Method, apparatus and computer program product for determination of noise in mixed signal systems

A computer program that is configured to perform a method of determining an overall signal generated in a substrate by a system comprising a plurality of gates, each being configured to perform a switching event, the method comprising:

• comparing output of a transistor-level model with output of a lumped circuit model for each gate and the substrate;
• determining signal contributions from each gate and switching event based on the step of comparing;
• determining switching event signals for each of the plurality of gates, the switching event signals being triggered during the system's operation;
• combining at least a part of the signal contributions and the determined switching event signals;
• deriving a combined lumped circuit model based on a combination of lumped circuit models of the plurality of gates;
• and
• computing the overall signal based on the combined gate signal contributions and switching event signals, which are configured as an input to the combined lumped circuit model.

A computer system for determining an overall signal generated in a substrate by a gate system comprising a plurality of gates, each being configured to perform a switching event, the computer system comprising:

• a first circuit that is configured to compare output of a transistor-level model with output of a lumped circuit model for each gate and the substrate, and further configured to determine signal contributions from each gate and switching event based on outcome of the comparison, and to determine switching event signals for each of the plurality of gates, the switching event signals being triggered during the system's operation;
• a memory unit, electrically connected to the first circuit, the memory unit being configured to store the signal contributions and switching event signals;
• and
• a second circuit, electrically connected to the memory unit, the second circuit being configured to combine at least a part of the signal contributions and the determined switching event signals, and the second circuit being further configured to derive a combined lumped circuit model based on a combination of lumped circuit models of the plurality of gates, wherein the second circuit computes the overall signal based on the combined gate signal contributions and switching event signals, which are configured as an input to the combined lumped circuit model.

A data storage device configured to store at least one computer readable code segment, and configured to control a processing system, the code segment being executable to perform a method of determining an overall signal generated in a substrate in a gate system comprising a plurality of gates, each being configured to perform a switching event, the method comprising:

• comparing output of a transistor-level model with output of a lumped circuit model for each gate and the substrate;
• determining signal contributions from each gate and switching event based on the step of comparing;
• determining switching event signals for each of the plurality of gates, the switching event signals being triggered during the system's operation;
• combining at least a part of the signal contributions and the determined switching event signals;
• deriving a combined lumped circuit model based on a combination of lumped circuit models of the plurality of gates;
• and
• computing the overall signal based on the combined gate signal contributions and switching event signals, which are configured as an input to the combined lumped circuit model.

A computer system for determining an overall signal generated in a substrate by a gate system comprising a plurality of gates, each being configured to perform a switching event, the computer system comprising:

• means for comparing output of a transistor-level model with output of a lumped circuit model for each gate and the substrate;
• first means for determining signal contributions from each gate and switching event based on the step of comparing;
• second means for determining switching event signals for each of the plurality of gates, the switching event signals being triggered during the system's operation;
• means for combining at least a part of the signal contributions and the determined switching event signals;
• means for deriving a combined lumped circuit model based on a combination of lumped circuit models of the plurality of gates;
• and
• means for computing the overall signal based on the combined gate signal contributions and switching event signals, which are configured as an input to the combined lumped circuit model.

A method of computing the overall signal generated in a substrate by a digital system comprising a plurality of gates associated with the substrate, the overall signal being generated when the digital system would be operational resulting in a plurality of switching events of at least some of the gates, the method comprising:

• for at least two of the gates
• loading on a computer system a transistor-level model of the gate and the substrate and a lumped circuit model of the gate and the substrate;
• and
• determining gate and switching event specific signal contributions for each of the switching events by matching the transistor-level model and the lumped circuit model;
• determining the switching events of each of the gates triggered while the digital system is operational;
• and
• computing the overall signal
• by combining at least part of the gate and switching event specific signal contributions while exploiting the triggered switching events;
• and
• by applying the combined gate and switching event specific signal contributions on a combined lumped circuit model of the digital device, the combined lumped circuit model being a model of the digital system and derived from a combination of the lumped circuit models of the gates.