Predictive multi-user client-server electronic circuit design system utilizing machine learning techniques

1. A predictive electronic circuit design system comprising:

(a) an electronic computer aided design (CAD) environment server computing device connected to the Internet, wherein the server computing device comprises a machine learning module program that comprises:

(1) a netlist analyzer program that receives a circuit netlist for a designed circuit from a user, characterizes the circuit netlist, and sends characterization data to a database, wherein the characterization data comprises meta-information about the designed circuit;

(2) the database, wherein characterization data from multiple users for multiple designed circuits are stored in the database; and

(3) a classifier and predictor program that uses, from the database, design goal data, the characterization data for multiple designed circuits from the multiple users, and simulation results, to calculate and produce predictions and proposals for the user to make design changes to the designed circuit in order to better meet or exceed design goals; and

(b) an electronic CAD design environment client computing device that is connected to the Internet, wherein the client computing device comprises;

(1) a client CAD software application with a user interface that allows a user to design the designed circuit in the client CAD software application;

(2) a netlisting software application that converts circuit schematic information received from the designated circuit into the circuit netlist; and

(3) a circuit simulation software application that simulates the designed circuit represented by the circuit netlist to produce the simulation results; and wherein the designed circuit is output for fabricate of the design circuit.

2. The predictive electronic circuit design system of claim 1 , wherein the netlist analyzer comprises:

an input characterization module that characterizes input sources in the designed circuit;

an output characterization module that characterizes properties of outputs from the designed circuit;

a component characterization module that characterizes circuit components of the designed circuit based on one or more parameters; and

a circuit topology characterization module that characterizes a circuit topology of the designed circuit.

3. The predictive electronic circuit design system of claim 1 , wherein the machine learning module further comprises:

a simulation results analyzer program that analyzes circuit simulation results and characterizes simulation output from the circuit simulation results and sends the simulation output characterization to the database.

4. The predictive electronic circuit design system of claim 1 , wherein the design goals comprise universal goals selected from a list consisting of:

power;

cost;

performance; and

size.

5. The predictive electronic circuit design system of claim 1 , wherein the design goals comprise user-inputted goals specific to a design comprising criteria exhibited by an output of a simulation of the designed circuit.

6. The predictive electronic circuit design system of claim 1 , wherein:

the client CAD software application receives proposed design changes from the classifier and predictor program;

the user interface visually presents the proposed design changes to the user by overlaying the proposed design changes over the designed circuit.

7. The predictive electronic circuit design system of claim 1 , wherein:

the client CAD software application receives proposed design changes from the classifier and predictor program;

the user interface visually presents the proposed design changes to the user in text form.

8. The predictive electronic circuit design system of claim 1 , wherein:

the circuit netlist received by the netlist analyzer program comprises an enhanced netlist; and

the enhanced netlist comprises a text representation of a schematic of the designed circuit plus additional schematic information.

9. A computer-implemented method designing an electronic circuit, comprising:

receiving, in a netlist analyzer program in a machine learning module program on an electronic computer aided design (CAD) environment server computing device connected to the Internet, a circuit netlist for a designed circuit from a user;

characterizing, in the netlist analyzer program, the circuit netlist, wherein the characterizing generates characterization data, and wherein the characterization data comprises meta-information about the designed circuit;

storing the characterization data in a database, wherein characterization data from multiple users for multiple designed circuits are stored in the database;

calculating and producing predictions and proposals for the user to make design changes to the designed circuit in order to better meet or exceed design goals, wherein the predictions and proposals are based on design goal data, the characterization data for multiple designed circuits from the multiple users, and simulation results, from the database;

designing, in a user interface on a client CAD software application on an electronic CAD design environment client computing device that is connected to the Internet, the designed circuit;

converting, in a netlisting software application in the client CAD software application, circuit schematic information received from the designed circuit into the circuit netlist;

simulating, in a circuit simulation software application in the client CAD software; application, the designed circuit represented by the circuit netlist to produce the simulation results; and

wherein the designed circuit is output for fabricate of the design circuit.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

characterizing, in an input characterization module in the netlist analyzer, input sources in the designed circuit;

characterizing, in an output characterization module in the netlist analyzer, properties of outputs from the designed circuit;

characterizing, in a component characterization module in the netlist analyzer, circuit components of the designed circuit based on one or more parameters; and

characterizing, in a circuit topology characterization module in the netlist analyzer, a circuit topology of the designed circuit.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

analyzing, in a simulation results analyzer program in the machine learning module, circuit simulation results;

characterizing simulation output from the circuit simulation results; and

storing the simulation output characterization in the database.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the design goals comprise universal goals selected from a list consisting of:

power;

cost;

performance; and

size.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the design goals comprise user-inputted goals specific to a design comprising criteria exhibited by an output of a simulation of the designed circuit.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving, in the client CAD software application, proposed design changes from the classifier and predictor program;

visually presenting, via the user interface, the proposed design changes to the user by overlaying the proposed design changes over the designed circuit.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving, in the client CAD software application, proposed design changes from the classifier and predictor program;

visually presents, via the user interface, the proposed design changes to the user in text form.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein:

the circuit netlist received by the netlist analyzer program comprises an enhanced netlist; and

the enhanced netlist comprises a text representation of a schematic of the designed circuit plus additional schematic information.