Patent ID: 6327692
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for designing a circuit, comprising:facilitating division of the circuit into a plurality of circuit modules, the circuit modules including circuit module inputs and circuit module outputs for carrying a plurality of signals between the circuit modules;defining a plurality of buffer modules between the plurality of circuit modules, the plurality of buffer modules including drivers of fixed drive strength coupled between upstream circuit module outputs and downstream circuit module inputs, so that changes in the designs of upstream circuit modules do not affect the drive strengths of signals feeding into downstream circuit modules,wherein defining the plurality of buffer modules includes defining a first buffer module as a ring surrounding a first circuit module, so that a first set of outputs from the first circuit module pass through drivers in the first buffer module;facilitating creation of a plurality of designs for the plurality of circuit modules and the plurality of buffer modules in a high-level design language; andsynthesizing the circuit from the plurality of designs.