines the new connections with already-routed wiring resources, allowing multiple signals to share common wiring paths. This merging approach reduces the total amount of wiring resources consumed while achieving the desired fanout reduction and timing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes wiring resources multi-functional by allowing them to serve multiple purposes. Existing wiring resources that were originally routed for one signal are reused to carry additional signals from replicated components. This universal usage of wiring resources improves efficiency by reducing the total wiring resource consumption while maintaining the timing benefits of fanout reduction.
3Reliability
If wiring resources are marked as used after routing, then routing decisions are more constrained, but wiring resource conflicts are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic wiring resource management where the status of wiring resources (available vs. used) changes based on routing progress. As routing proceeds and wiring resources are allocated, their status is updated dynamically. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain routing flexibility for remaining connections while ensuring that already-routed connections maintain their correctness and avoid conflicts.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for optimizing and/or designing integrated circuits. In one embodiment, a method for dynamically routing a net from equivalent resources is described, comprising identifying a critical load, determining whether a driver driving the critical load drives other components, and whether the critical load requires an improvement in slack, replicating the driver, to create a replicated driver, when the critical load requires an improvement in slack, coupling the replicated driver to the load; and tagging the replicated driver.