Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for providing virtual leaf driver nodes in a clock tree to drive a clock grid of an integrated circuit are disclosed. An integrated circuit may include a large number of clocked elements such as registers, flip-flops, etc. whose operation is synchronized by one or more clocks. For example, an operation performed by circuitry on one side of the die may need to occur at precisely the same time as another operation performed by circuitry on the other side of the die. In order to assure synchronicity of these events, a clock grid may be provided in the IC that is driven by virtual leaf driver nodes. The clock tree driving the clock grid may include a tier of leaf buffers. The output of a leaf buffer may be split, and the branches of the output connected to separate points on the clock grid.

Abstract: A system is herein disclosed which allows for the interactive design and analysis of analog and mixed-signal circuits. Circuits may additionally be characterized and verified without leaving the environment provided by the system. The system may be used to analyze multiple circuit designs at the same time. In this manner a designer can create a test that sweeps over several circuit designs. Embodiments of the invention may be integrated with other circuit design tools and development systems.