# US 2013/0159946 A1 · Guiding design actions for complex failure modes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0159946 A1 - Document ID: US20130159946A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/328,911 - Filed: 2011-12-16 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Anne Elizabeth Gattiker; Sani Richard Nassif - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159946A1 ## CPC - G06F 30/367: Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods - G06F 30/398: Design verification or optimisation, e.g. using design rule check [DRC], layout versus schematics [LVS] or finite element methods [FEM] (optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes G03F1/36) - G06F 2111/08: Probabilistic or stochastic CAD - G06F 2117/02: Fault tolerance, e.g. for transient fault suppression - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A system, and computer program product for guiding design actions for complex failure modes in an integrated circuit (IC) design are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A probability of failure estimate of a circuit according to the IC design is received, the probability being determined using a simulation. A sensitivity of the probability of failure to a variable associated with a component in the circuit is calculated, wherein the sensitivity is determined by an estimation without the simulation. The sensitivity is depicted relative to the component in the IC design such that the sensitivity is associated with the component and a visual relationship between the component and the sensitivity is usable for adjusting a characteristic of the component to reduce the probability of failure of the circuit. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-7. (canceled) ### Claim 8 A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage medium including computer usable code for guiding design actions for complex failure modes in an integrated circuit (IC) design, the computer usable code comprising: computer usable code for receiving a probability of failure estimate of a circuit according to the IC design, the probability being determined using a simulation; computer usable code for computing, in an application executing using a processor, a sensitivity of the probability of failure to a variable associated with a component in the circuit, wherein the sensitivity is determined by an estimation without the simulation; and computer usable code for depicting the sensitivity relative to the component in the IC design such that the sensitivity is associated with the component and a visual relationship between the component and the sensitivity of the probability of failure to the variable associated with the component is usable for adjusting a characteristic of the component to reduce the probability of failure of the circuit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer usable program product of claim 8, wherein the variable is one of a set of variables associated with the component, wherein the variable is assigned different values in the simulation, and wherein the sensitivity corresponds to a change in the probability of failure responsive to a change in a value of the variable associated with the component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer usable program product of claim 8, wherein the variable is a feature of the component. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer usable program product of claim 8, wherein the variable is an operating condition of the component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer usable program product of claim 8, wherein the depicting further comprises: computer usable code for plotting a plurality of probabilities of failure, wherein a distance between a pair of probabilities of failure in the plurality of probabilities of failure corresponds to the sensitivity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The computer usable program product of claim 8, wherein the component is a plurality of replicas of the component, wherein the variable corresponds to a designable parameter of the plurality of replicas of the component, and wherein the sensitivity enables adjusting the characteristic associated with each replica of the component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer usable program product of claim 8, wherein the circuit corresponds to a portion of the IC design. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The computer usable program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The computer usable program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage medium associated with the remote data processing system. ### Claim 17 A data processing system for guiding design actions for complex failure modes in an integrated circuit (IC) design, the data processing system comprising: a storage device including a storage medium, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code; and a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code comprises: computer usable code for receiving a probability of failure estimate of a circuit according to the IC design, the probability being determined using a simulation; computer usable code for computing, in an application executing using a processor, a sensitivity of the probability of failure to a variable associated with a component in the circuit, wherein the sensitivity is determined by an estimation without the simulation; and computer usable code for depicting the sensitivity relative to the component in the IC design such that the sensitivity is associated with the component and a visual relationship between the component and the sensitivity of the probability of failure to the variable associated with the component is usable for adjusting a characteristic of the component to reduce the probability of failure of the circuit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the variable is one of a set of variables associated with the component, wherein the variable is assigned different values in the simulation, and wherein the sensitivity corresponds to a change in the probability of failure responsive to a change in a value of the variable associated with the component. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the variable is a feature of the component. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the variable is an operating condition of the component.