JP3037227B2 - Design support system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a design support system, and more particularly, to a design support system for a large-scale design flow such as VLSI design using a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In today's VLSI design, the scale of integrated circuits is increasing, and a design support system using a computer is inevitable due to the division of labor and hierarchization of the design flow.

The VLSI design flow is increasing and becoming more complicated year by year in proportion to the scale of an integrated circuit. Various data processing (logic synthesis, logic verification, mask pattern creation, etc.) and design data as input / output of the data processing are performed. (Logical description file, circuit diagram, mask pattern, etc.) and auxiliary data (library, parameter file, etc.) referred to by the data processing.

[0004] During the VLSI development work, the design data is updated at any time by a change or correction due to a change in design specifications, a return due to a design failure, or the like. A conventional design support system provides a technology for automatically and sequentially executing data processing that must be performed by updating arbitrary design data and updating of design data accompanying the data processing until the final stage of the design flow. I have.

[0005] JP-A-4-358269 discloses a CA
The update time of each data file is checked based on the mutual dependency of the input / output data files related to the D program and the generation rule definition file, and the data file to be processed in the previous stage should be processed in the subsequent stage. There is described an integrated circuit design procedure control system for sequentially executing necessary CAD programs according to the generation rules and updating all data files if the update time is newer than the data file.

In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-174077, design data management is performed by sequentially executing necessary CAD programs in accordance with a design flow by creating and updating design data to eliminate data inconsistency in a series of design flows. An apparatus is described.

[0007]

The above-mentioned conventional design support system uses a data processing (logic synthesis, logic verification, etc.)
Design data (circuit diagram,
Only when updating the mask pattern, etc., the necessary data processing and the design data change accompanying the data processing are automatically and sequentially executed up to the last stage of the design flow. There is a drawback that the development design cannot be fully supported.

[0008] The reason for this is that, in today's large-scale design, similarly to design data, data processing caused by version-up, changes in design specifications, program malfunctions, and auxiliary data (libraries, parameters, etc.) referred to by the data. ) Are frequently replaced, modified, or changed,
This is because a design support system that automatically performs necessary data processing automatically and sequentially when updating data processing means and auxiliary data in addition to design data is indispensable.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for modifying design data, which is input / output of data processing constituting a design flow, as well as data processing and auxiliary data referred to by the data processing, when the data is updated by modification or change. By automatically executing the data processing necessary for the update sequentially according to the design flow, it handles various design-related data, and maintains the reliability of the design data even in hierarchical and divisional design development. An object of the present invention is to provide a design support system capable of improving efficiency.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a design support system comprising a plurality of data processes, a plurality of design data which are input / output of the data processes, and an auxiliary data referred to by the data processes. In a design support system for executing a process on a computer based on a design flow showing a mutual relationship between data, a design-related data storage means for storing the design-related data, Creates a data processing selection table that associates design data and auxiliary data that are input to the database with each other and, when the design flow passes through a plurality of data processes, divides each data process into layers according to the route. Data processing selection table creating means for performing the processing, data processing selection table storing means for storing the data processing selection table, and the design related data storing means A design-related data updating means for updating the stored design-related data, and selecting, from the data processing selection table, information relating to the design-related data to be updated corresponding to the updated design-related data information. Receiving update information selecting means and information related to design-related data to be updated from the update data selecting means, reading design-related data related to the corresponding update from the design-related data storage means, and executing corresponding data processing. And a data processing executing means for supplying the data processing means to the data updating means.

A design support system according to a second invention is the design support system according to the first invention, wherein the design flow is VLS.
I is a design flow, where design data includes logic description data, circuit diagram data and mask pattern data, auxiliary data includes library data and parameter files, and data processing includes logic synthesis processing, logic verification processing and mask pattern creation processing. It is characterized by including.

A design support system according to a third aspect of the present invention is the design support system according to the first aspect, wherein the design flow is a software development flow, the design data includes a source file, an object file, and an execution format file, Is characterized by including a compiling library, and data processing includes compiling and linking.

[0013]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a design support system according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a design support system according to this embodiment.
As shown in the figure, the data processing selection table creating means 1, the data updating means 2, the updated data selecting means 3, the design related data storing means 4, the data processing selecting table storing means 5, and the data processing executing means 6 are constituted. ing.

The design-related data 10 is composed of various design data as input / output of data processing constituting the design flow, various data processing (program data), and auxiliary data referred to by the various data processing. The design-related data storage means 4 stores the design-related data 10. The data updating means 2 is an external and data processing executing means 6 described later.
The contents of the design-related data 10 are updated by the update data from the. The update data selection means 3 derives data processing or the like which must be executed in accordance with the design data information updated by the data update means 2. The data processing selection table storage means 5 stores the data processing selection table 20. The data processing selection table creating means 1 creates a data processing selection table 20 with the design flow as input. In other words, the design data and auxiliary data that are input to each data process are associated with each other, and when the design flow passes through multiple data processes, the hierarchy is divided according to each data process. Create the table shown. The data processing executing means 6 performs the above-mentioned design-related data 10
, The data processing selected in the data processing selection table 20 is automatically executed.

FIG. 2 is an example of a VLSI design flow for explaining the design support system of the present embodiment.

The design flow shown in FIG. 2 is composed of design data AA to AL created and changed by a designer or various data processing.
(Logical description, circuit diagram, mask pattern, etc.), auxiliary data H1 to H4 (library, parameter file, etc.) referred to by each data processing, design data AA to AL and auxiliary data H1 to H4, and various data processing (Logic synthesis,
(Logical verification, mask pattern creation, etc.).

The data processing S1 receives the design data AA and the auxiliary data H1 as inputs and outputs design data AC. The data processing S2 receives the design data AB and outputs the design data AE. The data processing S3 receives the design data AC and the auxiliary data H2 as inputs and outputs design data AG. The data processing S4 receives the design data AD and the design data AE and outputs the design data AH. The data processing S5 outputs the design data AI with the design data AE, the design data AF, and the auxiliary data H3 as inputs. The data processing S6 receives the design data AG and the design data AH as inputs and outputs the design data AJ. The data processing S7 includes the design data AH and the auxiliary data H
3 and the auxiliary data H4, and outputs design data AK and design data AL.

Since the final data is obtained through three stages of data processing, each data process is divided into three hierarchies according to the stage in which the data flows from the upstream of the design flow.
In FIG. 2, the data processing S1 and the data processing S2 are divided into three layers, namely, the first layer, the data processing S3 to S5 into the second layer, and the data processing S6 and the data processing S7 into the third layer.

FIG. 3 is a data processing selection table created based on an example of the VLSI design flow of FIG. The data processing selection table is a table for deriving data processing to be executed when design-related data (design data, data processing, auxiliary data) constituting the design flow is updated.

In the data processing selection table, information of input data (design data, auxiliary data) is added for each data processing, and the data processing is grouped for each hierarchy of the design flow.

FIG. 3 which is a data processing selection table of the design flow of FIG. 2 will be described as an example.

The design data AA and the auxiliary data H1 are added as input data information of the data processing S1. The design data AB is added as input data information of the data processing S2. Here, the data processing S1 and the data processing S2 are defined as the first layer.
Processing.

The design data AC and the auxiliary data H2 are added as input data information of the data processing S3. The design data AD and the design data AE are added as input data information of the data processing S4. Design data AE, design data AF and auxiliary data H3 as input data information of data processing S5.
Is added. Here, the data processes S3 to S5 are the processes of the layer 2.

The design data AG and the design data AH are added as input data information of the data processing S6. The design data AH, auxiliary data H3, and auxiliary data H4 are added as input data information of the data processing S7. Here, the data processing S6 and the data processing S7 are the processing of the hierarchy 3 (final stage).

Next, the operation of the design support system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 taking the VLSI design flow of FIG. 2 as an example.

First, as an initial setting, a design flow (FIG. 2)
The data processing selection table creation means 1 creates a data processing selection table 20 (FIG. 3) and stores it in the data processing selection table storage means 5.

As a first example, an operation in the case where the design data AD and the auxiliary data H3 in FIG. 2 are updated by a specification change, a technology review or the like will be described.

The design related data 10 stored in the design related data storage means 4 by the data updating means 2 from outside.
At the same time that the design data AD and the auxiliary data H3 are updated, the update data selection means 3 selects the data processing to be executed by referring to the data processing selection table 20 (FIG. 3) based on the updated data information. As the data processing selection, data processing using the design-related data updated as described above is selected from the data processing selection table 20 (FIG. 3) in the order of layers 1 to 3, and is sequentially executed.

Since there is no data processing using the design data AD and the auxiliary data H3 in the hierarchy 1 of the data processing selection table 20 (FIG. 3), when the next hierarchy is referred to and the hierarchy 2 is referred to, the data processing S4 becomes the design data AD and data processing S5
Input the auxiliary data H3 respectively, and as a result of the data processing selection, the data processing S4 and the data processing S5
Is output.

Based on the data processing selection result, the data processing executing means 6 executes the data processing S4 and the data processing S5 by referring to the required input data in the design-related data 10, and as a processing result, the data updating means 2 outputs the design-related data. 10
The updated design data AH and design data AI are updated.
In addition to the fact that the design data AH and the design data AI have been updated in addition to the layer 3, the data processing using the updated data is moved to another layer and is selected from the layer 3 (final stage) in FIG.
The data processing S6 using the design data AH as input and the data processing S7 using the auxiliary data H3 as input are selected.
7, the design data AJ, design data AK, and design data AL in the design-related data 10 are updated by the data updating means 2 as a processing result, and the series of data processing automatic operations is completed.

As a second example, an operation when the data processing S6 of the design flow (FIG. 2) is changed due to a revision due to a program defect or the like will be described.

The design related data 10 stored in the design related data storage means 4 by the data updating means 2 from outside.
At the same time as the data processing S6 being updated, the update data selecting means 3 knows that the data processing S6 has been updated,
Referring to the data processing selection table 20 (FIG. 3) in the order of layers 1 to 3 based on the updated data information, the data processing S6 is unused in the layers 1 and 2, and the data processing S6 is stored in the layer 3 (final stage). Exists.

Based on the reference result of the data processing selection table 20, the data processing executing means 6 receives the design data AG and the design data AH in the design related data 10 as input and executes the data processing S.
6 and the data updating means 2 updates the design data AJ in the design related data 10. Thus, the automatic execution of the data processing is completed.

Further, the design support system of the present invention has a VLS
It can be applied to software development as well as I development design.

FIG. 4 is an example of a software development flow for explaining another embodiment.

The software development flow (FIG. 4) includes design data BA to BH (source file, object file, and executable file) created / changed by a designer or a compile / link, and auxiliary data referred to by the compile process. J1 to J3 (compile library), the design data BA to BC, and the auxiliary data J
Data processing T1 (compilation processing in this embodiment) that receives 1 to J3 as input, data processing T2 (link processing in this embodiment) that receives the design data BD to BF, and design data BG, design And data BH.

In this software development flow, compilation is grouped into two layers, hierarchy 1 and link 2 (final stage).

FIG. 5 is a data processing selection table created based on an example of the software development flow of FIG. 4, similarly to FIG. 3, which is a data processing selection table created based on the VLSI design flow of FIG. is there.

The hierarchy 1 indicates that three types of compile processing (data processing T1) exist and the hierarchy 2 (final stage) includes two types of link processing (data processing T2).

As in the above-described embodiment of the VLSI design flow, in software development, when a change occurs in the compiler, linker, and compiling library as well as the source file, necessary data processing is sequentially performed until the final stage of the development flow. A design support system that can be automatically executed can be realized.

[0043]

As described above, the design support system according to the present invention provides, in addition to design data serving as input or output of data processing constituting a large-scale design flow, data processing and auxiliary data referred to by the data processing. When data is updated, necessary data processing can be automatically executed in accordance with the design flow, so that design-related data (design data, data processing, and auxiliary data) frequently changes during the development design period. This also has the effect that flexibility can be dealt with and the reliability of design data can be maintained and the design efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a design support system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a VLSI design.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the flow of FIG. 2 in a data processing selection table.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of software design.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the flow of FIG. 4 in a data processing selection table.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 data processing selection table creating means 2 data updating means 3 update data selecting means 4 design-related data storage means 5 data processing selection table storage means 6 data processing executing means 10 design-related data 20 data processing selection table AA to AL, BA to BH Design data S1 to S7, T1 to T2 Data processing H1 to H4, J1 to J3 Auxiliary data

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A computer, based on a design flow showing a mutual relationship between design-related data including a plurality of data processes, a plurality of design data input / output of the data processes, and auxiliary data referred to by the data processes. In a design support system that executes processing, a design-related data storage unit that stores the design-related data, the design flow is input, and the design data and the auxiliary data that are input thereto for each data processing are associated with each other, and A data processing selection table creating unit that creates a data processing selection table that is hierarchically divided according to each data processing when the design flow passes through a plurality of data processing; Data processing selection table storage means for storing design related data, and design related data for updating design related data stored in the design related data storage means. Data update means, update data selection means for selecting, from the data processing selection table, information related to design-related data to be updated corresponding to the updated design-related data information, and Data processing executing means for receiving information related to design-related data to be updated, reading design-related data related to the corresponding update from the design-related data storage means, performing corresponding data processing, and supplying the data to the data updating means And a design support system comprising: 2. The design flow is a VLSI design flow, wherein design data includes logic description data, circuit diagram data and mask pattern data, auxiliary data includes library data and parameter files, and data processing includes logic synthesis processing and logic processing. 2. The design support system according to claim 1, further comprising a verification process and a mask pattern creation process. 3. The design flow is a software development flow, the design data includes a source file, an object file, and an executable file, the auxiliary data includes a compile library, and the data processing includes a compile process and a link process. The design support system according to claim 1, wherein: