Abstract: Determining delays of paths in a circuit design includes determining whether or not each path of the plurality of paths matches a path definition of a plurality of path definitions in a path database. For each path that matches a path definition, a first path delay value associated with the matching path definition is read from the path database and associated with the matching path of the circuit design. For each path that does not match any of the path definitions, respective element delay values of elements of the path are read from an element database. A second path delay value of the non-matching path is computed as a function of the respective element delay values, and the second path delay value is associated with the path. The first and second path delay values are output along with information indicating the associated paths.

Abstract: A method of implementing a circuit design within a programmable integrated circuit (IC) can include identifying an implementation directive embedded within a register transfer level (RTL) description of the circuit design and determining components of a sub-circuit of the circuit design, wherein the sub-circuit is specified by a portion of the RTL description associated with the implementation directive. The sub-circuit can be placed for the programmable IC and routed for the programmable IC according to the implementation directive. A programmatic description of the sub-circuit specifying placement and routing information can be output.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for facilitating signal routing within a programmable logic device having routing resources is described. In an example, the routing resources are formed into groups where, for each of the groups, the routing resources are of a same type. Pairs of the groups are related by an association of at least one routing resource in one group of a pair of groups capable of being electrically connected to at least one other routing resource in another group of the pair of groups.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are described for a placer system for placing design objects onto an arrayed architecture, such as a programmable logic device including an FPGA. More particularly, a placer interface is described for communicating with a placer core. The placer interface receives information from external entities, and unifies and generalizes this information for the placer core. The external entities comprise different representations of architecture, design, device, constraints and algorithm-dictated placer-movable objects.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for facilitating signal routing within a programmable logic device having routing resources is described. In an example, the routing resources are formed into groups where, for each of the groups, the routing resources are of a same type. Pairs of the groups are related by an association of at least one routing resource in one group of a pair of groups capable of being electrically connected to at least one other routing resource in another group of the pair of groups.

Abstract: A method (500) of placing local clock nets in a circuit design can include identifying the local clock nets for the circuit design and selecting components corresponding to each local clock net (510,515), and assigning initial locations to each component of the local clock nets (520). The method further can include generating at least one cost function (530, 550) to evaluate (555) different placements of components of the local clock nets. The components (220, 240) of the local clock nets (205) can be annealed (535–575) using one or more of the cost functions to assign locations to each component of the local clock nets.

Abstract: Application of network flow techniques to constrained optimization problems is disclosed. The present of constrains may lead to infeasible solutions. The infeasible solutions can be removed by an iterative process of changing the structure of the network and/or the associated parameters. Specific applications of the invention to the placement of tristate buffers and clocks in integrated circuits are disclosed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming timing parameters for a circuit design having a predefined routing topology within an integrated circuit is described. Sets of timing attributes are determined for the routing topology, each set of timing attributes being associated with one of a plurality of locations within the integrated circuit in which the circuit design may be placed. Timing parameters are formed in response to the sets of timing attributes. The timing parameters are then associated with the routing topology.

Abstract: Within a computer automated tool, a method of physical circuit design can include assigning initial locations to components in the circuit design and determining an initial routing of connections between components in the circuit design using an overlap mode. The method also can include determining timing critical connections and selectively relocating components with at least one timing critical connection prior to performing a detailed routing of the circuit design.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for post-placement optimization of resources for connections is described. To optimize resource placement, search windows are generated responsive to driver and load components, as well as to a connection between the driver and load components. Adding in a straight-line path search window may be used as an alternative where a bypassed resource is to be relocated. Using connection-based optimization in combination with driver- and resource-based optimization results in improved optimization with negligible impact on runtime.

Abstract: Within a computer automated tool, a method (400) of estimating an upper-bound of an operational frequency of at least a portion of a placed circuit design can include identifying (405) a clock source within the placed circuit design, wherein the clock source is associated with a clock domain, and determining (410) an initial routing of the clock domain. The method also can include determining (420) a minimum path slack corresponding to each connection of the clock domain. Connections of the clock domain which have a lowest minimum path slack can be marked (430). One or more marked connections which are not routed in delay mode can be identified and routed in delay mode (455) allowing sharing of routing resources by different nets.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are described for a placer system for placing design objects onto an arrayed architecture, such as a programmable logic device including an FPGA. More particularly, a placer interface is described for communicating with a placer core. The placer interface receives information from external entities, and unifies and generalizes this information for the placer core. The external entities comprise different representations of architecture, design, device, constraints and algorithm-dictated placer-movable objects.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining routing feasibility of a plurality of nets. Each net has an associated set of one or more routing solutions, wherein each solution specifies one or more routing resources consumed by the net. A liveness Boolean function is generated having variables that represent respective net/solution pairs. If there exists a set of values for the variables such that at least one of the variables for each net is logically true, then the liveness function is true. An exclusivity function is generated using the variables that represent the net/solution pairs. If there exists at least one set of values for the variables such that no resource is used is by more than a predetermined number of nets, then the exclusivity function is true. The nets are routable using the provided solutions if there is one set of values for the variables such that both the liveness and exclusivity functions are true.

Abstract: Application of network flow techniques to constrained optimization problems is disclosed. The present of constrains may lead to infeasible solutions. The infeasible solutions can be removed by an iterative process of changing the structure of the network and/or the associated parameters. Specific applications of the invention to the placement of tristate buffers and clocks in integrated circuits are disclosed.

Abstract: Application of network flow techniques to constrained optimization problems is disclosed. The present of constrains may lead to infeasible solutions. The infeasible solutions can be removed by an iterative process of changing the structure of the network and/or the associated parameters. Specific applications of the invention to the placement of tristate buffers and clocks in integrated circuits are disclosed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus is described for interconnect routing. More particularly, an integrated circuit may be thought of as a network with a plurality of resources that are interconnected. These resources may be blocks of circuitry or individual circuit elements. By first routing in a resource mode, critical connections are identifiable. After that routing, a deterministic approach to delay mode routing is described using logic level information. Connections within a logic level are independent, thereby allowing multiple connections for a logic level to be routed together without any need for timing update.

Abstract: Routing algorithms can be modified to increase the number of programmable interconnect points (PIPs) used in a routing pattern. A file is set up to store information on whether a PIP has been covered. The cost of a node can be decreased by a predetermined value if two nodes are connected by an uncovered PIP. In another embodiment, a file is set up to store a count for each PIP. The count is increased each time the PIP is used in a routing. The cost of a node can be increased by multiplying a predetermined value and the count of a PIP associated with the node.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing highly parallel, FFT calculations in a circuit including a plurality of RADIX-2 elements. Partitioned RAM resources allow RADIXes at all stages to have optimal bandwidth memory access. Preferably more memory is made available for early RADIX stages and a “critical” stage. RADIXes within stages beyond the critical stage preferably each need only a single RAM partition, and can therefore simultaneously operate without fighting for memory resources. In a preferred configuration having P RAM partitions and P RADIX stages, the critical stage is stage number log2 P, and until the critical stage, only P/2 RADIX elements can simultaneously operate within each stage. After the critical stage, all RADIXes within each stage can simultaneously operate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for placement into a programmable gate array of I/O design objects having different I/O attributes. The I/O attributes of an I/O design object define the electrical characteristics of the design object. The programmable gate array has a plurality of sites (IOBs) arranged into banks supporting a variety of electrical interface characteristics. In an example embodiment, I/O design objects are placed into IOBs of the programmable gate array by first performing simulated annealing that considers conflicts between I/O attributes of I/O design objects as placed into the IOBs. Then, a bipartite matching is performed using placement results from simulated annealing. Finally, if the bipartite matching does not produce a feasible placement, sets of I/O attributes are assigned to the banks based on the previous placement results, and the bipartite matching process is repeated.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing highly parallel, FFT calculations in a circuit including a plurality of RADIX-2 elements. Partitioned RAM resources allow RADIXes at all stages to have optimal bandwidth memory access. Preferably more memory is made available for early RADIX stages and a “critical” stage. RADIXes within stages beyond the critical stage preferably each need only a single RAM partition, and can therefore simultaneously operate without fighting for memory resources. In a preferred configuration having P RAM partitions and P RADIX stages, the critical stage is stage number log2P, and until the critical stage, only P/2 RADIX elements can simultaneously operate within each stage. After the critical stage, all RADIXes within each stage can simultaneously operate.