Prediction method and apparatus for delay and skew analysis
OwnerAlexander I Korobkovinventor
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Abstract
The present invention, which may be implemented on a general-purpose digital computer, in certain embodiments includes novel methods and apparatus to provide accurate prediction for skew or delay analysis in complex multi-stage signal paths with mutual couplings between the stages. In some embodiments, single or multiple processors are utilized to implement the present invention.
Claims24
A method of predicting behavior of a circuit, the method comprising:
- dividing the circuit into a plurality of nets, each net including RC elements;
- initializing a variable i to 1;
- linearly transforming all coupling capacitors that couple a net i to a net i+1;
- simulating a net i+1 with an input voltage waveform;
- decoupling the net i;
- simulating the net i;
- storing a result of the act of simulating the net i;
- and
- if a primary output of the circuit is not reached, providing the stored result of simulating the net i to an input of the net i+1 and incrementing i by 1.
The method 1 wherein the input voltage waveform includes a plurality of waveforms.
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a machine readable medium that provides instructions that, if executed by a machine, will cause the machine to perform operations including:
- dividing a circuit into a plurality of nets, each net including RC elements;
- initializing a variable i to 1;
- linearly transforming all coupling capacitors that couple a net i to a net i+1;
- simulating a net i+1 with an input voltage waveform;
- decoupling the net i;
- simulating the net i;
- storing a result of the act of simulating the net i;
- and
- if a primary output of the circuit is not reached, providing the stored result of simulating the net i to an input of the net i+1 and incrementing i by 1.
An apparatus comprising:
- dividing means to divide a circuit into a plurality of nets;
- initialization means to initialize a variable i to 1;
- transformation means to linearly transforming all coupling capacitors that couple a net i to a net i+1;
- first simulation means to simulate a net i+1 with an input voltage waveform;
- decoupling means to decouple the net i;
- second simulation means for simulating the net i;
- storing means to store a result of the second simulation means;
- and
- if a primary output of the circuit is not reached, communication means for providing the stored result of the second simulation means to an input of the net i+1 and incrementation means to increment i by 1.
A circuit simulator for predicting behavior of a circuit, the circuit simulator comprising:
- a divider to divide the circuit into a plurality of nets, each net including RC elements;
- an initializer to initialize a variable i to 1;
- a transformer to linearly transform all coupling capacitors that couple a net i to a net i+1;
- a first simulator to simulate a net i+1 with an input voltage waveform;
- a decoupler to decouple the net i;
- a second simulator to simulate the net i;
- a storage to store a result of the second simulator;
- and
- if a primary output of the circuit is not reached, a communication device to provide the stored result of the second simulator to an input of the net i+1 and an incrementor to increment i by 1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.