Hybrid circuit model simulator for accurate timing and noise analysis
AssigneeS3 Incorporated
InventorsKen-Ming Li, Chi-Jung Huang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for analyzing timing and noise effects in a hybrid circuit which contains a plurality of electrical components. The timing and noise effects for the hybrid circuit are generated by simulating electrical conditions within a hybrid circuit model. The hybrid circuit model is constructed by creating and integrating analog and behavioral models from the plurality of electrical components. The timing and noise effects remain accurate even at high printed circuit board/multi-chip module clock speeds, thereby ensuring that a user is able to construct an optimal design for any one of the plurality of electrical components.
Claims17
A method for simulating the operation of a plurality of circuit models, the method comprising the steps of:
- generating a first analog circuit model which represents the analog characteristics of the physical layout of a printed circuit board;
- generating a second analog circuit model which represents the analog characteristics of the physical layout of a source chip design;
- generating an analog behavioral model which represents the functional behavioral characteristics of a target chip;
- combining the first analog circuit model with the second analog circuit model to generate a hybrid circuit model framework;
- integrating the analog behavioral model into the hybrid circuit model framework to generate a hybrid circuit model;
- and
- providing user defined input stimuli to the hybrid circuit model in order to simulate real time operating conditions and generate a first output signal.
A computer based system for simulating timing and noise effects in a hybrid circuit model based upon predefined electrical parameters, the system comprising:
- a storage device including functional component information of a target chip and analog characteristics of a physical layout of a printed circuit board in which the target chip is utilized and predefined electrical parameters;
- and
- a hybrid circuit model simulation system, coupled to the storage device, adapted to receive both the functional component information of the target chip and the analog characteristics of the physical layout of a printed circuit board in which the target chip is utilized, said hybrid circuit model simulation system being designed to integrate the functional component information of the target chip with the analog characteristics of the physical layout of the printed circuit board in order to simulate the timing effects and the noise effects of the hybrid circuit model.
A hybrid circuit model simulator comprising:
- a first modeler module adapted to generate a first analog circuit model from a first circuit data, said first analog circuit model including analog characteristics of a physical layout of a printed circuit board in which a target chip is to be utilized;
- a second modeler module adapted to generate a second analog circuit model from a second circuit data, said second analog circuit model including analog characteristics of the physical layout and operational characteristics of a source chip located on the printed circuit board and to which the target chip is coupled;
- a third modeler module adapted to generate an analog behavioral model from a third circuit data, said analog behavioral model including functional and operational characteristics of the target chip;
- an integrator preprocessor module, coupled to the first modeler module and the second modeler module, adapted to combine the first analog circuit model with the second analog circuit model in order to generate a hybrid circuit model framework;
- an integrator module, coupled to the integrator preprocessor module, adapted to combine the hybrid circuit model framework and the analog behavioral model of the target chip, thereby forming a hybrid circuit model;
- and
- a simulator module, coupled to the integrator module, adapted to apply a first input signal to the hybrid circuit model and to generate a first output signal, wherein the first output signal represents a simulated result of the operation of the hybrid circuit model.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.