Abstract: There is disclosed a system for designing circuits which involves pre-placing delay elements between circuit components susceptible to shoot-through due to effects of clock skew, each delay element having a physical form and at least one input terminal and at least one output terminal; determining which delay elements are not critical in preventing shoot-through; removing non-critical delay elements from the circuit; and replacing each removed delay element with a cell having a physical form equivalent to the physical form of the removed delay element and a wire connection between an input and an output of the cell equivalent to an input and output of the delay element. This wire cell has the effect of removing the delay element from the circuit without having to reposition the circuit components. This has the result that it is not necessary to re-position circuit components on the removal of delay elements and then to re-evaluate the circuit performance. Circuit design can be significantly improved.

Abstract: A programming method efficiently programs programmable logic devices of the type having specialized multiplier blocks that include multipliers and other arithmetic function elements. Such blocks can be used to perform certain multiplication and multiplication-related functions more efficiently than general-purpose programmable logic. In order to efficiently program devices having such specialized multiplier blocks, so that they are used to their full potential and so that the maximum number of multiplier-related functions can be accommodated on a single programmable logic device, the programming method pre-processes the netlist of function blocks in a user's programmable logic design, grouping multiplication and multiplication-related functions efficiently.

Abstract: A chip design-in aid system, wherein the chip has a plurality of chip controlling registers for storing at least one parameter. The system includes a user interfance for inputting user setting data, the user setting data corresponding to at least one function of the chip; a data processing unit for processing the user setting data; and a parameter adjusting unit for receiving the processed user setting data from the data processing unit, and transmitting the processed user setting data to the chip, so as to adjust the parameter stored in the chip controlling registers, whereby the chip is set to perform the function corresponding to the user setting data.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides for a master or universal base and base tooling which addresses the general purpose Structured ASIC requirements. Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a common set of base tooling from which the master/universal base is created as well as additional custom bases with customized selection and quantity of embedded Platform ASIC functions. Embodiments can utilize conventional Structured ASIC architecture and processing and are compatible with traditional probing and packaging.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that associates an error in a layout with a cell. During operation, the system receives a layout which is designed to create a target feature with an intended shape. Next, the system determines an error in a critical dimension of the target feature. The system then identifies a cell in the layout based on the error's location in the layout, thereby associating the error with the cell. Note that associating errors with cells allows the errors to be summarized based on the associated cells, which can reduce the amount of time required to identify and fix the errors.

Abstract: A logic circuit simulation apparatus used in designing a logic IC (integrated circuit) is provided. The logic circuit simulation apparatus includes a power control signal specifying unit which creates power control signal information for specifying statuses of a plurality of power control signals, a logic circuit simulation control information generation unit which reads the power control signal information and related circuit connection information and generates a logic circuit simulation control information based on the power control signal information and the circuit connection information, and a logic circuit simulation unit which fixes with high impedance each input of a circuit block to which power is not supplied in accordance with the logic circuit simulation control information, simulating the logic circuit.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) architecture includes a library of intellectual property (IP) cores configured to provide a plurality of individual circuit functions. The IP cores arranged in a manner compatible with a customized, functional selection of individual ones of the IP cores, wherein individually selected cores are accessible through a communication structure included within the library.

Abstract: A hardware accelerator includes hardware support for a combinational only cycle and a latch only cycle in a simulation model with a single partition of latches and combinational logic. Preferred embodiments use a special 4-input 1-output function unit in the hardware accelerator in place of the normal latch function that write back the old latch value for combinational only cycles. Other embodiments include hardware support for separate array write disables for arrays and transparent latches depending on whether the cycle is a combinational only cycle and a latch only cycle. A conditional array write disable dependent on the occurrence of a hardware breakpoint is also included that supports switching from a latch plus combinational cycle to a latch only cycle, to give control to the user before evaluating the combinational logic if a breakpoint occurs on a latch.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for optimizing the size of an IO collar and reducing the die size of an IC chip is provided. The method and apparatus includes arranging rotated IO cells around the edges of the IC chip to reduce the number of unused IO cells in the IO collar. All the IO cells may be rotated, or a combination of rotated and non-rotated IO cells may form the IO collar. For each edge of the IC chip having rotated IO cells, each edge may have the same number of stacks of IO cells or a different number of stacks of IO cells.

Abstract: An LSI design method according to the present invention is to estimate a timing uncertainty in an early stage of design for each item of which an influence on timing is uncertain among respective items requiring consideration relating to establishment of timing; and define a timing margin in each design stage by using the timing uncertainty estimation result depending on whether or not an influence of the each item on timing has been determined, followed by proceeding with the design in the respective design stages accordingly. As such, according to the present invention, a timing uncertainty is estimated in an early stage of LSI design, followed by proceeding with the design by using the timing uncertainty as required.

Abstract: In one embodiment, each of a plurality of stimulus signals is sequentially driven onto a number of stimulus signal paths. Each of the plurality of stimulus signals has a trigger edge. As each stimulus signal is driven onto the number of stimulus signal paths, a victim signal having a sensor edge is driven onto a victim signal path. After driving a corresponding stimulus and victim signal, the victim signal is sampled at or about a timing of the signal's sensor edge to thereby characterize the signal's sensor edge. The sensor edge characterizations corresponding to the different stimulus signals are then analyzed to quantify a timing error induced by crosstalk between the victim signal path and one or more of the stimulus signal paths.

Abstract: Performing signal integrity (SI) analysis on integrated circuit designs is becoming increasingly important as these designs increase in size and complexity. Dividing a design into blocks can simplify the resulting analysis. Additionally, such blocks can be replaced with timing models, which provide a compact means of exchanging interface timing information for the blocks. To further increase the speed and accuracy of SI analysis, enhanced interface logic models (SI-ILMs) can be used. An SI-ILM can include cells in timing paths that serve as the interface between the block and other parts of the design. The SI-ILM can also include internal nets that have cross-coupling effects on interface nets and nets outside the block. By including these internal nets, SI analysis at the top-level can be both fast and accurate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for full-chip thermal analysis of semiconductor chip designs is provided. One embodiment of a novel method for performing thermal analysis of a semiconductor chip design comprises receiving at least one input relating to a semiconductor chip design to be analyzed. The input is then processed to produce a three-dimensional thermal model of the semiconductor chip design. In another embodiment, thermal analysis of the semiconductor chip design is performed by calculating power dissipated by transistors and interconnects included in the semiconductor chip design and distributing power dissipated by the interconnects.

Abstract: An apparatus for designing a mask that enables quick mask design. A generation unit generates data regarding a mask pattern formed on a mask from design data regarding an exposure pattern transferred onto a semiconductor substrate. A calculation unit calculates an exposure pattern transferred onto the semiconductor substrate by applying a filter having a predetermined characteristic to the data regarding a mask pattern generated by the generation unit. A correction unit corrects the data regarding a mask pattern generated by the generation unit by comparing the exposure pattern calculated by the calculation unit and the design data.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device fabricated with reduced size and wiring to alleviate wiring delay, and an improved placement and routing method of the building-block type for appropriate use in deep-submicron processes for fabricating such semiconductor device. This semiconductor integrated circuit device includes at least a plurality of integrated circuit blocks to be interconnected by wiring, and a terminal cell including a terminal target metal that is different from, and formed in a layer higher at least by one layer than, ordinary target metals originally included in a block netlist. The interconnection among the integrated circuit blocks is carried out by way of the block terminals provided in circumferential edge portions on the block layout and the terminal target of the terminal cell.