Voltage drop assisted power-grid augmentation
AssigneeSynopsys, Inc.
InventorHimanshu Sharma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for reducing voltage hot spots in a power grid for a circuit design is implemented on a computer system and includes the following steps. The computer system (e.g., an EDA tool) accesses the circuit design. The circuit design includes a power grid that distributes power throughout the circuit design. The computer system identifies spots in the power grid with excessive voltage drops. These will be referred to as hot spots. The power grid is augmented by adding local conductors at the hot spots. These local conductors provide additional electrical paths through the power grid at the hot spots. This in turn reduces the voltage drops at the hot spots.
Claims20
A method implemented on a computer system, the computer system executing instructions to carry out a method for reducing voltage hot spots in a power grid for a circuit design, the method comprising:
- accessing a circuit design, the circuit design comprising a power grid that distributes power throughout the circuit design;
- identifying hot spots in the power grid with excessive voltage drops;
- and
- augmenting the power grid by adding local conductors at the hot spots, the local conductors providing additional electrical paths through the power grid at the hot spots, thereby reducing the voltage drops at the hot spots.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for reducing voltage hot spots in a power grid for a circuit design, the instructions executable by a computer system and causing the computer system to perform a method comprising:
- accessing a circuit design, the circuit design comprising a power grid that distributes power throughout the circuit design;
- identifying hot spots in the power grid with excessive voltage drops;
- and
- augmenting the power grid by adding local conductors at the hot spots, the local conductors providing additional electrical paths through the power grid at the hot spots, thereby reducing the voltage drops at the hot spots.
An electronic design automation (EDA) system for reducing voltage hot spots in a power grid for a circuit design, comprising:
- a data store that stores a circuit design, the circuit design comprising a power grid that distributes power throughout the circuit design;
- and
- an EDA tool suite in communication with the data store, the EDA tool suite configured to:
- identify hot spots in the power grid with excessive voltage drops;
- and
- augment the power grid by adding local conductors at the hot spots, the local conductors providing additional electrical paths through the power grid at the hot spots, thereby reducing the voltage drops at the hot spots.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.