Minimization of circuit registers: Retiming revisited

In this paper, we address the following problem: given a synchronous digital circuit, is it possible to construct a new circuit computing the same function as the original one but using a minimal number of registers? The construction of such a circuit can be done in polynomial time and is based on a result of Orlin for one periodic bi-infinite graphs showing that the cardinality maximum flow is equal to the size of a minimum cut. The idea is to view such a graph as the unfolding of the dependences in a digital circuit.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: DAM
• Authors: Bruno Gaujal, Jean Mairesse
• Keywords: DAM 2008, Digital Circuit, Periodic Bi-infinite Graphs, Synchronous Digital Circuit