Place and Route Aware Data Pipelining for IC Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In integrated circuit devices, the physical distance data signals must travel between master and servant circuit blocks often exceeds the distance they can travel in a single clock cycle, leading to timing issues and the need for excessive pipelining registers, which increase die area usage, power consumption, and layout congestion.
Innovation Solution
A place and route aware data pipelining method that calculates the physical distance between partitions and determines the necessary number of pipeline registers to maintain timing requirements, reducing the overall number of logic devices needed and optimizing register placement to minimize unnecessary delay and resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If excessive pipelining registers are inserted to meet timing requirements, then timing requirements are satisfied, but die area usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making pipelining optional and location-specific rather than universal. The system dynamically determines which specific data paths require pipelining based on real-time timing analysis, inserting registers only where physically necessary. This selective approach satisfies timing requirements for critical paths while avoiding unnecessary registers in non-critical paths, thereby reducing overall die area usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the pipelining configuration adaptive and reconfigurable. The system can dynamically adjust the number and placement of pipeline registers based on operating conditions, data flow patterns, and timing requirements. This dynamic approach allows the circuit to optimize its pipelining structure for different scenarios, avoiding static over-provisioning of registers and reducing die area.
2Reliability
If excessive pipelining registers are inserted to meet timing requirements, then timing requirements are satisfied, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively enabling pipelining only in specific data paths that require it for timing compliance. Rather than uniformly inserting registers throughout the circuit, the system identifies and applies pipelining only to critical paths where timing violations occur. This localized approach reduces the total number of active registers, thereby lowering overall power consumption while still meeting timing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by allowing the pipelining configuration to be adjusted based on operational needs. The system can dynamically enable or disable pipeline stages depending on the current data flow characteristics and timing requirements, avoiding continuous operation of unnecessary registers. This dynamic control reduces power consumption by keeping only essential pipelining infrastructure active.
3Reliability
If excessive pipelining registers are inserted to meet timing requirements, then timing requirements are satisfied, but layout congestion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating pipelining resources only in specific locations where timing constraints demand them, rather than distributing registers uniformly across the layout. This targeted insertion minimizes disruption to the overall layout architecture, reduces routing congestion, and avoids the need for extensive layout restructuring. Non-critical areas maintain their original simple layouts without additional register insertions.
4Length of stationary object
If more pipeline registers are used, then data can be transmitted over longer distances, but the number of logic devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by determining the exact number of pipeline registers needed for each specific data path based on its physical length and timing characteristics. Rather than using a uniform number of registers for all paths, the system calculates and inserts only the necessary quantity for each critical path. This precise, location-specific approach extends signal transmission distance where needed while minimizing the total number of logic devices used.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for place-and-route aware data pipelining for an integrated circuit device are provided. In large integrated circuits, the physical distance a data signal must travel between a signal source in a master circuit block partition and a signal destination in a servant circuit block partition can exceed the distance the signal can travel in a single clock cycle. To maintain timing requirements of the integrated circuit, a longest physical distance and signal delay for a datapath between master and servant circuit block partitions can be determined and pipelining registers added. Datapaths of master circuit block partitions further away from the servant circuit block can have more pipelining registers added within the master circuit block than datapaths of master circuit block partitions that are closer to the servant circuit block.