Mixed-Signal IP Core Prototyping via Digital-Analog Partitioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mixed-signal integrated circuits face challenges in pre-silicon design accuracy, limited tool availability for verification, and high costs associated with silicon revisions due to lack of reconfigurable I/O interfaces and overall application visibility, leading to time-consuming debugging and prolonged production cycles.
Innovation Solution
A prototyping system that partitions mixed-signal IP cores into digital and analog portions, implemented using programmable digital and discrete analog circuits, allowing for re-programmable digital control and interface architectures, enabling testing and verification in a customer application environment before mass production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mixed-signal IP cores are implemented using fixed analog and digital circuits, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but adaptability and reconfigurability are reduced, leading to longer production cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by implementing reconfigurable I/O interfaces that can be dynamically programmed before silicon fabrication. The system allows digital control logic and interface architectures to be re-programmed, enabling the same hardware platform to support multiple mixed-signal IP core configurations without requiring physical hardware changes or lengthy redesign cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by enabling testing and verification of mixed-signal IP cores in a customer application environment before mass production. The reconfigurable I/O interfaces allow early prototyping and software development iterations, so that design issues can be identified and resolved prior to final silicon manufacturing, reducing post-production revisions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If reconfigurable I/O interfaces are implemented, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single reconfigurable I/O interface platform that can support multiple different mixed-signal IP core configurations and application requirements. The same programmable interface architecture serves various functions by being re-programmed, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated hardware interfaces for different applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies copying by using programmable logic that can be re-configured to replicate different interface architectures and control logic. Instead of physically replicating hardware for different configurations, the system uses software-based programming to create virtual copies of different interface designs, reducing physical complexity while maintaining versatility.
3Productivity
If early testing and software development are enabled through partitioning, then productivity improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by partitioning mixed-signal IP cores into separate digital and analog portions that can be independently tested and verified. This allows the digital control logic and interface architectures to be re-programmed and tested separately from the analog circuits, enabling early development iterations without compromising the precision requirements of the final analog implementation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for prototyping an integrated circuit (IC) that has a mixed signal intellectual property (IP) core includes implementing the IP core using discrete programmable digital ICs and discrete analog ICs by partitioning the IP core into a digital IP portion and an analog IP portion.