Abstract: A method for designing a circuit element of an integrated circuit (IC) includes receiving one or more desired characteristics of the circuit element from user input and iteratively determining a design solution through one or more simulations and modifications using a rule-set. The one or more desired characteristics are combined with other preset characteristics of the circuit element or the IC. A first model of the circuit element is defined and simulated to calculate performance. The first and subsequent models are modified by drawing on a rule-set of expert knowledge relating to general dependency of at least one design criterion, such as a physical, geometrical or performance characteristic, with another design criterion.

Abstract: A system and method for designing an electrical component comprises a model extraction engine configured to generate a model based on a set of parameters, a simulator configured to simulate the generated model and measure performance, a rule-set usable to determine changes to the set of parameters, and an inference engine configured to change salience values of expert rules included in the rule set. The salience value determines when and if an expert rule is used to change the set of parameters. One or more microprocessors are configured to determine design characteristics of the electrical component by iteratively performing, until measured performance is within tolerance, the steps of generating a model based on an updated version of the set of parameters, simulating the generated model, measuring performance of the generated model, and updating the set of parameters using the rule-set if the measured performance is not within the predefined tolerance.

Abstract: A method for designing a transformer in an integrated circuit includes receiving one or more desired characteristics of the transformer from user input and iteratively determining a design solution for the transformer through one or more simulations and modifications using a rule-set. The method combines the one or more desired characteristics with other preset characteristics of the transformer or the integrated circuit. A first model of the transformer is defined with typical load impedances and simulated having the combined characteristics to determine performance. Results of the simulation are processed to calculate performance with the load impedances specified by the user. The results are further processed to obtain a mathematical model that includes tuning capacitors.

Abstract: A method for designing a transformer in an integrated circuit includes receiving one or more desired characteristics of the transformer from user input and iteratively determining a design solution for the transformer through one or more simulations and modifications using a rule-set. The method combines the one or more desired characteristics with other preset characteristics of the transformer or the integrated circuit. A first model of the transformer is defined with typical load impedances and simulated having the combined characteristics to determine performance. Results of the simulation are processed to calculate performance with the load impedances specified by the user. The results are further processed to obtain a mathematical model that includes tuning capacitors.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for designing an electrical component including a processor and a user interface, enabling a user to input a desired characteristic of the electrical component, such as inductance or quality factor at an operating frequency for an integrated spiral inductor.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for designing an electrical component including a processor and a user interface, enabling a user to input a desired characteristic of the electrical component, such as inductance or quality factor at an operating frequency for an integrated spiral inductor.

Abstract: A system and method for a software licensing system for use in e.g., a variable time-based licensing, is provided. Such a system includes a secure device, including a first computer readable medium, configured to connect to a computer, including a second computer readable medium and microprocessor. The secure device can further include a chips pool which stores inactive chips, and a chips accounting manager, operable to receive license requests for software tools and to determine whether to grant the license request. In this context “chips” can be considered a currency which can be traded to use software tools for a period of time associated with each chip. The system further includes a license server, executing on the computer. The license server can include a license manager which tracks active chips and manages activated chip check-in and checkout, and a chips cache which stores activated chips.

Abstract: A system and method of designing the physical shape of and determining the electromagnetic characteristics of a bondwire in an electrical circuit, comprising the steps of enabling a user to define the position of the bondwire in the electrical circuit layout, defining the position and loop shape of the bondwire in a 3D representation of the electrical circuit, segmenting the bondwire into discrete segments, determining the electromagnetic characteristics of each of the bondwire segments thereby to determine the overall electromagnetic characteristics of the bondwire.

Abstract: A system and method for variable time-based licensing is provided, which includes a chips cache which stores activated chips and a chips pool which stores inactive chips. In this context “chips” can be considered a currency which can be traded to use software tools for a period of time associated with each chip. The system further includes a chips accounting manager, operable to receive license requests for software tools and to determine whether to grant the license request; and a license manager which tracks active chips and manages activated chip check-in and checkout. When the chips accounting manager receives a license request for a software tool the chips accounting manager determines whether the chips cache includes sufficient chips to access the software tool. If there are insufficient chips, the chips accounting manager checks whether inactive chips in the chip pool can be activated and added to the chips cache.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for designing an electrical component in an integrated circuit, the apparatus comprising a processor, a user interface, and memory for storing data, the interface enabling a user to input a desired characteristic of the electrical component, such as inductance L or quality factor Q at an operating frequency f for an integrated spiral inductor, and the processor being adapted to determine sufficient optimal characteristics of the electrical component to define the electrical component for fabrication in the integrated circuit, the processor being adapted to combine the user desired characteristic with other preset characteristics of the electrical component or the integrated circuit, to define a first model of the electrical component, to simulate the model having the combined characteristics to determine performance, and to draw on a rule-set of expert knowledge relating to the general dependency of at least one design criterion, such as a physical, geometrical or performance characterist