IP Library Granted Patent US 8,434,052
Granted Patent B1
US 8,434,052 · App. 13/401,624 · Granted Apr 30, 2013

System and method for ensuring partitioned block physical compatibility between revisions of an integrated circuit design

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,434,052
App. No.
13/401,624
Granted
Apr 30, 2013
Kind
B1
Abstract

Differences between block interfaces of a partitioned logic block in two floorplans of an integrated circuit can be determined by comparing an image of pins of a partitioned logic block in a first floorplan of the integrated circuit with an image of pins of the partitioned logic block in a second floorplan of the integrated circuit. The second floorplan can represent a new floorplan design resulting from a change to an integrated circuit design represented by the first floorplan. If no differences exist between pins of the partitioned logic block in the first and second floorplans, information representing the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan can be substituted with information representing the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan.

Claims (43)

1. A method for determining differences between block interfaces of a partitioned logic block in two floorplans of an integrated circuit, comprising:

providing a programmed processor system with one or more data files including first information representing an image of pins of the partitioned logic block in a first floorplan of an integrated circuit;

providing a programmed processor system with one or more data files including second information representing an image of pins of the partitioned logic block in a second floorplan of the integrated circuit;

the programmed processor system comparing the first information with the second information to determine differences between locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan and the locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan; and

the programmed processor system processing one or more data files to substitute information representing the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan with information representing the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan if it is determined that no differences exist between locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan and the locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the programmed processor system with the first information comprises:

identifying in a first input data file data representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan of the integrated circuit; and

forming a first modified data file having only the data from the first input data file representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan of the integrated circuit.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising converting the first modified data file to an image file format, wherein the programmed processor system comparing the first information with the second information comprises the programmed processor system comparing the first modified data file with another data file.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein providing the programmed processor system with the second information comprises:

identifying in a second input data file data representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan of the integrated circuit; and

forming a second modified data file having only the data from the second input data file representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan of the integrated circuit.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising converting the second modified data file to an image file format, wherein the programmed processor system comparing the first information with the second information comprises the programmed processor system comparing the first modified data file with the second modified data file.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the programmed processor system comparing the first modified data file with the second modified data file comprises the programmed processor system performing an exclusive-OR operation between the first modified data file and the second modified data file.

7. A system for determining differences between block interfaces of a partitioned logic block in two floorplans of an integrated circuit, comprising:

a user interface;

a memory subsystem storing first information representing an image of pins of the partitioned logic block in a first floorplan of an integrated circuit and second information representing an image of pins of the partitioned logic block in a second floorplan of the integrated circuit;

a processor system, the processor system programmed to:

compare the first information with the second information to determine differences between locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan and the locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan; and

process one or more data files to substitute information representing the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan with information representing the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan if it is determined that no differences exist between locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan and the locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor system is further programmed to:

identify in a first input data file data representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan of the integrated circuit; and

form a first modified data file having only the data from the first input data file representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan of the integrated circuit.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor system is further programmed to convert the first modified data file to an image file format, wherein the programmed processor system compares the first information with the second information by comparing the first modified data file with another data file.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor system is further programmed to:

identify in a second input data file data representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan of the integrated circuit; and

form a second modified data file having only the data from the second input data file representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan of the integrated circuit.

11. The system of claim 10 , the processor system is further programmed to convert the second modified data file to an image file format, wherein the programmed processor system compares the first information with the second information by comparing the first modified data file with the second modified data file.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor system is programmed to compare the first modified data file with the second modified data file by performing an exclusive-OR operation between the first modified data file and the second modified data file.

13. A computer program product for determining differences between block interfaces of a partitioned logic block in two floorplans of an integrated circuit, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-usable medium on which is stored in computer-executable form instructions for causing a computer system to effect a method comprising:

providing first information representing an image of pins of the partitioned logic block in a first floorplan of an integrated circuit;

providing second information representing an image of pins of the partitioned logic block in a second floorplan of the integrated circuit;

comparing the first information with the second information to determine differences between locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan and the locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan; and

substituting information representing the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan with information representing the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan if it is determined that no differences exist between locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan and the locations of the pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein providing the first information comprises:

identifying in a first input data file data representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan of the integrated circuit; and

forming a first modified data file having only the data from the first input data file representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the first floorplan of the integrated circuit.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , further comprising instructions for causing the computer system to convert the first modified data file to an image file format, wherein comparing the first information with the second information by comparing the first modified data file with another data file.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein providing the second information comprises:

identifying in a second input data file data representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan of the integrated circuit; and

forming a second modified data file having only the data from the second input data file representing pins of the partitioned logic block in the second floorplan of the integrated circuit.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , further comprising further comprising instructions for causing the computer system to convert the second modified data file to an image file format, wherein comparing the first information with the second information comprises comparing the first modified data file with the second modified data file.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein comparing the first modified data file with the second modified data file comprises performing an exclusive-OR operation between the first modified data file and the second modified data file.

Assignments (10)
MERGER Recorded Mar 3, 2023
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED; BROADCOM INTERNATIONAL PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 062952/0850 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2020
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
To: BROADCOM INTERNATIONAL PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 053771/0901 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF MERGER TO 09/05/2018 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 047230 FRAME: 0133. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER. Recorded Oct 29, 2018
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 047630/0456 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 4, 2018
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 047230/0133 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 3, 2017
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 041710/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 11, 2016
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037808/0001 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (RELEASES RF 032851-0001) Recorded Feb 2, 2016
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 037689/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 8, 2014
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 032851/0001 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 27, 2013
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES ENTERPRISE IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 030101/0875 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2012
From: KOENIG, BRADY A.; RODGERS, RICHARD S.; GENTRY, JASON T.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES ENTERPRISE IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 027739/0154 →