US 11,144,688 B1Granted

Virtual repeater insertion

AssigneeDiakopto, Inc.

InventorsMaxim Ershov, Andrei Tcherniaev

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Abstract

A computer/software tool for electronic design automation (EDA) uses parasitic elements from a post-layout netlist (PLN) file for a given IC design to assess routing-imposed RC-based signal degeneration. The computer/software tool facilitates selection of, and insertion location for, one or more “virtual repeaters,” based on modification to the PLN file. The tool generates a visual display based on the calculated design characteristics, facilitating adjustment and optimization of repeater cell and location by the designer. The repeater insertion is “virtual,” because modeling and adjustment can be based on abstractions (e.g., load capacitance presented by a repeater) and the already-extracted netlist file, and because an actual circuit design need not be created until after a designer has fine-tuned repeater insertion parameters.

Claims31

Dependent claims

In a computer-instantiated electronic circuit analysis tool, a method comprising:

receiving into a processor-readable storage medium a post-layout netlist file representing parasitic elements extracted from a given integration design;
with at least one processor,
processing ones of the parasitic elements associated with a signal path, to identify a first signal response,
identifying an error condition from the first signal response,
dividing at least one net represented by the post-layout netlist file and corresponding to the signal path into first and second portions, and
processing response of ones of the parasitic elements associated with the second portion which arise from a signal source replacing the first portion, to identify a second signal response;
and
causing display on a user interface device of an image formatted in dependence on the second signal response;
wherein the method further comprises
visually emphasizing in the image at least one of a depiction of a device and presentation of a characteristic of the device in a manner such that a degree of visual emphasis is dependent on a degree of difference between a value of the characteristic of the device and a threshold,
receiving from a user interface device interactive user selection of adjustments to be applied to at least one of a device insertion point and a device parameter, the value of the characteristic being dependent on the at least one of the device insertion point and the device parameter, and
dynamically reformatting the image to vary the degree of visual emphasis in association with the interactive user selection.

9 more elements

An apparatus for use as part of a computer-instantiated electronic circuit analysis tool, the apparatus comprising instructions stored on non-transitory, machine-readable media, the instructions to cause when executed a computer to:

receive into a processor-readable storage medium a post-layout netlist file representing parasitic elements extracted from a given integration design;
with at least one processor,
process ones of the parasitic elements associated with a signal path, to identify a first signal response,
identify an error condition from the first signal response,
divide at least one net represented by the post-layout netlist file and corresponding to the signal path into first and second portions, and
process response of ones of the parasitic elements associated with the second portion which arise from a signal source replacing the first portion, to identify a second signal response;
and
cause display on a user interface device of an image formatted in dependence on the second signal response;
wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the computer to
visually emphasize in the image at least one of a depiction of a device and presentation of a characteristic of the device in a manner such that a degree of visual emphasis is dependent on a degree of difference between a value of the characteristic of the device and a threshold,
receive from a user interface device interactive user selection of adjustments to be applied to at least one of a device insertion point and a device parameter, the value of the characteristic being dependent on the at least one of the device insertion point and the device parameter, and
dynamically reformat the image to vary the degree of visual emphasis in association with the interactive user selection.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/714,951Filed 16 Dec 2019 · us provisional application
Priority: 17 Dec 2018
Granted: 12 Oct 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G06F 30/31
Circuit design: design entry, e.g. editors specifically adapted for circuit design
G06F 30/398
Circuit design at the physical level: design verification or optimisation, e.g. using design rule check [DRC], layout versus schematics [LVS] or…
G06F 30/327
Circuit design at the digital level: logic synthesis; Behaviour synthesis, e.g. mapping logic, HDL to netlist, high-level language to RTL or netlist
G06F 30/373
Circuit design at the analogue level: design optimisation