Approximate Functional Matching in Electronic Systems

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for approximate functional matching are described including identifying functionally similar subsets of an integrated circuit design or software program, distinguishing control inputs of the subsets from data inputs, and assigning combinations of logic values to the input control signals to capture co-factors for functional matching.

1 . A method to update a specification, comprising one or more of hardware structure, IC design, or software program, the method comprising:
 determining, using a processor, whether an input is a control input or a data input;   determining a co-factor by toggling combinations of values for a plurality of control inputs;   identifying one or more matches in the specification by a comparison of co-factors;   determining one or more updated portions of the specification based on the one or more matches; and   updating the specification based on the determining.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying matches identify functionally similar subsets in the specification. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the updating of the specification, updates a matched subset of the specification to a functionally similar subset. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the updating of the specification comprises combining functions of two or more subsets of the specification for resource sharing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying matches comprises:
 performing approximate functional matching to identify subsets with different structures and matching functionality.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 replacing the subsets matched by the approximate functional matching, with a supermodule encompassing the functionality.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 replacing at least one of the subsets with an instantiation of a module having the functionality.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where one or more of the hardware structure or software program are used as one of: an emulator and a simulator. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the identifying of the matches configured to identify subsets of the specification that match a template; and   replacing the matching subset, with an improved replacement subset.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the control inputs are identified by one or more of: independently propagating values through inputs of the specification and determining a number of outputs that are sensitized by a given input. 
     
     
         11 . A computer readable storage medium having data stored therein representing software executable by a computer, the software including instructions to update a specification, the storage medium comprising:
 determining, using a processor, whether an input is a control input or a data input in a specification comprising one of a descriptions of a hardware structures or a software program;   determining a co-factor by toggling combinations of values for a plurality of control inputs;   identifying one or more matches in the specification by a comparison of co-factors;   determining one or more updated portions of the specification based on the one or more matches; and   updating the specification based on the determining.   
     
     
         12 . The storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the identifying matches identifies functionally similar subsets in the specification. 
     
     
         13 . The storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the updating of the specification comprises one of:
 updating a matched subset of the specification to a functionally similar subset;   combining functions of two or more subsets of the specification for resource sharing;   replacing the subsets matched by the approximate functional matching with a supermodule encompassing the functionality; and   replacing at least one of the subsets with an instantiation of a module having the functionality.   
     
     
         14 . The storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein identifying matches comprises:
 performing approximate functional matching to identify subsets with different structures and matching functionality.   
     
     
         15 . The storage medium of  claim 11 , where one or more of the hardware structure or software program are used as one of: an emulator and a simulator. 
     
     
         16 . The storage medium of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 the identifying of the matches configured to identify subsets of the specification that match a template; and   replacing the matching subset, with an improved replacement subset.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control inputs are identified by one or more of: independently propagating values through inputs of the specification and determining a number of outputs that are sensitized by a given input. 
     
     
         18 . A system to update a specification comprising:
 a memory to store a specification comprising one of a descriptions of a hardware structures or a software program;   a processor to determine whether an input is a control input or a data input in a specification, and determine a co-factor by toggling combinations of values for a plurality of control inputs;   the processor to identify one or more matches in the specification by a comparison of co-factors, and determining one or more updated portions of the specification based on the one or more matches and update the specification based on the determining; and   the memory to store the updated specification.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the identifying matches identifies functionally similar subsets in the specification. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the updating of the specification comprises one of:
 updating a matched subset of the specification to a functionally similar subset;   combining functions of two or more subsets of the specification for resource sharing;   replacing the subsets matched by the approximate functional matching with a super module encompassing the functionality; and   replacing at least one of the subsets with an instantiation of a module having the functionality.