Abstract: A circuit includes a voltage bus, a load, a plurality of switches, a controller, an encoder, a first switch group, and a second switch group. The first switch group is electrically connected between the voltage bus and the load. The second switch group is also electrically connected between the voltage bus and the load. The controller provides a first output signal indicating a required number of switches to be turned on to meet a power demand of the load. The encoder is configured to select a first combination of on/off states of the first switch group and the second switch group based on (i) the first output signal from the controller and (ii) a second combination of on/off states of the first switch group and the second switch group, and in response to selecting the first combination, transmit a switch signal to effect the first combination.

Abstract: A method of time budgeting an integrated circuit (IC) that includes determining an initial value of time delay variables for each block of a plurality of blocks along a set of timing paths based on delays of each design module of the blocks and determining a value of at least one advanced timing factor adjusting a clock period of the IC along each timing path. The method then generates a time budget for ports along each timing path based on the value of the at least one advanced timing factor and the initial value of the time delay variable. The method then optimizes the value of time delay variables by calculating new values of the time delay variables that satisfy each timing path to minimize a possibility of timing violations and to satisfy the clock period of the IC, which is adjusted by the value of the advanced timing factor.