Heterogeneous method for determining module placement in FPGAs
US6243851A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 27, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jun 5, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 27, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F30/392
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
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. The design as a whole can therefore utilize a non-uniform global placement strategy.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.