Complexity-reduced simulation of circuit reliability

A method of processing a digital signal having a transient waveform that comprises a sequence of pulses, each pulse having a pulse frequency, a pulse duty cycle, and a pulse duration, the method comprising:

• providing a frequency error margin value and a duty cycle error margin value associated with processing the digital signal;
• identifying a buffer frequency, a buffer duty cycle, and a buffer duration of one of a plurality of sub-sequences of pulses, wherein each sub-sequence of pulses comprises one or more pulses, and wherein for the one of the sub-sequences of pulses:
• the buffer frequency is a first function of the pulse frequencies of the sub-sequence of pulses, such that the buffer frequency and each of the pulse frequencies of the sub-sequence of pulses differ by less than the frequency error margin,
• the buffer duty cycle is a second function of the pulse duty cycles of the sub-sequence of pulses, such that the buffer duty cycle and each of the pulse duty cycles of the sub-sequence of pulses differ by less than the duty cycle error margin, and
• the buffer duration is the sum of the pulse durations over the sub-sequence of pulses;
• and
• representing the sub-sequence of pulses by the buffer frequency, the buffer duty cycle, and the buffer duration.