Patents by Inventor David Ian M. Milton

David Ian M. Milton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10671781
    Abstract: A method for designing a system on a target device includes identifying a timing exception for a portion of a signal path. An area on the target device that includes components affected by the timing exception. Register retiming is performed where pipeline registers are added at boundaries of the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Salem Derisavi, Gordon Raymond Chiu, Benjamin Gamsa, David Ian M. Milton
  • Publication number: 20180232475
    Abstract: A method for designing a system on a target device includes identifying a timing exception for a portion of a signal path. An area on the target device that includes components affected by the timing exception. Register retiming is performed where pipeline registers are added at boundaries of the area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Salem DERISAVI, Gordon Raymond CHIU, Benjamin GAMSA, David Ian M. MILTON
  • Patent number: 9971858
    Abstract: A method for designing a system on a target device includes identifying a timing exception for a portion of a signal path. An area on the target device that includes components affected by the timing exception. Register retiming is performed where pipeline registers are added at boundaries of the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Salem Derisavi, Gordon Raymond Chiu, Benjamin Gamsa, David Ian M. Milton
  • Patent number: 9026980
    Abstract: In one aspect, a technique for performing signal activity extraction in an integrated circuit an integrated circuit is described. The integrated circuit includes multiple nodes. The technique includes compiling a design of the integrated circuit, estimating signal activities at the nodes, determining a node of interest from the nodes, and connecting a signal activity circuit to the node of interest. The determination of the node of interest and the connection of the signal activity circuit to the node of interest first compared to the remaining nodes of the integrated circuit improves efficiency in determining nodes of the integrated circuit at which signals can be analyzed first. Such signal activity extraction may involve power analysis and power optimization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: David Ian M. Milton, Alexander Grbic
  • Patent number: 8707244
    Abstract: In one aspect, a technique for performing signal activity extraction in an integrated circuit an integrated circuit is described. The integrated circuit includes multiple nodes. The technique includes compiling a design of the integrated circuit, estimating signal activities at the nodes, determining a node of interest from the nodes, and connecting a signal activity circuit to the node of interest. The determination of the node of interest and the connection of the signal activity circuit to the node of interest first compared to the remaining nodes of the integrated circuit improves efficiency in determining nodes of the integrated circuit at which signals can be analyzed first. Such signal activity extraction may involve power analysis and power optimization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: David Ian M. Milton, Alexander Grbic
  • Patent number: 8196085
    Abstract: Techniques for analyzing and optimizing a design on an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. The techniques include an interface that aids interactive optimization. A visual indicator is generated based on the power usage value of each of the logic blocks in the design. The visual indicator can be overlaid on top of a floorplan layout of the IC to highlight the parts of the design that may be further optimized. The visual indicator can be updated in real time to highlight the optimizations that have been achieved by the changes made to the design. The real time update of the visual indicator may allow multiple changes to be made to the design before the design is recompiled with a design program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: David Ian M. Milton
  • Patent number: 7555741
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for designing and producing programmable logic devices are provided. A logic design system may be used to analyze various implementations of a desired logic design for a programmable logic device integrated circuit. The logic design system may be used to produce configuration data for the programmable logic device in accordance with an implementation that minimizes power consumption by the programmable logic device. The programmable logic device contains logic blocks that are used to implement the desired logic design and logic blocks that are unused. Dynamic power consumption can be minimized by identifying which configuration data settings reduce the amount of signal toggling in the unused logic blocks and routing, and by minimizing the capacitance of resources that do toggle. Clock tree power consumption can be reduced by evaluating multiple potential logic design implementations using a strictly concave cost function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: David Ian M. Milton, David Neto, Vaughn Betz