# US 5,706,223 A · Logic simulator and logic simulation method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,706,223 A - Document ID: US5706223A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/271,736 - Filed: 1994-07-07 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1993-07-13 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha; Mitsubishi Electric Semiconductor Software Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Takahiro Tani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706223A ## CPC - G06F 30/33: Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A logic simulation device includes an indefinite value generating signal line extracting unit, a propagation deciding unit and a message output unit. The logic simulation device is supplied with circuit connection data of a logic circuit and input signal data employed for simulating the logic circuit. The indefinite value generating signal line extracting unit extracts a signal line which enters a floating state in excess of an allowance time or that causes a collision of logic states as an indefinite value generating signal line. The propagation deciding unit decides whether or not a propagation candidate gate having a propagation input end which is connected with an indefinite value generating signal line is in a state propagating the indefinite value to its output. The propagation deciding unit decides that the indefinite value generating signal line is an error signal line causing an error only when the propagation candidate gate is in a state of propagating the value at the propagation input end. The message output unit outputs a warning message for indicating that the error signal line is a signal line to which the indefinite value generated by an operation of the circuit may be propagated to feed a through current. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A logic simulator for carrying out logic simulation by receiving: circuit connection data of a logic circuit to be logically simulated, having a plurality of logic elements, and input signal data corresponding to input signals being supplied to said logic circuit, said logic simulator comprising: (a) error signal line candidate extracting means for extracting an indefinite value generating signal line as an error signal line candidate on the basis of said circuit connection data and said input signal data; (b) a logic element type detecting part for detecting the type of a propagation logic element, being one of said logic elements, which includes a first propagation input end connected with said error signal line candidate; (c) a processing part for determining if said error signal line candidate is an error signal line in accordance with predetermined conditions including said detected type of the propagation logic element, and when said propagation logic element further includes a second propagation input end, said predetermined conditions further including a value of a signal input to said second propagation input end; and (d) an output part for displaying said error signal line; wherein said error signal line candidate extracting means extracts a signal line maintaining a floating state in excess of a predetermined allowance time as said error signal line candidate. ### Claim 2 A logic simulator for carrying out logic simulation by receiving: circuit connection data of a logic circuit to be logically simulated, having a plurality of logic elements, and input signal data corresponding to input signals being supplied to said logic circuit, said logic simulator comprising: (a) error signal line candidate extracting means for extracting an indefinite value generating signal line as an error signal line candidate on the basis of said circuit connection data and said input signal data; (b) a logic element type detecting part for detecting the type of a propagation logic element, being one of said logic elements, which includes a first propagation input end connected with said error signal line candidate; (c) a processing part for determining if said error signal line candidate is an error signal line in accordance with predetermined conditions including said detected type of the propagation logic element, and when said propagation logic element further includes a second propagation input end, said predetermined conditions further including a value of a signal input to said second propagation input end; and (d) an output part for displaying said error signal line; wherein said error signal line candidate extracting means extracts a signal line generating a spike signal as said error signal line candidate. ### Claim 3 A logic simulator for carrying out logic simulation by receiving: circuit connection data of a logic circuit to be logically simulated, having a plurality of logic elements, and input signal data corresponding to input signals being supplied to said logic circuit, said logic simulator comprising: (a) error signal line candidate extracting means for extracting an indefinite value generating signal line as an error signal line candidate on the basis of said circuit connection data and said input signal data; (b) a logic element type detecting part for detecting the type of a propagation logic element, being one of said logic elements, which includes a first propagation input end connected with said error signal line candidate; (c) a processing part for determining if said error signal line candidate is an error signal line in accordance with predetermined conditions including said detected type of the propagation logic element, and when said propagation logic element further includes a second propagation input end, said predetermined conditions further including a value of a signal input to said second propagation input end; and (d) an output part for displaying said error signal line; wherein said processing part decides said error signal line candidate connected to said first propagation input end as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is a NOT gate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A logic simulator in accordance with claim 3, wherein said predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-1) said error signal line candidate connected to said first propagation input end is determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is either an EXOR gate or an EXNOR gate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A logic simulator in accordance with claim 4, wherein said predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-2) said error signal line candidate is not determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is either an AND gate or a NAND gate and said second propagation input end receives a logic "L" signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A logic simulator in accordance with claim 5, wherein said predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-3) said error signal line candidate is not determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is either an OR gate or a NOR gate and said second propagation input end receives a logic "H" signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A logic simulator in accordance with claim 6, wherein said predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-4) said error signal line candidate is not determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is a switch gate element including first and second electrodes and a control electrode, said first and second electrodes being on-off controlled by a logic value being supplied to said control electrode, and logic values of said first and second electrodes are equal to each other at such a point of time that said control electrode corresponds to said first propagation input end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A logic simulator in accordance with claim 7, wherein said predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-5) said error signal line candidate is not determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is said switch gate element and a logic value for turning off said switch gate is inputted in said control electrode at such a point of time that said first electrode corresponds to said first propagation input end. ### Claim 9 A logic simulation method for carrying out logic simulation in a logic simulator by obtaining: circuit connection data of a logic circuit to be logically simulated, having a plurality of logic elements, and input signal data corresponding to input signals being supplied to said logic circuit, said logic simulation method comprising: (a) a step of extracting an indefinite value generating signal line as an error signal line candidate on the basis of said circuit connection data and said input signal data; (b) a step of detecting the type of a propagation logic element, being one of said logic elements, which includes a first propagation input end connected with said error signal line candidate; (c) a step of determining if said error signal line candidate is an error signal line in accordance with predetermined conditions including said detected type of the propagation logic element, and when said propagation logic element further includes a second input end, said predetermined conditions further including a value of a signal input to said second propagation input end; and (d) a step of displaying said error signal line; wherein a signal line maintaining a floating state in excess of a predetermined allowance time is extracted as said error signal line candidate in said step (c). ### Claim 10 A logic simulation method for carrying out logic simulation in a logic simulator by obtaining: circuit connection data of a logic circuit to be logically simulated, having a plurality of logic elements, and input signal data corresponding to input signals being supplied to said logic circuit, said logic simulation method comprising: (a) a step of extracting an indefinite value generating signal line as an error signal line candidate on the basis of said circuit connection data and said input signal data; (b) a step of detecting the type of a propagation logic element, being one of said logic elements, which includes a first propagation input end connected with said error signal line candidate; (c) a step of determining if said error signal line candidate is an error signal line in accordance with predetermined conditions including said detected type of the propagation logic element, and when said propagation logic element further includes a second input end, said predetermined conditions further including a value of a signal input to said second propagation input end; and (d) a step of displaying said error signal line; wherein a signal line generating a spike signal is extracted as said error signal line candidate in said step (c). ### Claim 11 A logic simulation method for carrying out logic simulation in a logic simulator by obtaining: circuit connection data of a logic circuit to be logically simulated, having a plurality of logic elements, and input signal data corresponding to input signals being supplied to said logic circuit, said logic simulation method comprising: (a) a step of extracting an indefinite value generating signal line as an error signal line candidate on the basis of said circuit connection data and said input signal data; (b) a step of detecting the type of a propagation logic element, being one of said logic elements, which includes a first propagation input end connected with said error signal line candidate; (c) a step of determining if said error signal line candidate is an error signal line in accordance with predetermined conditions including said detected type of the propagation logic element, and when said propagation logic element further includes a second input end, said predetermined conditions further including a value of a signal input to said second propagation input end; and (d) a step of displaying said error signal line; wherein said error signal line candidate being connected to said first propagation input end is determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is a NOT gate in said step (c). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A logic simulation method in accordance with claim 11, wherein said predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-1) said error signal line candidate connected to said first propagation input end is determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is either an EXOR gate or an EXNOR gate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A logic simulation method in accordance with claim 12, wherein said, predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-2) said error signal line candidate is not determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is either an AND gate or a NAND gate and said second propagation input and receives a logic "L" signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A logic simulation method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-3) said error signal line candidate is not determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is either an OR gate or a NOR gate and said second propagation input end receives a logic "H" signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A logic simulation method in accordance with claim 14, wherein said predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-4) said error signal line candidate is not determined as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is a switch gate element including first and second electrodes and a control electrode, said first and second electrodes being on-off controlled by a logic value being supplied to said control electrode, and logic values of said first and second electrodes are equal to each other at such a point of time that said control electrode corresponds to said first propagation input end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A logic simulation method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said predetermined conditions further comprise the following condition: (c-5) said error signal line candidate is not decided as said error signal line when said propagation logic element is said switch gate element and a logic value for turning off said switch gate is inputted in said control electrode at such a point of time that said first electrode corresponds to said first propagation input end.