Method of achieving convergence of hold time error, device and program therefor

A device for achieving convergence of a hold time error comprising:

• a hold time error memory unit that stores an error path in which a hold time error occurs and their hold time violation value;
• a setup margin value memory unit that stores a setup margin value at each node along the error path;
• a group information memory unit that stores, as a group information, a first error path and a second error path in the error paths if there is a sharing path that shares its start point with the first error path and also shares its end point with the second error path;
• an intra-group mutually influencing node memory unit that stores, as an intra-group mutually influencing node, a node shared between the sharing path and the first error path and a node shared between the sharing path and the second error path;
• a delay element insertion unit that inserts a delay element so as to achieve convergence of a hold time error within the setup margin value at each node;
• and
• a setup margin value update unit that updates along with insertion of the delay element a setup margin value at each node along an error path to which a delay element is inserted in the same way based on a delay value of the delay element and updates a setup margin value at each node within the intra-group mutually influencing node except a node along the error path in the same way based on the delay value of the delay element if the delay element is inserted to the intra-group mutually influencing node.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method of achieving convergence of a hold time error, the method comprising:

• listing an error path in which a hold time error occurs from a target circuit;
• grouping a first error path and a second error path in the error paths if there is a sharing path that shares its start point with the first error path and also shares its end point with the second error path;
• and
• achieving convergence of the hold time error by inserting a delay element without causing a setup time error per grouped error path.