JP2950250B2 - Interactive floor plan equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an interactive floorplanning apparatus, and more particularly to an interactive floorplanning apparatus for arranging a minimum unit of function blocks constituting a layout of an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) in designing the LSI.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, this type of interactive floor plan apparatus has been used for the purpose of arranging and grouping function blocks of the minimum unit constituting an LSI layout in an LSI layout design.

The above-mentioned interactive floor plan apparatus includes:
As shown in FIG. 4, the control means 21 and the macro arranging means 2
2, macro arrangement display means 23, and grouping means 2
4; a rats net display means 25; a macro-grouping general wiring means 26; a macro-grouping general wiring length calculating means 27; a function block changing means 28; .

[0004] The storage means 29 holds logical connection information of LSI (not shown), grouping information, macro information, and function block information. The information stored in the storage device 29 is displayed by the macro arrangement display means 23 and the rats net display means 25.

A floor plan is performed by the macro arranging means 22 and the grouping means 104. The general wiring between macros and groupings is performed by the macro-grouping general wiring means 26, and the general wiring length between the macros and the grouping is calculated by the macro-grouping general wiring length calculating means 27.

When the approximate wiring length between macro / groupings calculated by the approximate wiring length between macro / grouping means 27 is long, the function blocks are changed by using the function block changing means 28 to increase the driving ability, and To delay.

[0007] The control means 21 controls each means described above. The above interactive floor plan device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-243382.

[0008]

In the above-mentioned conventional interactive floor plan apparatus, the wiring length of the net connected to the function block changes with the movement of the function block, but the delay value of the net is calculated. Therefore, when a designer interactively places a function block, the designer cannot know the delay value of the net connected to the function block, and the designer cannot interactively place the function block. It is not known how much the function block should be moved to increase the delay value when arranging and moving.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, to facilitate floorplaning considering delays, and to allow a designer to place delays when placing function blocks without being aware of the delays. An object of the present invention is to provide an interactive floor plan device that can warn of an arrangement that is over.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an interactive floor plan apparatus capable of improving operability by notifying a warning when necessary without requiring a designer to always consider a delay and performing arrangement. Is to do.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An interactive floor plan apparatus according to the present invention is an interactive floor plan apparatus for determining how to arrange electronic component elements on an integrated circuit to be designed. The moving speed of the electronic component on the display screen is varied in accordance with a change in the amount of delay between the electronic component and another electronic component due to the movement of the electronic component when displayed on the display screen. There is provided a variable means for performing the operation.

Another interactive floor plan device according to the present invention, in addition to the above configuration, is a display color changing means for changing a display color of the electronic component on the display screen in accordance with a change in the delay amount. Is provided.

Another interactive floorplan apparatus according to the present invention is an interactive floorplan apparatus for determining how to arrange electronic component elements on an integrated circuit to be designed.
When the electronic component element displayed on the display screen is moved, the electronic component element is displayed on the display screen according to a change in a delay amount between the electronic component element and another electronic component element due to the movement. A variable means for changing a color is provided.

Still another interactive floor plan apparatus according to the present invention comprises logical connection information of an integrated circuit to be designed, arrangement information of a minimum unit function block constituting a layout of the integrated circuit, the function block, and the function. Storage means for holding delay information of each wiring between blocks; a display device for displaying at least the function blocks and the wiring between the function blocks; and an input for inputting at least instruction information for instructing a change in arrangement of the function blocks Device, logical connection information display means for displaying the logical connection information on the screen of the display device by a rats net between the function blocks in accordance with the logical connection information held in the storage means, and held in the storage means The arrangement information An internal arrangement display means for displaying the arrangement state of the function blocks on the screen of the display device in accordance with, a function block arrangement means for updating the arrangement information in the storage means based on an instruction from the input device, When arranging and moving the function block by the function block arranging unit, the function block is assigned to the function block based on the arrangement information held in the storage unit and the arrangement position of the function block moved by the function block arranging unit. Calculating means for calculating the delay of the connected rats net; and moving the function block on the display device when the function block is moved by the function block arranging means based on the delay obtained by the calculating means. And a varying means for varying a degree.

As described above, the interactive floor plan apparatus of the present invention calculates the delay of the net connected to the function block when arranging the function block, and drags and displays the delay according to the calculated delay value. The speed at which the function block to be placed is moved by an input device such as a mouse is changed.

In the interactive floor plan apparatus of the present invention, the storage means holds the logical connection information of the LSI to be designed, the arrangement information of the minimum function blocks constituting the layout, and the delay information of the circuit / wiring. The internal arrangement display means displays the arrangement state of the function blocks on the screen of the display device in accordance with the arrangement information of the function blocks held in the storage means.

In the interactive floor plan apparatus, the logical connection state of the function blocks of the LSI to be designed is displayed on the screen of the display device in accordance with the logical connection information of the LSI to be designed, which is stored in the storage means.

The means for arranging the function blocks updates the arrangement information of the function blocks stored in the storage means based on an instruction from the input device. When arranging or moving these function blocks, the delay of a net connected to the designated function block is calculated from the arrangement information of the function blocks. Further, the speed at which the designated function block is dragged and displayed on the display device and moved is changed according to the calculated delay.

Further, the determined LSI to be designed is
When the arrangement of a certain function block is changed to another position, the arrangement state of the function block on the screen is changed accordingly, and the rats net display is also changed accordingly, and the latest state Of the function block and the rats net are displayed. Also in this case, the delay of the net connected to the function block is calculated, and the speed at which the designated function block is drag-displayed on the display device and moved is changed according to the calculated delay.

Thus, it is possible to easily perform a floor plan in consideration of the delay, and it is possible for the designer to warn of an arrangement where the delay is exceeded without conscious of the delay when arranging the function blocks. In addition, the operability can be improved by notifying the designer when necessary and notifying a warning without always taking the delay into account.

[0021]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, an interactive floor plan apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a storage device 1 and C
A display device 2 such as an RT (Cathode Ray Tube) display; an input device such as a keyboard 3 and a mouse 4; a logical connection information display device 5; an internal arrangement information display device 6; a function block arrangement device 7; Value calculating means 8, speed varying means 9, control means 1
0.

The storage device 1 has an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit)
Logic connection information 11, LSI internal function block arrangement information 12, and LSI circuit / wiring delay information 13 are stored. Here, the LSI logical connection information 11 is determined before execution of the floor plan of the LSI, and the LSI internal function block arrangement information 12 and the LSI circuit / wiring delay information 13 are in an undetermined state except for the already arranged parts. is there.

When arranging the function block designated by the input device using the function block arranging means 7, the logical connection information display means 5 transmits the logical block information from the input device according to the LSI logical connection information 11 to be designed in the storage device 1. Connected to the indicated function block,
The connection status with the already arranged function blocks is displayed on the display device 2 by a rats net or the like.

The internal arrangement information display means 6 displays the arrangement state of the function blocks on the display device 2 according to the LSI internal function arrangement information 12 to be designed in the storage device 1.

The function block arranging means 7 arranges and moves the function blocks designated by the input device, and updates the LSI internal function block arrangement information 12 stored in the storage device 1. At this time, the net delay value calculation means 8 calculates the delay value of the net connected to the function block specified by the input device, and calculates the LS in the storage device 1 based on the calculation result.
The I circuit / wiring delay information 13 is updated.

The function block arranging means 7
When a function block specified by an input device is moved, a net connected to the function block calculates a delay value that is changed by the movement by a net delay value calculating means 8, and the calculation result of the storage device 1 is calculated based on the calculation result. The LSI circuit / wiring delay information 13 is updated, and the moving speed of the function block is changed to the speed specified by the speed varying means 9.

Here, the method of calculating the delay value includes a method of calculating a logical delay before wiring processing and a method of calculating a physical delay after wiring processing. The logic delay calculation method is a method of adding a circuit delay value of a function block and a wiring delay between function blocks to calculate a virtually calculated wiring delay value. In this case, the fanout information and the underlying information of the LSI to be used are used for the virtual calculation.

On the other hand, the method of calculating the physical delay is a method of adding the circuit delay value of the function block and the delay value of the wiring actually formed in the function block to obtain the value.

In the calculation of the delay value by the net delay value calculation means 8, the delay value of the wiring between the function blocks is obtained. Although the delay values obtained before and after the wiring process for the LSI are different, the net delay value calculation means 8 uses the wiring delay value before the wiring process.

Before the wiring processing, the route of the wiring and the wiring layer to be used are not determined. Therefore, the function blocks connected to the net are connected in a straight line to each other and used as the net wiring length. The virtual wiring delay value is obtained by a delay calculation formula (calculating the virtual wiring delay based on the fan-out and the wiring length) determined for each LSI.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display screen of the display device 2 of FIG. In the figure, on a display screen 2a of the display device 2, function blocks bo to o, a designated function block a, a space between function blocks a and c, a space between function blocks a and e, and a space between function blocks a and k are displayed. Nets Nc, Ne, N that connect the function blocks a and l respectively
k and Nl are displayed. The operation of the interactive floor plan apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

Before the execution of the LSI floor plan, the LSI logical connection information 11 in the storage device 1 is determined.
I internal function block arrangement information 12 and LSI
The circuit / wiring delay information 13 is in an undetermined state except for the already arranged part.

When arranging the function block a designated by the input device using the function block arranging means 7, the logical connection information display means 5 receives the logical block information from the input device in accordance with the logical connection information 11 of the LSI to be designed in the storage device 1. Connect the designated function block a,
The function blocks c, e,
The connection states with k and l are defined as Rats nets Nc, Ne, Nk,
It is displayed on the display device 2 by Nl or the like. This state is shown in FIG.

The internal arrangement information display means 6 displays the arrangement states of the function blocks a to o on the display device 2 as shown in FIG. 2 according to the LSI internal function arrangement information 12 to be designed in the storage device 1.

The function block arrangement means 7 arranges and moves the function block a specified by the input device, and updates the LSI internal function block arrangement information 12 stored in the storage device 1. At this time, the net delay value calculation means 8 calculates the delay value of the net connected to the function block a specified by the input device, and calculates the L value in the storage device 1 based on the calculation result.
The SI circuit / wiring delay information 13 is updated.

The function block arranging means 7
Calculates the delay value by which the rats nets Nc, Ne, Nk, Nl connected to the function block a are changed by the movement when the function block a specified by the input device is moved by the net delay value calculation means 8. Then, the LSI circuit / wiring delay information 13 in the storage device 1 is updated according to the calculation result, and the speed at which the function block a specified by the input device is dragged and moved is changed by the moving speed specified by the speed varying means 9. To change.

For example, when the designated function block a is moved from A to B in FIG. 2, the function block a is moved in proportion to the instruction of the input device, but is moved from A to B in FIG. If the delay values of the rats nets Nc, Ne, Nk, and Nl connected by the method increase, the movement of the designated function block a on the display screen 2a of the display device 2 in response to an instruction from the input device is delayed. I do.

That is, the function block a is set to A
When moving from function block a to function block a, the delay values of the rats nets Nc, Ne, Nk, and Nl connected to the function block a increase, so that the movement of the function block a on the display screen 2a is delayed.

In this case, for example, “moving speed = mouse 4
Assuming that the moving speed is calculated by the formula “speed of movement × ratio”, when the function block a is moved downward, the rats nets Nc and Ne become longer, and the wiring delay between them becomes larger. Is determined by a ratio proportional to the increase in the delay value of the rats nets Nc and Ne.

When the function block a is moved toward the lower right function block m, the rats nets Nc, Ne, and Nk become longer, and the wiring delay between them becomes larger. Is determined at a ratio proportional to the increase in the delay value of the rats nets Nc, Ne, and Nk.

Thus, when the function block specified by the input device is moved from A to B, the amount of movement specified by the input device must be increased. By reducing the moving speed of the function block, it is possible to inform the designer that the delay value is large.

Further, even if the designer is not aware that the delay value is large, the movement amount instructed from the input device must be increased, so that the designer does not miss the large delay value.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, an interactive floorplanning apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 except that a display color varying means 14 is provided instead of the speed varying means 9 in the interactive floorplanning apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. And the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.
The operation of the same component is the same as the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

When the function block designated by the input device is dragged and moved, the display color changing means 14 changes the display color displayed on the display screen 2a of the display device 2 according to the delay value of the connection net.

As a method of changing the display color by the display color changing means 14, a method of changing the color of a straight line displaying information of a net connecting the function blocks in accordance with the degree of change in the length of the net is used. And a method of changing the display color of the function block itself to be moved. The display color may be changed, for example, gradually from blue to white and gradually from white to red.

However, in the method of changing the display color of the function block itself to be moved, for example, when the function block is displayed in a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 2, the display color of the entire rectangular function block is changed. In such a case, it is difficult to determine which side of the connection to the net has become longer, so that the determination can be made by displaying each side of the rectangle separately.

Thus, in another embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the above-described embodiment of the present invention, an effect of visually indicating to the designer that the delay value is large can be obtained. .

As described above, when the function block a displayed on the display screen 2a is moved, the function block a having the wiring length between at least the other function blocks c, e, k, and l connected to the function block a is used. By changing the moving speed of the function block a on the display screen 2a in accordance with the amount of change due to the movement of the function block a, if the delay of the function block a is to be increased, the moving speed of the function block a to be arranged is reduced. It will be late and show the designer,
Even if the delay of the interactive arrangement of the function block a is not considered, it is possible to make it difficult to arrange the function block a in which the delay is exceeded.

When the function block a displayed on the display screen 2a is moved, the function block a having the wiring length at least between the other function blocks c, e, k, and l connected to the function block a is moved. By changing the display color of the function block a on the display screen 2a in accordance with the amount of change by the user, it is not necessary for the designer to always take the delay into account when arranging, and the floor plan apparatus can warn when necessary. Therefore, the floor plan can be efficiently performed by improving the operability.

[0050]

As described above, according to the interactive floor plan apparatus of the present invention, when the electronic component element displayed on the display screen is moved, the electronic component is displayed on the display screen in accordance with a change in the amount of delay caused by the movement. By making the moving speed of the electronic component element variable, it is possible to easily perform a floor plan in consideration of a delay, and a layout in which a designer is not aware of a delay when arranging a function block can be arranged with a delay over. There is an effect that a warning can be issued.

Further, according to another interactive floor plan apparatus of the present invention, when an electronic component element displayed on the display screen moves, the electronic component on the display screen changes according to a change in the delay amount due to the movement. By changing the display colors of the elements, there is an effect that the designer can always notify a warning when necessary and improve the operability without performing the arrangement in consideration of the delay.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display screen of the display device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Storage device 2 Display device 3 Keyboard 4 Mouse 5 Logical information display means 6 Internal arrangement information display means 7 Function block arrangement means 8 Net delay value calculation means 9 Speed variable means 10 Control means 11 LSI logical connection information 12 LSI internal function block arrangement Information 13 LSI circuit / wiring delay information 14 Display color variable means

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. An interactive floor plan apparatus for deciding how to arrange electronic component elements on an integrated circuit to be designed, wherein the electronic floor element is displayed on a display screen when the electronic component elements are moved. An interactive floor plan comprising variable means for changing a moving speed of the electronic component element on the display screen in accordance with a change in a delay amount between the electronic component element and another electronic component element. apparatus. 2. The variable means for calculating the delay amount based on at least a change amount of a wiring length between the electronic component element and another electronic component element connected to the electronic component element due to movement of the electronic component element. 2. The interactive floor plan apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for changing a moving speed of the electronic component element on the display screen according to a calculation result of the calculation means. 3. The dialogue according to claim 1, further comprising a display color changing unit that changes a display color of the electronic component element on the display screen according to the change in the delay amount. Type floor plan equipment. 4. An interactive floor plan apparatus for deciding how to arrange electronic component elements on an integrated circuit to be designed, wherein the interactive floor plan apparatus is adapted to move the electronic component elements displayed on a display screen when the electronic component elements are moved. An interactive floor plan, comprising: variable means for changing a display color of the electronic component element on the display screen in accordance with a change in a delay amount between the electronic component element and another electronic component element. apparatus. 5. A calculation for calculating the delay amount based on at least a change amount of a wiring length between the electronic component element and another electronic component element connected to the electronic component element due to movement of the electronic component element. 5. The interactive floor plan apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: means for changing a display color of the electronic component element on the display screen according to a calculation result of the calculation means. 6. The logical connection information of an integrated circuit to be designed, the arrangement information of a minimum unit function block constituting the layout of the integrated circuit, and the delay information of each of the function block and the wiring between the function blocks are stored. A display device for displaying at least the function blocks and the wiring between the function blocks; an input device for inputting at least instruction information for instructing a change in the arrangement of the function blocks; Logical connection information display means for displaying the logical connection information on the screen of the display device in accordance with a rats net between the function blocks according to the logical connection information, and a screen of the display device according to the arrangement information held in the storage means Said funkshi Internal arrangement display means for displaying the arrangement state of the function blocks, function block arrangement means for updating the arrangement information in the storage means based on an instruction from the input device, and arrangement of the function blocks by the function block arrangement means. And calculating a delay of a rats net connected to the function block based on the arrangement information held in the storage unit and the arrangement position of the function block moved by the function block arrangement unit when performing the movement. Calculating means for changing the moving speed of the function block on the display device when the function block is moved by the function block arranging means based on the delay obtained by the calculating means. To be Interactive floor plan apparatus.