Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) is provided with a thermal diode and a constant current source. In this embodiment, the saturation current of the diode may be determined by means external to the IC. During normal operation of the IC, the constant current source drives a current to the diode, and the forward bias voltage of the diode is used as a temperature indicator. In another embodiment, an IC is provided with a pair of thermal diodes and a constant current source. During normal operation of the IC, each of the diodes receives a current of different magnitude from the constant current source, and a comparison of the diodes' forward bias voltages is used as a temperature indicator.

Abstract: A simulation circuit model for a region of interest in an integrated circuit chip design is constructed that has a number of tiled, substantially identical sub-region simulation circuit models, each representing the supply voltage (VDD) distribution network in one of a number of corresponding sub-regions of the region. This mosaic of sub-region simulation circuit models is provided to an electronic simulator tool such as SPICE so that supply voltage properties in a selected one of the sub-regions can be analyzed.

Abstract: A current sink model is provided by determining the charge consumed by each type of a predetermined group of standard cell types under each of a plurality of conditions, determining the quantity of such standard cells of each type in the region of interest on the chip, and then using the charge consumption and quantity of standard cells of each type to create a waveform representing current over time.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) is provided with a thermal diode and a constant current source. In this embodiment, the saturation current of the diode may be determined by means external to the IC. During normal operation of the IC, the constant current source drives a current to the diode, and the forward bias voltage of the diode is used as a temperature indicator. In another embodiment, an IC is provided with a pair of thermal diodes and a constant current source. During normal operation of the IC, each of the diodes receives a current of different magnitude from the constant current source, and a comparison of the diodes' forward bias voltages is used as a temperature indicator.