Patents by Inventor Nathan A. Lindop

Nathan A. Lindop 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: 8214694
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a device under test implemented within an integrated circuit (IC) can include at least one probe that detects a designated type of data transaction, where in response to detecting the designated type of data transaction, each probe outputs a single data transaction detection signal. The system also can include a data collector coupled to each probe, where the data collector stores an indication of each data transaction detection signal that is output by each probe. The data collector can be configured so that no value of any probed signal is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. McKechnie, Nathan A. Lindop
  • Patent number: 8146027
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of incorporating a module within a circuit design can include, responsive to identifying the module to be imported into the circuit design, automatically identifying each port of the module, displaying a list of the ports of the module, and receiving a user input selecting a plurality of ports of the module for inclusion in an interface through which the module communicates with the circuit design. Responsive to a user input specifying an interface type, the interface type can be associated with the plurality of ports. The interface type can be associated with a port list including standardized ports. Individual ones of the plurality of ports can be automatically matched with standardized ports from the port list. A programmatic interface description specifying the interface for the module can be output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan A. Lindop, Brian Cotter, Scott Leishman, Martin Sinclair
  • Patent number: 8122414
    Abstract: Within a system comprising a processor and a memory, a method of creating a circuit design for implementation within an integrated circuit can include inserting a placeholder block into the circuit design, wherein the circuit design includes a circuit block comprising circuitry and a circuit block interface, and wherein the placeholder block is devoid of circuitry and, responsive to receiving a user input specifying a coupling between the placeholder block and the circuit block, automatically determining a plurality of attributes of the circuit block interface. The method can include automatically generating, according to the attributes and by the processor, a placeholder interface within the placeholder block, wherein the placeholder interface is complementary to the circuit block interface. The placeholder block can be stored within the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan A. Lindop, Brian Cotter, Scott Leishman, Martin Sinclair
  • Patent number: 8032852
    Abstract: A method is provided to incorporate information currently known about an integrated circuit's design, including peripheral components that share the same printed circuit board (PCB) with the integrated circuit, to automate a clock signal instantiation and routing solution to realize a comprehensive design. The information derived from a hardware design synthesis tool includes the existence of PCB resources, such as fixed-frequency oscillators, that may co-exist with a particular integrated circuit, such as a programmable logic device (PLD). Other derived information includes details concerning clock modules and cores that may exist within the PLD in accordance with the PLD's design specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Sinclair, Nathan A. Lindop, Gareth D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 8015530
    Abstract: A method of enabling the generation of reset signals in an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method comprises receiving information related to reset ports for a plurality of intellectual property cores in a design tool; providing an intellectual property core comprising a reset logic circuit adapted to generate a plurality of reset signals for the plurality of intellectual property cores; and generating, by the design tool, configuration data enabling programmable interconnects to couple a first reset signal of the plurality of reset signals to a first intellectual property core of the plurality of intellectual property cores and a second reset signal of the plurality of reset signals to a second intellectual property core of the plurality of intellectual property cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Sinclair, Gareth D. Edwards, Nathan A. Lindop