MTOL software tool for converting an RTL behavioral model into layout information comprising bounding boxes and an associated interconnect netlist

摘要

An MtoL software tool (FIG. 3) automates the process of converting an RTL behavioral model of the integrated circuit into corresponding layout information in a format that can be input directly to a floor planner/block router--the automated MtoL process facilitates iterative logic design including what-if analysis. A conventional RTL behavioral model is modified (40) to include MtoL bounding box and interconnect netlist macros. The resulting modified RTL module tree (42) is input to an MtoL extraction front-end (43) for conversion to an MtoL- formatted MtoL extract tree. A flattening transformation (44) on the hierarchical MtoL extract tree produces a non-hierarchical representation of the block structure together with a terminal interconnect netlist. The MtoL program then generates (45) MtoL layout information comprising a corresponding set of bounding boxes with terminal data and the associated interconnect netlist information, appropriately formatted for input to the floor planner/block router.