Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080209372 | Estimation Of Process Variation Impact Of Slack In Multi-Corner Path-Based Static Timing Analysis - A method and system for reducing a number of paths to be analyzed in a multi-corner static timing analysis. An estimated upper slack variation based on a non-common path delay for a racing path is utilized in determining if a multi-corner static timing analysis may be bypassed for a racing path. In another example, an estimated maximum RSS credit based on a total delay for a racing path is utilized in determining if a multi-corner static timing analysis may be bypassed for a racing path. | 08-28-2008 |
20080209373 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING STATISTICAL SENSITIVITY CREDIT IN PATH-BASED HYBRID MULTI-CORNER STATIC TIMING ANALYSIS - Methods, systems and computer program products for analyzing a timing design of an integrated circuit are disclosed. According to an embodiment, a method for analyzing a timing design of an integrated circuit comprises: providing an initial static timing analysis of the integrated circuit; selecting a static timing test with respect to a static timing test point based on the initial static timing analysis; selecting a timing path leading to the static timing test point for the static timing test; determining an integrated slack path variability for the timing path based on a joint probability distribution of at least one statistically independent parameter; and analyzing the timing design based on the integrated slack path variability. | 08-28-2008 |
20080209374 | Parameter Ordering For Multi-Corner Static Timing Analysis - A method and system for decreasing processing time in multi-corner static timing analysis. In one embodiment, parameters are ordered in a parameter order by decreasing magnitude of impact on variability of timing. In one example, a decreasing parameter order is utilized to order slack cutoff values that are assigned across a parameter process space. In another example, a decreasing parameter order is utilized to perform a multi-corner timing analysis on one or more dependent parameters in an independent fashion. | 08-28-2008 |
20080209375 | Variable Threshold System and Method For Multi-Corner Static Timing Analysis - A method and system for decreasing processing time in multi-corner static timing analysis. In one embodiment, slack cutoff values are assigned across a parameter process space. For example, a slack cutoff value is assigned to each parameter in a process space by determining an estimated maximum slack change between a starting corner and any other corner in a corresponding process sub-space. In another embodiment, parameters are ordered in a parameter order by decreasing magnitude of impact on variability of timing. | 08-28-2008 |
20090210839 | TIMING CLOSURE USING MULTIPLE TIMING RUNS WHICH DISTRIBUTE THE FREQUENCY OF IDENTIFIED FAILS PER TIMING CORNER - A method of timing closure for integrated circuit designs uses multiple timing runs which distribute the frequency of identified fails per timing corner (between starting timing corners and remaining timing corners) to maximize efficiency in timing analysis. More specifically, the method closes timing for a chosen set of starting timing corners, verifies the remaining timing corners are orthogonal to the starting timing corners, closes timing for the remaining timing corners using multi-corner analysis, and verifies that all timing corners have positive slack margin. | 08-20-2009 |
20090235217 | METHOD TO IDENTIFY TIMING VIOLATIONS OUTSIDE OF MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATION LIMITS - A method of evaluating an integrated circuit design selects manufacturing parameters of interest which are outside of manufacturing specification limits. Then, the method runs timing tests on the integrated circuit design and successively evaluates the timing test results in an iterative process that considers the timing performance sensitivity to the selected manufacturing parameters of interest. The design is made more robust to each parameter out of manufacturing range. | 09-17-2009 |
20090249270 | METHODS FOR PRACTICAL WORST TEST DEFINITION AND DEBUG DURING BLOCK BASED STATISTICAL STATIC TIMING ANALYSIS - Methods for analyzing timing of an integrated circuit using block-based static statistical timing analysis and for practical worst test definition and debug. The method includes building a timing graph, determining a slack for each of the nodes in the timing graph, and identifying a statistically worst slack for at least one of the nodes. The method further includes replacing this statistically worst slack with a proxy worst slack. | 10-01-2009 |
20090265674 | METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING FAILING TIMING REQUIREMENTS IN A DIGITAL DESIGN - Methods for identifying failing timing requirements in a digital design. The method includes identifying at least one timing test in the digital design that has a passing slack in a base process corner and a failing slack in a different process corner. The method further includes computing a sensitivity of the failing slack to each of a plurality of variables and comparing each sensitivity to a respective sensitivity threshold. If the sensitivity of at least one of the variables is greater than the respective sensitivity threshold, then the at least one timing test is considered to fail. | 10-22-2009 |
20090307645 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING CROSS-TALK COUPLING NOISE EVENTS IN BLOCK-BASED STATISTICAL STATIC TIMING - A method of performing statistical timing analysis of a logic design, including effects of signal coupling, includes performing a deterministic analysis to determine deterministic coupling information for at least one aggressor/victim net pair of the logic design. Additionally, the method includes performing a statistical timing analysis in which the deterministic coupling information for the at least one aggressor/victim net pair is combined with statistical values of the statistical timing analysis to determine a statistical effective capacitance of a victim of the aggressor/victim net pair. Furthermore, the method includes using the statistical effective capacitance to determine timing data used in the statistical timing analysis. | 12-10-2009 |
20110140745 | Method for Modeling Variation in a Feedback Loop of a Phase-Locked Loop - A method performs statistical static timing analysis of a network that includes a phase-locked loop and a feedback path. The feedback path comprises a set of delays operatively connected from the output of the phase-locked loop back to the input of the phase-locked loop. One embodiment herein computes a statistical feedback path delay for the feedback path. The method can use a separate statistical parameter to represent random uncorrelated delay variation for each delay in the feedback path. The method also computes an output arrival time for the phase-locked loop based on the negative of the statistical feedback path delay. | 06-16-2011 |
20120084066 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENT MODELING OF NPSKEW EFFECTS ON STATIC TIMING TESTS - A computer-implemented method that simulates NPskew effects on a combination NFET (Negative Field Effect Transistor)/PFET (Positive Field Effect Transistor) semiconductor device using slew perturbations includes performing a timing test by a computing device, by: (1) evaluating perturb slews in Strong N/Weak P directions on the combination semiconductor device for a timing test result; (2) evaluation perturb slews in Weak N/Strong P directions on the combination semiconductor device for a timing test result; and (3) evaluating unperturbed slews in a balanced condition on the combination semiconductor device for a timing test result. After each test is performed, a determination is made as to which evaluation of the perturbed and unperturbed slews produces a most conservative timing test result for the combination semiconductor device. An NPskew effect adjusted timing test result is finally output based on determining the most conservative timing test result. | 04-05-2012 |
20130018617 | INTEGRATING MANUFACTURING FEEDBACK INTO INTEGRATED CIRCUIT STRUCTURE DESIGNAANM Buck; Nathan C.AACI UnderhillAAST VTAACO USAAGP Buck; Nathan C. Underhill VT USAANM Dreibelbis; Brian M.AACI UnderhillAAST VTAACO USAAGP Dreibelbis; Brian M. Underhill VT USAANM Dubuque; John P.AACI JerichoAAST VTAACO USAAGP Dubuque; John P. Jericho VT USAANM Foreman; Eric A.AACI FairfaxAAST VTAACO USAAGP Foreman; Eric A. Fairfax VT USAANM Habitz; Peter A.AACI HinesburgAAST VTAACO USAAGP Habitz; Peter A. Hinesburg VT USAANM Hemmett; Jeffrey G.AACI St. GeorgeAAST VTAACO USAAGP Hemmett; Jeffrey G. St. George VT USAANM Venkateswaran; NatesanAACI Hopewell JunctionAAST NYAACO USAAGP Venkateswaran; Natesan Hopewell Junction NY USAANM Visweswariah; ChandramouliAACI Croton-on-HudsonAAST NYAACO USAAGP Visweswariah; Chandramouli Croton-on-Hudson NY USAANM Wang; XiaoyueAACI KanataAACO CAAAGP Wang; Xiaoyue Kanata CAAANM Zolotov; VladmimirAACI Putnam ValleyAAST NYAACO USAAGP Zolotov; Vladmimir Putnam Valley NY US - Solutions for integrating manufacturing feedback into an integrated circuit design are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method is disclosed including: defining an acceptable yield requirement for a first integrated circuit product; obtaining manufacturing data about the first integrated circuit product; performing a regression analysis on data representing paths in the first integrated circuit product to define a plurality of parameter settings based upon the acceptable yield requirement and the manufacturing data; determining a projection corner associated with the parameter settings for satisfying the acceptable yield requirement; and modifying a design of a second integrated circuit product based upon the projection corner and the plurality of parameter settings. | 01-17-2013 |
20130104092 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND PROGRAM STORAGE DEVICE FOR PERFORMING A PARAMETERIZED STATISTICAL STATIC TIMING ANALYSIS (SSTA) OF AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT SETUP AND HOLD MARGIN INTERDEPENDENCE - In embodiments of a statistical static timing analysis (SSTA) method, system and program storage device, the interdependence between the setup time and hold time margins of a circuit block (e.g., a latch, flip-flop, etc., which requires the checking of setup and hold timing constraints) is determined, taking into account possible variations in multiple parameters (e.g., using a variation-aware characterizing technique). A parameterized statistical static timing analysis (SSTA) of a circuit incorporating the circuit block is performed in order to determine, in statistical parameterized form, setup and hold times for the circuit block. Based on the interdependence between the setup and hold time margins, setup and hold time constraints can be determined in statistical parameterized form. Finally, the setup and hold times determined during the SSTA can be checked against the setup and hold time constraints to determine, if the time constraints are violated or not and to what degree. | 04-25-2013 |