JP2789856B2 - Design management techniques in circuit design - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a design management method in circuit design, and more particularly to a design management method in circuit design using a CAD system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The design and development of circuits is based on recent processors,
Large scale and high integration of LSI, memory, etc.
The processing flow is complicated. For this reason, CAD (Co
mputerAided Desig) It is necessary to improve the capability of the design management system that performs tool management and design management.

Conventionally, in circuit design, the progress of circuit design, the process to be executed next, the input file and output file for a certain process, and the reverse flow of the design due to a change in a part of the design are represented by a design flowchart (design process). The circuit designer himself manages the information based on the flow diagram shown in FIG.

[0004]

According to the above-described conventional design management method in circuit design, a designer can make a process flow (structure of a design flow) and a design flow despite the complicated circuit design flow. You must keep track of your progress. In addition, there is a drawback that the designer has to perform processing, management of a data directory, and the like.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a design management method for circuit design, comprising a process (design tool) required for circuit design.
Execution) and its processing flow and file management information
Generates a design template file
Design for each circuit to be designed by giving parameters to the file
Generate management data and include it in the individual design management data.
Based on the information of the design tools executed to date,
From the individual design management data to the next circuit design to be executed
Determine the necessary processing, and if there is a design change,
The feature is to re-execute the process accompanying the design change of the design management data

[0006]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The design management system is a software program that operates in accordance with the present invention, manages design-related information in one hand, and resides in a main memory during design work. All the processes required for designing are called from this design management system.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the design management method in the circuit design shown in FIG. 1, when starting a new design, a designer draws a design flowchart using a flowchart editor 11 and creates a design model file 12. FIG. 2 shows a process of drawing a design flowchart using a flowchart editor.
In the flowchart editor, a process, a file, and an arrow, which are components of the design flowchart, can be placed at positions designated by the mouse, and the designer creates an arbitrary flowchart.

When an arrow is selected as a part, input of the start point and the end point of the arrow is requested. The start and end points must be processes or files. Flow is processing →
Since it is either file, file → process (there is no flow of process → process, file → file), it is checked whether the input arrow complies with the rule, and if it is not proper, the input is requested again. If appropriate, if the start of the arrow is a process, the name of the file at the end of the arrow and the fact that the file is the output of the process at the start of the arrow are stored in memory as data for a template file of the process at the start of the arrow. If the starting point of the arrow is a file, the name of the file at the starting point of the arrow and the fact that the file is an input for the processing of the ending point of the arrow are stored in the memory as template file data for the processing of the ending point of the arrow. As a result, it is possible to know which process inputs and outputs which file.

When a process or a file is selected as a part, the flowchart editor arranges the process or the file at a position designated by a mouse, and then opens a window for inputting necessary data as information of a design template file. Ask the designer for input. In the case of processing, the name of the execution form of the processing is input, and in the case of a file, the path of the file and the access right (what makes the file unreadable and writable) are input as information, thereby performing the processing and file management. .

When the designer finishes inputting the design flow, the designer divides the flow into appropriate units. The divided design unit is called a task. The flow chart editor checks the input design flow chart, and if there is no error or missing necessary data, sequentially outputs the data registered in the memory to the auxiliary storage device in accordance with the format of the design template file. The design template file is a template for generating individual design management data, and is created for each task.

Next, a means for automatically generating an arbitrary number of individual design management data 14 will be described. In an actual design, the design is divided into appropriate units (tasks), and each has individual design management data. At that time, tasks having the same processing flow may exist in parallel on the flow. FIGS. 3A and 3B show examples. The chips 31 are internally divided for each sub-block 32, and the number differs depending on the type of chip (three in the example in the figure). In the design flow, the task of sub-block logic synthesis exists in parallel. Drawing a design flow by the number of sub-blocks is cumbersome. For this reason, the design template file has a variable expression (a part surrounded by {and}) inside. When parameters are assigned to a design template file with this variable expression to create individual design management data for a task, parameters are assigned to the internal variable expression part, and the number of individual design management data that is registered in the parameter is generated It is a mechanism to do. FIG. 4 shows an example. The individual design management data 42 is generated by giving three parameters 41. Each parameter is a set of two character strings (variable name and value). When the individual design management data is generated, if the character string on the left (variable name) is found as the variable expression 44 of the design model file 43, it is replaced with the character string (value) on the right. When a plurality of parameters having the same variable name are given in this way, individual design management data of tasks for the number of parameters is generated by one template.

Next, a case where the design is continuously performed will be described.

In the management of design progress, in the present invention, a status indicating how much processing in a task has been completed is included in the individual design management data of the task.
The status can be managed by setting the status to a larger value as the design progresses.

As a means for the designer to know the process to be executed next, there is a process inquiry 15. For the process, a status value that allows the process to start is determined. The design management system examines individual design management data of each task, determines how far the design is currently progressing from the status value indicating the progress of the design, determines the next process to be executed, and presents it to the designer. .

The present invention has a function of automatic execution 16 of processing. In the automatic execution of the processing, the processing of the design is automatically advanced to a place designated by the designer. When the designer specifies the automatic execution of the tool, the design management system first queries the process internally to find out what process to perform, calls that process and executes it, and when the process is completed, the individual design management system The status indicating the data design progress status is set to a value indicating that the processing is completed. By repeating the process inquiry, execution, and status change in this inside,
Performs automatic execution of processing. This satisfies at least one of the following conditions: 1) the status of the individual design management data becomes the value specified by the designer; 2) there is no more process to be executed next; and 3) a certain process ends abnormally. Repeat until For this reason, the designer can naturally design the circuit by following the flow of the design flow.

If there is a change in the design, it is necessary to go back to the design, but the present invention has means for re-executing the processing. It is assumed that there is a design flow including a process A51, a process B52, and a process C53 as illustrated in FIG. FIG. 5A shows processing A,
After the processing B is completed, the processing C is to be performed next. In this state, the execution start status of the process A and the process B is smaller than the execution start status value of the process C, so that both can be re-executed. Here, the processing A is executed, and when the processing is completed, the state shown in FIG. The status indicating the design progress status has a value indicating that the process A has been completed, and the process to be performed next is the process B.

[0017]

According to the design management method in circuit design of the present invention, most of the design-related parts managed by the circuit designer are now computer managed, the burden on the circuit designer is greatly reduced, and the design efficiency is improved. There is an effect that brings.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the flowchart editor shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are a perspective view and a flowchart showing that a plurality of files are subjected to the same processing.

FIG. 4 shows an arbitrary number (3 in this case) from one design template.
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of generating individual design management data of FIG.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing processing re-executing means;

[Explanation of symbols]

 31 chips 32 sub-blocks

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A process required for a circuit design (executing a design tool).
Line), its processing flow, and file management information
Generates a design template file and creates the design template file
Design management for each circuit to be designed by giving parameters to
Data is generated and the current
Based on the information of the design tool executed so far,
Necessary for circuit design to be executed next from design management data
Individual processing when there is a design change
A design management method in circuit design, characterized by re-executing processing accompanying a design change of management data . 2. The design template file has a variable expression therein, assigns the parameter to the design template file having the variable expression, assigns the parameter to a portion of the internal variable expression, and registers the parameter in the parameter. 2. A design management method in circuit design according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined number of said individual design management data are generated.