Methods and systems to reduce a number of simulations in a timing analysis

A computer-implemented method for determining timing constraint analyses of an integrated circuit (IC), said method comprising:

• defining, by a computer, sample points for timing constraint analyses in an n×n matrix, each sample point corresponding to a timing arc of said IC that includes a data slew (DS) and a reference slew (RS);
• initially simulating, by said computer, first and second sample points corresponding to (DSmax, RSmin) and (DSmin, RSmax), respectively, of said matrix by:
• substituting minimum and maximum timing constraints from files of said IC, for time values of said data slews;
• establishing a step size based on said minimum and maximum timing constraints for a starting bisection point of a binary search;
• and
• conducting said binary search from said starting bisection point and using a result from said binary search to simulate said timing constraint analyses for each simulated sample point;
• subsequently simulating, by said computer, each sample point in a first column of said matrix including said first sample point and each sample point in a first row of said matrix including said second sample point;
• computing, by said computer, a computed time value (TC) for any sample points other than those that have been simulated, where TC_(DSn, RSn) may equal T_(DS0, RSn)+T_(DSn, RS0)−T_(DS0, RS0), as a starting bisection point for determining said result from said binary search;
• and
• validating, by said computer, each said computed time value (TC) by a single simulation.

A tangible computer program product readable by computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer to perform a method for determining timing constraint analyses of an integrated circuit (IC), said method comprising:

• defining a sequence of sample points for timing constraint analyses in an n×n matrix, each sample point corresponding to a timing arc of said IC that includes a data slew and a reference slew, which is analyzed by one of:
• simulation and interpolation;
• initially simulating corner sample points of said matrix, according to said sequence, by:
• substituting minimum and maximum timing constraints from files of said IC, for time values of said data slews;
• establishing a step size based on said minimum and maximum timing constraints for a starting bisection point of a binary search;
• conducting said binary search from said starting bisection point and using a result from said binary search to simulate said timing constraint analyses for each of said corner sample points;
• and
• interpolating other sample points, according to said sequence, each of said other sample points having a starting bisection point that results from linear interpolation of said timing constraint analyses from adjoining sample points, which were simulated.