Abstract: A method and circuits for testing an integrated circuit at functional clock frequency by providing a test controller generating control signals that assure proper latching of test patterns in scan chains at tester frequency and propagation of the test pattern through logic circuits being tested at functional clock frequency.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for analyzing the timing of circuits, including integrated circuits, by taking into account the location of cells or elements in the paths or logic cones of the circuit. In one embodiment, a bounding region may be defined around cells or elements of interest, and the size of the bounding region may be used to calculate a timing slack variation factor. The size of the bounding region may be adjusted to account for variability in timing delays. In other embodiments, centroids may be calculated using either the location or the delay-weighted location of elements or cells within the path or cone and the centroids used to calculate timing slack variation factor. The timing slack variation factors are used to calculate a new timing slack for the path or logic cone of the circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of laying out individual cells of an integrated circuit design, based at least in part on the known polysilicon perimeter densities of those cells. That is, the method embodiments use the knowledge of polysilicon perimeter density for known cells to drive placement of those cells on a chip (i.e., to drive floor-planning). The method embodiments can be used to achieve approximately uniform across-chip polysilicon perimeter density and, thereby to limit performance parameter variations between functional devices that are attributable to variations in polysilicon perimeter density. Alternatively, the method embodiments can be used to selectively control variations in the average polysilicon perimeter density of different regions of a chip and, thereby to selectively control certain performance parameter variations between functional devices located in those different regions.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of forming an integrated circuit with a desired decoupling capacitance and with the uniform and targeted across-chip polysilicon perimeter density. The method includes laying out functional blocks to form the circuit according to the design and also laying out one or more decoupling capacitor blocks to achieve the desired decoupling capacitance. Then, local polysilicon perimeter densities of the blocks are determined and, as necessary, the decoupling capacitor blocks are reconfigured in order to adjust for differences in the local polysilicon perimeter densities. This reconfiguring is performed in a manner that essentially maintains the desired decoupling capacitance. Due to the across-chip polysilicon perimeter density uniformity, functional devices in different regions of the chip will exhibit limited performance parameter variations (e.g., limited threshold voltage variations).

Abstract: A method of optimizing power usage in an integrated circuit design analyzes multiple operating speed cut points that are expected to be produced by the integrated circuit design. The operating speed cut points are used to divide identically designed integrated circuit devices after manufacture into relatively slow integrated circuits and relatively fast integrated circuit devices. The method selects an initial operating speed cut point to minimize a maximum power level of the relatively slow integrated circuits and relatively fast integrated circuit devices. The method then manufactures the integrated circuit devices using the integrated circuit design and tests the operating speeds and power consumption levels of the integrated circuit devices. Then, the method adjusts the initial cut point to a final cut point based on the testing, to minimize the maximum power level of the relatively slow integrated circuits and relatively fast integrated circuit devices.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for optimizing semiconductor power by integration of physical design timing and product performance measurements. The method includes: establishing a timing run and identifying a sigma code for the timing run; establishing ring oscillator bins and respective code; identifying a required timing run for a second level assembly to satisfy a selected voltage bin; timing a product using the required timing run; testing a ring oscillator of the product using the timing to obtain physical design identification; recording the physical design identification and the sigma code for the timing run; and using the recorded physical design identification and the sigma code to set a voltage for the product to optimize power.

Abstract: IC chip design modeling using perimeter density to an electrical characteristic correlation is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method may include determining a perimeter density of conductive structure within each region of a plurality of regions of an integrated circuit (IC) chip design; correlating a measured electrical characteristic within a respective region of an IC chip that is based on the IC chip design to the perimeter density; and modeling the IC chip design based on the correlation.

Abstract: A design structure for an integrated circuit that includes input/output (I/O) state saving circuitry capable of stabilizing the I/O states during any predicted I/O disturbance event. The I/O state saving circuitry includes a plurality of transparent latches arranged between the output of a plurality of respective I/O receivers and the internal digital, analog, or mixed-signal circuitry of the integrated circuit. The transparent latches are transitioned between a pass-through mode and a state-saving mode via a common control signal. In anticipation of, for example, a predicted I/O signal disturbance generating event, the transparent latches are set to the state-saving mode. Consequently, the outputs of the transparent latches are held stable and glitchless during the disturbance event, which ensures that the internal logic of the integrated circuit does not lose state.

Abstract: A method for detecting which of two clock signals is the first to arrive may include providing a sense amplifier comprising first and second nodes located on first and second legs thereof. The sense amplifier is configured such that the first and second nodes have a substantially equivalent initial voltage. The method then includes receiving first and second clock signals. The sense amplifier is configured such that the voltage of the first node increases and the voltage of the second node decreases if the first clock signal arrives before the second clock signal. Similarly, the sense amplifier is configured such that the voltage of the second node increases and the voltage of the first node decreases if the second clock signal arrives before the first clock signal. The method may further include sampling the voltage of at least one of the first and second nodes to determine which of the first and second clock signals was the first to arrive.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a structure for testing location-specific wire delay at a chip-level independent of silicon delay. The invention incorporates the use of a tester embedded in a metal layer of a chip. The tester comprises a ring oscillator that is selectively connected to either a first wire or a second wire by a multiplexer. A monitor measures ring frequencies of the ring oscillator when connected to either the first or second wire. A processor determines the wire delay based upon differences in the ring frequencies. Additional testers or multiple stages of a single tester may be embedded into either the same metal layer at a different location or into a different metal layer to allow for intra-metal layer or inter-metal layer comparisons of wire delay. Since metal capacitance and silicon load remains constant for both the first and second wires and the transient voltage change along the wire is hold small, metal delay is separable from delay due to silicon device performance.

Abstract: A design structure for monitoring of the performance of semiconductor circuits, such as circuit delay, across a chip. The design structure may include a clock source and a plurality of process monitors. The design structure may be used to construct a “schmoo plot” by varying a frequency of the clock source to determine the delay of process monitors at various locations across the chip.

Abstract: Methods for analyzing the timing in integrated circuits and for reducing the pessimism in timing slack calculations in static timing analysis (STA). The methods involve grouping and canceling the delay contributions of elements having similar delays in early and late circuit paths. An adjusted timing slack is calculated using the delay contributions of elements having dissimilar delays. In some embodiments, the delay contributions of elements having dissimilar delays are root sum squared. Embodiments of the invention provide methods for reducing the pessimism due to both cell-based and wire-dependent delays. The delays considered in embodiments of the invention may include delays due to the location of elements in a path.

Abstract: Methods for analyzing the timing in integrated circuits and for reducing the pessimism in timing slack calculations in static timing analysis (STA). The methods involve grouping and canceling the delay contributions of elements having similar delays in early and late circuit paths. An adjusted timing slack is calculated using the delay contributions of elements having dissimilar delays. In some embodiments, the delay contributions of elements having dissimilar delays are root sum squared. Embodiments of the invention provide methods for reducing the pessimism due to both cell-based and wire-dependent delays. The delays considered in embodiments of the invention may include delays due to the location of elements in a path.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically managing movement of semaphore data within the system. The system includes, but is no limited to, a plurality of functional units communicating over the network, a memory device communication with the plurality of functional units over the network, and at least one semaphore storage unit communicating with the plurality of functional unites and the memory device over the network. The plurality of functional units include a plurality of functional unit memory locations. The memory device includes a plurality of memory device memory locations. The at least one semaphore storage unit includes a plurality of semaphore storage unit memory locations. The at least one semaphore storage unit controls dynamic movement of the semaphore data among the plurality of functional unit memory locations, the plurality of memory device memory locations, the plurality of semaphore storage unit memory locations, and any combinations therof.

Abstract: A method, system and program product are disclosed for improving an IC design that prioritize failure coefficients of slacks that lead to correction according to their probability of failure. With an identified set of independent parameters, a sensitivity analysis is performed on each parameter by noting the difference in timing, typically on endpoint slacks, when the parameter is varied. This step is repeated for every independent parameter. A failure coefficient is then calculated from the reference slack and the sensitivity of slack for each of the timing endpoints and a determination is made as to whether at least one timing endpoint fails a threshold test. Failing timing endpoints are then prioritized for modification according to their failure coefficients. The total number of runs required is one run that is used as a reference run, plus one additional run for each parameter.

Abstract: A method and service of balancing delay in a circuit design begins with nodes that are to be connected together by a wiring design, or by being supplied with an initial wiring design that is to be altered. The wiring design will have many wiring paths, such as a first wiring path, a second wiring path, etc. Two or more of the wiring paths are designed to have matching timing, such that the time needed for a signal to travel along the first wiring path is about the same time needed for a signal to travel along the second wiring path, the third path, etc. The method/service designs one or all of the wiring paths to make the paths traverse wire segments of about the same length and orientation, within each wiring level that the first wiring path and the second wiring path traverse. Also, this process makes the first wiring path and the second wiring path traverse the wire segments in the same order, within each wiring level that the first wiring path and the second wiring path traverse.

Abstract: A method and service of balancing delay in a circuit design begins with nodes that are to be connected together by a wiring design, or by being supplied with an initial wiring design that is to be altered. The wiring design will have many wiring paths, such as a first wiring path, a second wiring path, etc. Two or more of the wiring paths are designed to have matching timing, such that the time needed for a signal to travel along the first wiring path is about the same time needed for a signal to travel along the second wiring path, the third path, etc. The method/service designs one or all of the wiring paths to make the paths traverse wire segments of about the same length and orientation, within each wiring level that the first wiring path and the second wiring path traverse. Also, this process makes the first wiring path and the second wiring path traverse the wire segments in the same order, within each wiring level that the first wiring path and the second wiring path traverse.

Abstract: A method and service of balancing delay in a circuit design begins with nodes that are to be connected together by a wiring design, or by being supplied with an initial wiring design that is to be altered. The wiring design will have many wiring paths, such as a first wiring path, a second wiring path, etc. Two or more of the wiring paths are designed to have matching timing, such that the time needed for a signal to travel along the first wiring path is about the same time needed for a signal to travel along the second wiring path, the third path, etc. The method/service designs one or all of the wiring paths to make the paths traverse wire segments of about the same length and orientation, within each wiring level that the first wiring path and the second wiring path traverse. Also, this process makes the first wiring path and the second wiring path traverse the wire segments in the same order, within each wiring level that the first wiring path and the second wiring path traverse.

Abstract: A method, system and program product are disclosed for improving an IC design that prioritize failure coefficients of slacks that lead to correction according to their probability of failure. With an identified set of independent parameters, a sensitivity analysis is performed on each parameter by noting the difference in timing, typically on endpoint slacks, when the parameter is varied. This step is repeated for every independent parameter. A failure coefficient is then calculated from the reference slack and the sensitivity of slack for each of the timing endpoints and a determination is made as to whether at least one timing endpoint fails a threshold test. Failing timing endpoints are then prioritized for modification according to their failure coefficients. The total number of runs required is one run that is used as a reference run, plus one additional run for each parameter.

Abstract: An integrated circuit that includes input/output (I/O) state saving circuitry capable of stabilizing the I/O states during any predicted I/O disturbance event. The I/O state saving circuitry includes a plurality of transparent latches arranged between the output of a plurality of respective I/O receivers and the internal digital, analog, or mixed-signal circuitry of the integrated circuit. The transparent latches are transitioned between a pass-through mode and a state-saving mode via a common control signal. In anticipation of, for example, a predicted I/O signal disturbance generating event, the transparent latches are set to the state-saving mode. Consequently, the outputs of the transparent latches are held stable and glitchless during the disturbance event, which ensures that the internal logic of the integrated circuit does not lose state.