Abstract: The invention provides an interface that can facilitate integration of user specific proprietary cores and commercially available cores during customization of an FPGA-based SoC. A selected hardware or software system component used for customizing the FPGA-based SoC can be configured using parameters that can be automatically propagated and used to configure peer system components. During configuration of the peer system components, other parameters used to configure those peer system components can also be propagated and used to configure other system components during customization of the FPGA-based SoC.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for clock stabilization detection for hardware simulation is described. More particularly, a lock signal is obtained, for example from a digital clock module. A least common multiple (LCM) clock signal is generated, for example from a clock module. A control signal is generated at least partially responsive to the LCM clock signal and the lock signal. The control signal may be generated from a state machine and applied to select circuitry, where the control signal is used to mask application of the output clock signal responsive to the control signal.

Abstract: Co-simulation of an electronic circuit design using an embedded processor on a programmable logic device (PLD). The programmable logic resources of a PLD are used to perform hardware-based co-simulation of a first portion of the electronic circuit design. Software-based co-simulation of a second portion of the electronic circuit design is performed using the embedded processor.

Abstract: Various approaches for embedding a hardware object in an event-driven simulator are disclosed. The various approaches involve generating an HDL proxy component having an HDL definition of each port of the hardware object and respective event handler functions associated with input ports of the HDL proxy component. The event handler functions are responsive to simulation events appearing on the input ports. A configuration bitstream is generated for implementing the hardware object on a programmable logic circuit, and a first object is generated to contain configuration parameter values indicating characteristics of the ports and a location of the configuration bitstream. A second object is generated and is configured to initiate configuration of the programmable logic circuit with the configuration bitstream. The second object further provides input data to and receives output data from the programmable logic circuit.

Abstract: A programmable logic device (PLD) with a JTAG port, such as an FPGA, is provided with a wireless JTAG adapter to enable wireless communications. Multiple PLDs connected with wireless-to-JTAG adapters can be wirelessly linked in a network to form a large boundary-scan chain serial interface. To communicate with the PLDs having a wireless JTAG port, a host PC running application software is also equipped with a wireless transceiver.

Abstract: A method of modeling a design in a high level modeling system that supports unidirectional data flow, may comprise identifying a bus-block to represent a connectivity of a bi-directional bus in an system. The bus-block may be represented in serial relationship with the bus. Taps may interface the bus via the bus-block. During simulation, the bus-block emulates behavior of a tri-state buffer in series with an input line for the tap interface. During synthesis, pairs of unidirectional input and output lines of opposite data-routing orientation, which may emulate bus ports to the bus-block, may be collapsed to a single bus port. The synthesis may further generate a netlist that may dispose a tri-state buffer between a tap input and the bus. The netlist may also represent layout of the tri-state buffer for driving an output of the tap.

Abstract: Various approaches for interfacing an application-independent hardware object with an application system are disclosed. The various approaches involve instantiating a first object that contains at least one configuration parameter. The configuration parameter specifies a location of a configuration bitstream for implementing functions of the hardware object in a programmable logic circuit. A second object is instantiated and is configured to open, in response to a program call to a first function provided by the second object, an interface to the programmable logic circuit. A programmable logic circuit is configured with the configuration bitstream in response to instantiation of the second object, and, in response to a program call to the first function, an interface to the programmable logic circuit is opened.

Abstract: The invention provides an interface that can facilitate integration of user specific proprietary cores and commercially available cores during customization of an FPGA-based SoC. A selected hardware or software system component used for customizing the FPGA-based SoC can be configured using parameters that can be automatically propagated and used to configure peer system components. During configuration of the peer system components, other parameters used to configure those peer system components can also be propagated and used to configure other system components during customization of the FPGA-based SoC.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for simulating operations of a circuit design that includes high-level components and HDL components. The high-level components of the design are simulated in a high-level modeling system (HLMS), and the HDL components of the design are simulated with an HDL simulator. Data values are converted from a data type of the HLMS to a logic vector compatible with the HDL simulator for each data value to be input to the HDL simulator, and a logic vector is converted from the HDL simulator to a data value of a data type compatible with the HLMS for each logic vector output from the HDL simulator. Events are scheduled for input to the HDL simulator as a function of the time of HLMS events and a maximum response time of the HDL components.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for simulating an integrated circuit within a modeling system using one or more circuit description language representations of circuitry is described. By example, a circuit description language representation of the one or more circuit description language representations of circuitry is translated into a program language circuit description. A first simulation process is executed and input data is obtained therefrom. A second simulation process is executed with the input data as parametric input to produce output data, the second simulation process being derived from the program language circuit description. The output data produce by the second simulation process is provided to the first simulation process.

Abstract: Method and system for creating an electronic circuit design from a system-level environment. A plurality of user-selectable system-level design objects are provided in the system-level environment. Each system-level design object is defined by a system-level function and is selectable by a system-level designer. A plurality of hardware-level design objects are also provided. Each hardware-level design object is configured to generate a hardware definition of a hardware-level function. Each system-level design object maps to one or more hardware-level design objects. In response to selections made by the designer, a system-level design is instantiated in a system-level design file. The system-level design includes user-selected ones of the system-level design objects.

Abstract: Method and system for modeling and automatically generating an embedded system from a system-level environment. A plurality of user-selectable system-level design objects are provided in the system-level environment. Each system-level design object is defined by a system-level function and is selectable by a system-level designer. A plurality of hardware-level design objects are also provided. Each hardware-level design object is configured to generate a hardware definition of a hardware-level function. Each system-level design object maps to one or more hardware-level design objects. A processor design object is provided which defines a processor. In response to selections made by the designer, a system-level design is instantiated in a system-level design file. The system-level design includes user-selected ones of the system-level and processor design objects.

Abstract: As system components which are used to customize an FPGA-based embedded processor SoC are selected and configured, the actual or estimated resources can be immediately provided. A GUI (350) can facilitate display of resources utilized by any or all selected system components, resources available for use by unselected system components and the customized device resources. Resource conflict and configuration checks can be used to identify and resolve system component problems and design and specification requirements. Notably, any associated resource problems can be immediately identified and rectified.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for creating a circuit design. An object-oriented program instantiates a plurality of objects that model a circuit design. The objects have hierarchy attributes, connectivity attributes, and display attributes that describe a plurality of modules. The hierarchy attributes define parent-child relationships between modules, the connectivity attributes define input-output connections between modules, and the display attributes define a layout of the modules for viewing. Each of the objects has an associated method for generating a design specification in a selected format. When the program is executed, the design specification is generated from the set of objects. Depending on the capabilities of the available tools, the modules and logic elements are displayed in accordance with the display attributes either from the object-oriented program or from the design specification.

Abstract: The invention provides an interface that can facilitate integration of user specific proprietary cores and commercially available cores during customization of an FPGA-based SoC. A selected hardware or software system component (380) used for customizing the FPGA-based SoC can be configured (382) using parameters that can be automatically propagated (384) and used to configure peer system components. During configuration (388) of the peer system components, other parameters used to configure those peer system components can also be propagated (400) and used to configure other system components during customization of the FPGA-based SoC.

Abstract: Method and system for generating an electronic circuit design. A first logic block is instantiated in the design in response to user input controls. The first logic block includes parameters that specify its interface requirements. Bus interface blocks, which are parameterizable to connect a logic block to a bus, are provided in a library. Bus interface blocks that connect the first logic block to the bus are instantiated in the design, and the bus interface blocks are parameterized in response to the requirements of, the first logic block. The bus interface blocks are connected to the first logic block in such a way that the first logic block is extended into a peripheral that can communicate with the bus.

Abstract: A method and system for time-stamping and managing electronic documents are described. A document manager obtains time-stamp certificates for the electronic documents. Document identifiers and associated certificate identifiers for the documents and certificates are used to build a database, and the documents and the certificates are stored for future reference.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for simulating operations of a circuit design that includes high-level components and HDL components. The high-level components of the design are simulated in a high-level modeling system (HLMS), and the HDL components of the design are simulated with an HDL simulator. Data values are converted from a data type of the HLMS to a logic vector compatible with the HDL simulator for each data value to be input to the HDL simulator, and a logic vector is converted from the HDL simulator to a data value of a data type compatible with the HLMS for each logic vector output from the HDL simulator. Events are scheduled for input to the HDL simulator as a function of the time of HLMS events and a maximum response time of the HDL components.

Abstract: The invention provides an interface that can facilitate integration of user specific proprietary cores and commercially available cores during customization of an FPGA-based SoC. A selected hardware or software system component (380) used for customizing the FPGA-based SoC can be configured (382) using parameters that can be automatically propagated (384) and used to configure peer system components. During configuration (388) of the peer system components, other parameters used to configure those peer system components can also be propagated (400) and used to configure other system components during customization of the FPGA-based SoC.

Abstract: The invention provides parametric modules called Self Implementing Modules (SIMs) for use in programmable logic devices such as FPGAS. The invention further provides tools and methods for generating and using SIMs. SIMs implement themselves at the time the design is elaborated, targeting a specified FPGA according to specified parameters. In one embodiment, a SIM references or includes one or more floorplanners each of which may employ one or more placement algorithms. Such placement algorithms might include, for example: a linear ordering algorithm that places datapath logic bitwise in a regular linear pattern; a rectangular mesh algorithm that implements memory in a grid pattern in distributed RAM; a columnar algorithm for counters and other arithmetic logic; or a simulated annealing algorithm for random logic such as control logic. Therefore, a design including more than one SIM can utilize a plurality of placement algorithms at the same or different levels of hierarchy.