Pessimism in static timing analysis

A computer-program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium and a computer program module stored therein, said computer program module containing instructions for performing graph-based static timing analysis, GBA, of an integrated circuit design having a set of timing paths, wherein when the computer program module is being executed by a processor the instructions cause the processor to execute a process comprising:

• identifying a subset of the set of timing paths;
• performing path-based analysis, PBA, of the subset of timing paths to determine at least one PBA timing parameter for each timing path of the subset of timing paths;
• and
• determining at least one optimized GBA timing parameter for at least one timing path of the subset of timing paths by minimizing a function that is based on a difference between the at least one optimized GBA timing parameter and the at least one PBA timing parameter of the at least one timing path.

A data processing system for performing graph-based static timing analysis of an integrated circuit design having a set of timing paths, the data processing system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing program instructions which when executed by the processor execute the steps of:
• identifying a subset of the set of timing paths;
• performing path-based analysis, PBA, of the subset of timing paths to determine at least one PBA timing parameter for each timing path of the subset of timing paths;
• and
• determining at least one optimized GBA timing parameter for at least one timing path of the subset of timing paths by minimizing a function that is based on a difference between the at least one optimized GBA timing parameter and the at least one PBA timing parameter of the at least one timing path.