Waveform Data Reduction for Interactive EDA Visualization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern EDA tools face performance issues in handling massive quantities of waveform data, leading to difficulties in maintaining interactive performance during waveform visualization due to the need to process large amounts of data quickly.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a data reduction method that filters and scales waveform data to create a reduced set, retaining salient points and discarding extraneous data, allowing for efficient processing by the graphics processing unit (GPU) to enhance interactive performance without compromising data fidelity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional waveform viewing tools process all waveform data points for display, then data fidelity is maintained, but processing speed and interactive performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata fidelityVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential data points needed for accurate waveform representation. By identifying and removing redundant data points that do not contribute to the visual accuracy or analytical value of the waveform, the system maintains data fidelity while significantly reducing the processing burden. This extraction approach allows the tool to focus computational resources on the most critical data elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts processing parameters based on the selected time window and display requirements. By changing parameters such as data point sampling rate, reduction ratio, and processing depth according to the specific viewing context, the system optimizes the balance between data fidelity and processing speed for each interaction scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If all waveform data is loaded into memory for interactive manipulation, then complete data access is available, but memory consumption and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata access completenessVSAvoidmemory consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the waveform data into manageable portions based on the user's selected time window and display requirements. Instead of loading the entire waveform dataset into memory, the system divides and loads only the relevant segments needed for the current view, enabling efficient interactive manipulation while minimizing memory consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary data reduction and preprocessing operations before the user interacts with the waveform data. By pre-identifying and retaining only the essential data points that will be needed for display and analysis, the system reduces the amount of data that needs to be loaded into memory during interactive sessions, thereby lowering memory consumption while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If waveform data is reduced to improve processing speed, then interactive performance improves, but data fidelity may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinteractive performanceVSAvoiddata fidelity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical data processing approaches with GPU-based parallel processing. This substitution enables the system to handle larger datasets and perform more sophisticated data reduction algorithms in real-time, achieving both high interactive performance and data fidelity through the superior computational capabilities of the GPU architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10204187B1Method and system for implementing data reduction for waveform data
Publication Date: 2019.02.12 CADENCE DESIGN SYST INC
  • US10204187B1 patent drawing
  • US10204187B1 patent drawing
  • US10204187B1 patent drawing

AI summary

An improved approach is provided to generate and display waveform data, where data reduction is intelligently applied to create filtered waveform data. By reducing the quantity of the waveform data in an intelligent manner, this permits the waveform display tool to process the waveforms quickly enough for interactive usage, while still retaining sufficient data fidelity for accurate data analysis and waveform visualization.