Rule Structure for Insertion of New Elements in a Circuit Design Synthesis Procedure

The following publications and U.S. Patent Applications are related documents to the instant Application:

Managing the Chip Design Database, by Randy H. Katz, IEEE Computer, Vol. 16, No. 12, December 1983, pages 26 through 35.

Common LISP: The Language, by Guy L. Steele Jr, 1984, The Digital Press, Maynard, Mass., U.S.A.

Rule Structure in a Procedure for Synthesis of Logic Circuit Designs, invented by Donald F. Hooper et al., assigned to the same assignee named herein, having U.S. Ser. No. 907,512, filed Sep. 12, 1986.

Procedure and Data Structures for Synthesis and Transformation of Logic Circuit Designs, invented by Donald F. Hooper et al., assigned to the same assignee named herein, having U.S. Ser. No. 907,303, filed Sep. 12, 1986.

Data Base Access Mechanism for Rules Utilized by a Synthesis Procedure for Logic Circuit Design, invented by Donald F. Hooper, assigned to the same assignee named herein, having U.S. Ser. No. 907,515, filed Sep. 12, 1986.

Bitwise Implementation Mechanism for a Circuit Design Synthesis Procedure, invented by Donald Hooper et al., assigned to the assignee named herein, having Ser. No. 907,516, filed Sep. 12, 1986.

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to the synthesis of circuit designs and more particularly to a mechanism in the synthesis procedure that permits the insertion of elements into the circuit design.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many hardware description languages allow for simple textual description of logic design connectivity. These languages typically use infix notation for generic boolean and arithmetic operators and have an unordered pin/signal format for complex structures.

Referring next to FIG. 1, the procedure for synthesizing a logic circuit design according to the prior art is shown. Model definition data structures from a library of component definitions are entered into the data structures associated with the synthesis data base in step 11. In step 12, the information related to the instances of the circuit design, including the connectivity information, is entered in the data base. The instances of the circuit design are generally in a behavioral or functional form when entered in the synthesis data base. The synthesis procedure relates the instances of the circuit design to the model instances in step 13. In step 14, a set of rules for the synthesis procedure is applied to each of the model instances and the model instances are altered and connected in such a way as to maximize certain parameters such as size, path delay, power, etc. In step 15, the resulting circuit design is placed in a format that can control the automated fabrication of the circuit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved procedure for the synthesis of circuit designs.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a mechanism for insertion of model structures into a circuit design.

The aforementioned and other features are obtained, according to the present invention, by providing, in a circuit design synthesis procedure, a format in the rule structure that permits the insertion of model instances into the circuit design with a manner that is easy to use but permits insertion of complex models. The basic equation has the form <output-form>=(<model-name> <input-form> <input-form >. . . ). Common signal names in different rules imply that the signals are coupled. A special character (%), associated with a character string, is interpreted as a local signal. Input and output pins are ordered according to position relative to the representation of the model instance.

These and other features of the present invention will be understood upon reading of the following description along with the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a procedure for synthesizing circuit designs according to the related art.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a procedure for synthesizing circuit designs with which the present invention is intended to be used.

FIG. 3 is an overall diagram of the architecture for data structures of logic design and logic synthesis rules.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the structure of a rule file according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates the forms of the antecedent portion of the rule file according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates the forms of the consequence portion of the rule file according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates the insertion of a logic model design instance in a circuit design by the rule structure of the synthesis procedure.

FIG. 8 illustrates the insertion of multiple logic design design instances from a "nested" equation in a circuit design synthesis.

FIG. 9 shows the use of localized signal names between equation statements and the use of the `modify` command statement for insertion of data base attributes relative to newly inserted model instances.

FIG. 10 illustrates the use of the `ERASE` keyword in an equation access name in a circuit design synthesis procedure.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of the algorithm for compiling the signal access at rule compilation time in a circuit synthesis procedure.

FIG. 12 is a diagram of the algorithm for interpreting signal access at logic synthesis run time in a circuit design synthesis procedure.

FIG. 1 has been described with relationship to the related art.

Referring next to FIG. 2, the synthesis procedure of the present invention is shown. In step 21, abstract component data, from a library of such data, is entered into model definition data structures of the synthesis procedure. In step 22, component data from the LIBRARY relating to the target technology is entered into model definition data structures of the synthesis procedure. The circuit design data, with the connected instances described in terms of abstract components, is entered into the synthesis procedure in step 23. In step 24, the synthesis procedure provides two sets of pointers. The first set of pointers permits the synthesis procedure to follow any arbitrary path through the design circuit. The second set of pointers couples rules with associated data base structures. In step 25, the associated rules are tested for each instance and when the test provides a `true` result, the consequent portion of the rule is implemented. In the preferred embodiment, each rule has an antecedent portion and a consequence portion. The antecedent portion includes a test algorithm, and the consequence portion provides the information required to implement a result of the test. Because the rules are applied to instances in a sequential manner, and because in the preferred embodiment the test procedures can involve neighboring instances that are changed as a result of a test applied to that instance, the process is repeated until the circuit design has stabilized, as shown in step 26. In step 27, the final version of the circuit design is placed in a format suitable for use in an automated circuit fabrication system.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the architectural organization for the storage of the logic synthesis rules and the logic design rules are shown. Two storage hierarchies are available, one representing rule information and the second representing digital design information. These information hierarchies interact when pointers are established, relating the design objects to specific groups of rules. A rule file 306 through 308 is a collection of rules arbitrarily organized by the creator of the file. Several rule files can be transferred to a rule table 305. The rule table 305 is a lookup table that is indexed by the name of the rules stored therein. The rule table 305 is an attribute of a rule base 301 that has in addition to the rules stored in rule table 305, a name 303 and other attributes 304 of the rule base. Any number of rule bases 301 through 302 are contained in the table of all rule bases 300. The all rule bases table 300 is a lookup table indexed by the name of the rule base. The all rule base table 300 is the top of the rule information hierarchy. The logic design data is partitioned into blocks, called model definitions 315 through 316. Any number of model definitions can be stored in the model definition table 314, a lookup table indexed by the model name. A model definition can contain a model instance list 318 that includes model instances 319 and 320 that are model instances of other model definitions. For any functional part type or structural body of a given name, only one model definition can exist. However, any functional part type or structural body can have zero or more model instances. The attributes of the model definition are common to all of the instances associated therewith and, therefore need to be stored only with the model definition. The model definition contains "LIBRARY" information. The attributes of the model instances, such as timing parameters and simulation values are unique to each model instance and, consequently must be stored with the associated instance. Those model definitions with no model instances or for which a "LIBRARY" attribute is specified are considered primitive model definitions and are stored in table 315. The model definition table 314 is stored in a design table 311, the design table capable of possessing other attributes. Any number of designs 311 through 312 can be contained in the all designs table 310.

Referring next to FIG. 4, the general structure of a rule 40 used in the logic network synthesis is shown. At rule file read time, the structure is created for each rule 40. A location in the file is reserved for the name field 41 of the rule. Another location is reserved for comments file 42 which contains formal comments concerning the use of the rule. Antecedent field 43, consequence field 44, version field 45, history field 46 and sizewin field 47 are fields within the rule structure. The antecedent field 43 and the consequence field 44 are described below. The version field 45 includes version information from a host computer aided design (CAD) data management system, when available, or time.sub.-- of.sub.-- day and date information when available. The history field 46 is initially set to zero and is subsequently used to keep a running count of the number of times the associated rule is applied.

Referring to FIG. 5, five examples of the antecedent field 43 of the rule structure 40 of FIG. 4 are shown. In these examples, a qualified object is a database object at the end of an access chain for which the beginning is a current instance. A qualified object may also be a plurality of qualified objects. A primitive is taken as is without further database access (A number is a primitive object. In the first example, (count.sub.-- of.sub.-- inputs is N), the qualified object 510 is followed by a verb 511 followed by a primitive object 512. If the current instance has N inputs, then this antecedent will return a `true` (T) when evaluated, otherwise, the antecedent will return a `nil` when evaluated. In the second example, (count.sub.-- of.sub.-- inputs is.sub.-- same.sub.-- as count.sub.-- of.sub.-- outputs) the qualified object 520 is followed by a verb 521 which in turn is followed by a qualified object 522. In the third example, (any signals.sub.-- of.sub.-- inputs are.sub.-- not present), adjective 530 is followed by a qualified object 531, in turn followed by a verb 532, which in turn is followed by primitive object 533. This field is interpreted as follows. When any of the inputs of the current instance is not coupled to a signal, the antecedent will return a `true` value. In example four, (no signals.sub.-- of.sub.-- inputs are.sub.-- in signal.sub.-- of.sub.-- outputs), an adjective 540 is followed by a qualified object 541, in turn followed by a verb 542, which is in turn followed by a qualified object 543. In the fifth example, (tag{result} is.sub.-- sum.sub.-- of count.sub.-- inputs count.sub.-- outputs), a value{result} 550 is stored that is the result of of a called procedure 551 with an arbitrary number of arguments 552, 553 et al. This procedure call permits LISP functions to be used by a rule antecedent field. The arguments 552, 553 et al. can be primitive objects or qualified objects. The name{result} can be used during the remainder of the rule antecedent field procedure and consequence field procedures to fetch the value stored under that name. The number of tags is not limited and all tag storage is erased when the antecedent portion of the rule is false or at the completion of the consequence portion of the rule. This type of antecedent always returns a `true` (T) value, regardless of the value of the tag field. In the preferred embodiment, it is possible to use keywords (tag1, tag2, etc.) and to refer to them directly as in the expressions:

(tag{result} is.sub.-- sum.sub.-- of count.sub.-- inputs count.sub.-- outputs)

({result} is.sub.-- less.sub.-- than N) which can also be expressed:

(tag1 is.sub.-- sum.sub.-- of count.sub.-- inputs count.sub.-- outputs) (tag1 is.sub.-- less.sub.-- than N.)

Rule antecedents can also be nested ,by using the boolean terms `AND` or `OR`. This nesting can be done in LISP format. For example:

(or (count.sub.-- ins is.sub.-- less than N) ({result} is.sub.-- less than N))

Referring next to FIG. 6, the structure of the consequence field of the rule 40 (FIG. 4) is illustrated by six examples. In the first example, the command `remove` or `remove.sub.-- if` 610 is used to remove one or more instances 611 from the instances of the current model definition. In the second example of FIG. 6, the `insert` command 620 is used to perform the reverse of the `remove` command 610. The third example illustrates the `replace` command 33. This command is combined with the `remove` and the `insert` command to remove one or more qualified model instance objects 631 and then to insert one or more model instance objects derived from equation form 633. The fourth example of FIG. 6 illustrates the form of the `synthesize` command 640. This command is used for complex multibit synthesis in which the current instance operated upon by the rule has the attributes of most significant bit and least significant bit, as is common in high level specifications of digital designs. An example of such a device is a 32 bit incrementer, which can have a most significant bit of 31 and a least significant bit of 0. Following the `synthesis` command is the keyword `from` 641, followed by access to the most significant bit 642. The most significant bit 642 is followed by the keyword `to`, followed by access to the least significant bit 644 and finally followed by a collection of rules 645. This collection of rules is described in detail in the Patent Application entitled "Bitwise Implementation Mechanism for a Circuit Design Synthesis Procedure", identified above. The fifth example of FIG. 6 identifies the form of the `modify` command 650. This command is used to alter a database object by setting its value. The `modify` keyword is followed by a qualified object 651, the qualified object being followed by the by the keyword `with` 652. The keyword `with` is then followed by a primitive object 653. The sixth example of FIG. 6 uses the `Lisp` keyword to permit entry of a LISP procedural expression 661. This procedural capability provides additional flexibility to modify the design database.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a rule 712 is applied against an instance 706. The consequence portion of the rule contains either an `insert` or a `replace` command followed by the equation statement 713. The "output" form of the equation statement refers to the second output 709 and first output 708 of the current model instance 706. The "inputs" form of the equation refers to the inputs 705, which are 703 and 704 of the current model instance. Signal A 701 is coupled to the first input 703, signal B 702 is coupled to the second input 704, signal C 710 is coupled to the first output 708 and signal D 711 is coupled to the second output 709. The equation is interpreted to cause creation of a new model instance 721 which is an instance of model definition 727 with the name "PART.sub.-- 1" 728. The new instance is given outputs 722, 723 and 724 with couplings to the signals D and C, 725 and 726, respectively. The order of the output signals has been reversed compared to the order of the current instances as required by the access ordering (`2nd-out`, `1st-out`) in the equation 713. The signals 725 and 726 are the same as signals 711 and 710, although the pointers to/from the new ports 723 and 724 have been added. The new instance is given an input group 720 with specific inputs 717 and 718 which have coupling to signals A and B, 714 and 715, respectively. Signals A and B are found by getting the signals 701 and 702 coupled to the inputs 703, 704 and 705 of model instance 706. An additional input form "tie.sub.-- hi" is named in the equation 713. This additional name refers to a signal named "tie.sub.-- hi" 716. This signal is found by the function `find-signal` described below (i.e., in FIG. 11 and in FIG. 12). A third input 719 is created for this signal with the name "tie.sub.-- hi". In this embodiment, the equation itself refers directly to the names of signals or the implied access of signals of the port instances (inputs, outputs) relative to a current instance. Moreover, one or more new instances are created with interfaces coupled to these same signals.

Referring next to FIG. 8, the insertion of a design from a "nested" equation is shown. A rule 839 is interpreted against a current model instance 835. The current model instance 835 has inputs 834, 832 and 833, and one output 836 and 837. The consequence equation 840 indicates insertion of a tree of parts, PART.sub.-- 1 fed by PART.sub.-- 2. The output form of the equation `OUTPUT`, refers to the output the signal 838 of outputs 838 of the current model instance 835. Also signal 738 is then coupled with the output of newly added parts for the access form `OUTPUT` appearing on the left side of equation 840. The input access form of the equation 840 `INPUTS`, implies the inputs of PARTS.sub.-- 2 are coupled to the signals 830 and 831 of the inputs of the current model instance. At insertion time, two model instances 846 and 852 are created. An internal signal 849 is generated for the coupling between the two model instances.

Referring next to FIG. 9, a rule 961 with separate consequence statements 962, which can achieve the same result as the "nested" equation of FIG. 8 is shown. In this case, the rule creator or writer provides a local signal name "temp %" 962 as an input to PART.sub.-- 1 and an output of PART.sub.-- 2. The `%` character in the name identifies it as a local name. At insertion time, the name "temp %" is appended to a unique substring so that the resulting signal name is unique globally in the entire circuit design. In this case, "temp %" may be transformed to "xxtemp %" to accomplish the role of electrical coupling in the same manner as the signal "xx %" of FIG. 8. This method gives a human rule writer some control over the naming and possibly the meaning of the new signal 849. The insertion also permits the the use of the `MODIFY` command statement to set parameters relative to the instance just inserted by the previous equation statement. In this example, the statement (modify frozen with `true`) will set the frozen parameter 860 of model instance 846, inserted by the equation statement 962, "temp %=(part.sub.-- 2 inputs). Groups of input or output access forms in equation statements in a rule are treated as sets of signals or evaluated signals.

The signal of selected port instance objects can be "erased" from a set of equation signals through the use of the `ERASE` keyword, as shown in FIG. 10. A rule 980 is interpreted against a current model instance 976. A source instance 968 is connected through the path 969, 970, 971, 973 and 975 to the current instance 976. The equation 981 indicates the creation of a new instance 989 with inputs connected to the signals of the inputs of the current instance, `J` and `K`, and the signals of the inputs of the sources 968 of the current instance, `H` and `I`, but not the signals `J` of the outputs of the sources 968 of the current instance. This is interpreted to be the set (`H` `I` `J` `K`) without `J`, producing the set (`H` `I` `K`). A new instance 989 is therefore created with input connections to the signals 982, 983 and 984. The signals 982, 983 and 984 are the same as 963, 964 and 972 with now one additional load on each signal structure after the insertion of instance 989 and its inputs 988, 985, 986 and 987.

Referring next to FIG. 11, the flowchart of the access to the signals as specified by the equations is illustrated. An input form which is from the second, third, etc., items of an equation's right side starts as a name 100. The name may have brackets <> identifying access to a significant bit of the prospective signal, in which case control follows decision 101 to 102. If the name consists only of a bit position access, an appropriate access expression is generated in step 105, (cf U.S. Patent Application "Bitwise Implementation Mechanism for a Circuit Design Synthesis Procedure", cited supra). If the name is not a string 103 and 108, it is assumed to be an access to a port instance object, and the data base access for the signal of the object is generated 110 as described in the U.S. Patent Application "Data Base Access Mechanism for Rules Utilized by a Synthesis Procedure for Logic Circuit Design". If the name has bit brackets, is a string, and contains the character `%` 104, an expression is generated to find a bit significant signal of a local name with bit access 106. If the name has bit brackets, is a string, and does not contain the character `%`, an expression is generated to find a bit significant signal of an accessed object with bit access 107. If the name does not have brackets, is a string, and contains the character `%` 109, an expression is generated to create a local signal whose name is derived from this name 111. If the name does not have brackets, is a string, and does not contain `%`, an expression is generated to find a global signal by this name 112.

Referring next to FIG. 12, the algorithm for interpretation of the signal access expressions is shown. Four types of signal access expressions exist. First, access of an existing signal relative to the current instance 113 is merely evaluated 117 to obtain the desired signal in the data base 124. The other three methods derive a signal name and look for the signal in a table of all the signals in the current model 120. If the signal is there, it is returned 124, otherwise a new signal 122 is created, placed in the signal table 123, and returned 124. The function `find.sub.-- signal` 116 uses the name as provided. The function `syn-signal` 114 appends a local substring to the name to make this signal name unique to this rule and to the current design model. The function `find-bit-signal` 115 can use any of the other three methods 113, 115 and 116 to obtain a root signal name, then obtains the value of the significant bit, and appends that in brackets `<bit>` at the end of the name.

In the present invention, signal names or data base objects representing signal names are ordered in the order that they appear in the schematic drawing of the model object. The procedure assumes that inputs are drawn at the top, left or bottom of the symbol, with counter-clockwise ordering. The procedure also assumes that outputs are drawn at the top, right or bottom of the symbol, with clockwise ordering. Most schematic symbols have inputs only on the left side and outputs only on their right side. It is a simple matter to derive the model definition ordering from the drawing coordinates of the symbol. Because other CAD tools generally format pins of instances randomly by pin name/signal name match up, it is possible to sort the pins of instances from these tools into the model definition order when an interface to such tools occurs.

The rule writer in this invention, when specifying a structural part of the operator to be inserted, need only name the part and signals to be coupled thereto in their drawing shape order. The basic equation format is similar to the software programming language ALGOL and uses nesting and function prefix notation similar to the programming language LISP. Simple LISP functions have the syntax:

(<function-name> <argument> <argument>. . . ) where <function-name> refers to a LISP procedure name and <argument> is the name of a variable value passed to the procedure at its start. In this invention, the syntax for expressing logical connectivity has the form: (<output> <output>. . . )=(<part-name> <input> <input>. . . ).

The foregoing equation format of this invention, while similar to some high-level programming languages in form, has an entirely different meaning and purpose. The equation format is used to describe the structural form of logic design data base objects and also their connectivity to one another.

The format is used in the rule consequence to insert new model instance objects into a current design model. The format can also be used to add or modify attributes of any data base to the instances being inserted. The basic equation in the rule consequence form is: <output-form>=(<model name> <input-form> <input-form>. . . ) where: <output-form> can be a signal name, a list of signal names, a data base access to a pin, or a data base access to a group of pins. <input-form> can be a signal name, a list of signal names, a data base access to a pin, or a data base access to a group of pins, or another (<model-name> <input-form> <input-form>. . . ) in a LISP-like nest. <model-name> can be the name of a model definition which defines the functional, interface, size and other characteristics of either an abstract function or a technology part type.

Separate rules can insert model instances with common signal names between them. A signal name in the insertion equation of one rule matching a signal name in the insertion equation of another rule implies electrical connectivity. When the input-forms or output-forms are interpreted, if the form indicated a port instance object, the signal of the accessed object is retrieved and used to connect to the interface model instance. If the form indicated a signal name to begin with, the name is looked up in a signal table. If it exists in that table, then the signal object pointed to by the table is retrieved and used. If the signal does not exist in the signal table, then a new signal is created, put in the signal table and used to connect to the interface port instances of the model instance at model instance creation time. Thus, fast access to existing signal objects is made possible.

If the input form is nested, unique signal names are generated at rule interpretation time for the connectivity between the operators in the nest this unnesting procedure is done only for the case of an single output.

More than one equation statement per rule is allowed. Signal names which are doubly quoted strings without a % special character are considered global to the current model definition. Signal names which are doubly quoted and have a % special character are considered local to the current model instance at rule interpretation time. An instance name is appended to the local signals defined in the equation in order to preserve their connectivity only within the instances generated by this rule which will be interpreted against a specific model instance.

Input forms which are common to equation statements of the same rule are made non-redundant, so that duplicate instances do not get inserted into the data base. Because the logical negation "NOT" operator is so common, a check of the model instances of the current model definition is made at instance creation time. If a "NOT" model instance with the retrieved input signal does not exist in the current design, then a new "NOT" as defined in the equation is created. If one already exists, connectivity is merely made to the output signal signal of the existing "NOT" model instance.

For each model instance creation, first the object interface form of model instance, port instances, and signal is generated. Then the full logic design data base pointers are installed as described in the U.S. Patent Application entitled "Procedure and Data structure for Synthesis and Transformation of Logic Circuit Designs" cited above.

Following any equation insertion statement, a `MODIFY` command can be inserted to set data base attributes relative to the new instance, as described in the U.S. Patent Application entitled "Rule Structure for Synthesis of Logic Circuit Design", cited above.

A data base access `ERASE` keyword can be prepended to the name of a port instance object in an equation, indicating that the signal object at rule interpretation time is to be removed from the group of retrieved input or output signals at instance interface time.

The foregoing description is included to illustrate the preferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims. From the foregoing description, many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the invention.