CIRCUIT PARTITIONING TECHNIQUE FOR USE WITH MULTIPLEXED INTER- CONNECTIONS

A method for partitioning a logic circuit is provided for emulation under a virtual wires method using programmable logic devices. Because a virtual wires systems replace pin constraints by a corresponding gate constraint, partitioning for a virtual wires system applies novel constraints and algorithms. In one embodiment, partitioning is provided under a "flat mincut" approach in conjunction with a virtual wire cost constraint. In another embodiment, partitioning is provided under a "hierarchical mincut" in conjunction with a virtual wire cost constraint.