Retiming Tool Resolving Initial Condition Conflicts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retiming in integrated circuit designs is limited by initial conditions conflicts, which prevent the computation of new register initial conditions that guarantee identical circuit performance, leading to rejected retiming moves and reduced performance benefits.
Innovation Solution
A software solution that identifies and displays source registers involved in initial condition conflicts, providing recommended corrective actions through a graphical user interface (GUI) to modify the circuit design and compute expected performance improvements, including changing reset strategies and setting registers to 'don't care' power states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If retiming is performed to improve clock signal frequency, then circuit performance is improved, but initial conditions conflicts prevent successful retiming moves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the initial conditions parameters of registers during retiming. When a retiming move creates initial conditions conflicts, the system modifies the initial state values of affected registers to resolve the conflict while maintaining the retiming benefit. This allows the circuit to achieve higher clock frequencies without sacrificing functional equivalence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of register initial conditions based on the specific retiming move being performed. Rather than preserving static initial conditions, the system dynamically computes and applies new initial condition values that are appropriate for the retimed circuit configuration, enabling successful retiming moves that would otherwise be blocked.
2Reliability
If initial conditions are preserved during retiming, then functional equivalence is maintained, but retiming moves are rejected
Solution Approach 1:
The system intentionally changes the initial conditions parameters of registers when retiming moves would otherwise be rejected. By computing new initial state values that are appropriate for the retimed configuration, the system maintains functional equivalence while enabling productivity-improving retiming moves that preserve the original initial conditions would block.
3Speed
If registers are repositioned to improve performance, then clock signal frequency increases, but initial conditions conflicts arise
Solution Approach 1:
The retiming tool automatically computes the appropriate initial condition values for registers after retiming moves. The system self-services by internally handling the complexity of initial conditions computation and adjustment, transparently resolving conflicts without requiring additional user intervention or manual analysis of the complex computational requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes performing retiming using a first circuit design to determine one or more variations to the first circuit design, identifying one or more source registers that are involved in one or more unsuccessful retiming moves due to initial conditions conflicts, and recommending, via a graphical user interface, one or more corrective actions to the one or more source registers to avoid the initial conditions conflicts and improve performance of the one or more variations.