System and method for providing an inter-application overlay to communicate information between users and tools in the EDA design flow

摘要

A method and system are provided for utilizing inter-application image overlays or virtual transparent overlays (VTOs) to communicate information between users and tools along the EDA tool chain in an EDA design flow. VTOs remain divorced from an underlying design file and are able to be manipulated by a plurality of different users in a plurality of different EDA applications or tools, all meant to operate in different stages of the design flow and perform different functions along the design path towards actual physical circuit realization and fabrication.

主权项

1. A method for applying an inter-application image overlay generated by an overlay application to visually annotate an image display of a plurality of design objects generated by a design application, the method comprising:
executing in a processor both an overlay application to generate an inter-application image overlay and a design application to generate a design image, the design application having executable code to perform at least one stage of an automated design workflow, the overlay application being executable independently of the design application; executing the design application to operate independent of the overlay application to generate the design image, the design image including a graphic representation of a plurality of design objects; executing the overlay application to retrieve data of the design application, wherein the overlay application extracts, from the data of the design application, an identifier of each design object and arrangement of the design objects contained in the design image; executing the overlay application to generate the inter-application image overlay, selectively incorporating into the inter-application image overlay one or more visual annotations of information extrinsic to the design image during the at least one stage of the automated design workflow, each visual annotation corresponding to one or more of the identified design objects of the design image; and, concurrently displaying the inter-application image overlay and the design image, the inter-application image overlay rendered in an overlay application window of the overlay application, the design image rendered in a design application window of the design application separate from the overlay application window, the overlay application window being superimposed over the design application window to visually merge therewith, the design application window being visible through at least a portion of the overlay application window, the inter-application image overlay and design image thereby visually forming a composite display such that each visual annotation of the inter-application image overlay is arranged with respect to at least one design object according to a location thereof.