Logic Design for Array-Based Circuits

by Donnamaie E. White

Design Optimization

Last Edit July 22, 2001

Example of silicon efficiency

As an example of high-functionality silicon-efficient macros, the AMCC REG00 universal register is the equivalent of four 4:1 MUXs and four D F/F or 8 macros and is available in several libraries. In the Q5000 library, it uses 4.5 internal cells whereas the individual 4:1 MUX and D Flip/Flop macros would use 8 internal cells. The number of inter-macro interconnects is 15 and their delays are kept constant for each occurrence of the MSI macro due to the required placement pattern. REG00 is a soft macro in the Q5000 library and a hard macro in another.

Table 4-4 Basic Macro-Selection Guidelines *

Path Type	Use these macro types:	Penalty:
Clock paths	High fan-out drivers High speed, minimum skew macros	more power more cells more power
Fast paths	High-speed, minimum skew macros	more power
Loaded paths	High fan-out drivers Parallel structures	more power more cells more power more cells
Slow paths	Low-power, slower macros	(less power) (less cells)
Average paths	Standard macros	--------

* For libraries with high-speed, low-power, standard and driver macros. Comprable tables can be generated for libraries with other combinations of variations, versions and options.

Alternative implementations

One way to ensure that the best version of a critical path has been created with any given library is to create more than one solution. Alternative implementations should be reviewed within the confines of a specific set of prioritized design objectives. They should always be evaluated for any critical path.

Paths (partial circuits) can be captured and simulated for detailed comparison of timing, including timing check analysis using the current workstations. Some jury-rig of connectors or dummy loading may be required depending on the peculiarities of the CAD/CAE workstation chosen and the part of the circuit being captured. This is a minor inconvenience in exchange for which the designer can easily perform timing analysis, such as checking on pulse width distortion, set-up and hold violations and path delays.

Examples

As an example of the value of checking various implementations, a test circuit was given to students, applications and macro design engineers to implement using the Q5000 library. The design objective was stated as speed at all costs. The students (unfamiliar with the macro library) produced circuits running at 125-145MHz. Applications engineers produced a version running at 183MHz. The array-macro designers produced a version running at 235MHz. The variable was macro library familiarity; no custom macros were allowed.

The case study in the previous chapter was another example. It showed two different implementations of that circuit, one with an output toggle rate of 350MHz and one with 600MHz - the only difference was the output macro.