Patents by Inventor Steven E. Washburn

Steven E. Washburn has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11017137
    Abstract: The efficiency of electronic design automation is increased by building, as an electronic data structure, a timing graph characterizing a putative integrated circuit design; identifying at least one of an edge and a node in the timing graph that requires canonical timing adjustment; and electronically calculating a deterministic timing adjustment for each of a plurality of corner cases. Based on the calculated deterministic timing adjustment for each of the plurality of corner cases, the canonical timing adjustment is determined for the at least one of an edge and a node; the canonical timing adjustment is applied to the timing graph; and the timing graph is updated based on the application of the canonical timing adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chaitanya Ravindra Peddawad, Jeffrey Hemmett, Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Peter Elmendorf, Debjit Sinha, Kerim Kalafala
  • Publication number: 20210103637
    Abstract: The efficiency of electronic design automation is increased by building, as an electronic data structure, a timing graph characterizing a putative integrated circuit design; identifying at least one of an edge and a node in the timing graph that requires canonical timing adjustment; and electronically calculating a deterministic timing adjustment for each of a plurality of corner cases. Based on the calculated deterministic timing adjustment for each of the plurality of corner cases, the canonical timing adjustment is determined for the at least one of an edge and a node; the canonical timing adjustment is applied to the timing graph; and the timing graph is updated based on the application of the canonical timing adjustment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Chaitanya Ravindra Peddawad, Jeffrey Hemmett, Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Peter Elmendorf, Debjit Sinha, Kerim Kalafala
  • Patent number: 10565336
    Abstract: A system and method to perform an integrated circuit design involves selecting a net among a plurality of nets of the integrated circuit design as a victim net. Each net connects a pair of nodes of the integrated circuit design and each node represents a logic element of the integrated circuit design. The method also includes determining aggressor nets among the plurality of nets for the victim net and determining a corresponding weight value for each of the aggressor nets and, for each of the aggressor nets, multiplying the coupled noise originating from the aggressor net with the corresponding weight value to obtain a weighted coupled noise value. A cumulative coupled noise value is obtained for the victim net as a sum of the weighted coupled noise values associated with each of the aggressor nets. A result of the integrated circuit design is provided for fabrication into an integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Patrick M. Williams, James D. Warnock
  • Patent number: 10552570
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer product for performing a coupled noise analysis in an integrated circuit (IC) design include copying one or more victim circuit sections of a victim circuit in the IC, generating a blockage circuit section that represents a blockage aggressor circuit in the IC, using the copied one or more victim circuit sections of the victim circuit, determining at least one subcircuit from the blockage circuit section, selecting, for a victim pin on the victim circuit, a power-driven virtual node on the at least one subcircuit, applying a power source to the power-driven virtual node on the at least one subcircuit, calculating a coupled noise at the victim pin contributed by the at least one subcircuit in response to the power source being applied, comparing the coupled noise to a threshold noise level, and altering the IC design when the coupled noise exceeds the threshold noise level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tsz-mei Ko, Thomas G. Mitchell, Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Patrick M. Williams
  • Publication number: 20190362045
    Abstract: A system and method to perform an integrated circuit design involves selecting a net among a plurality of nets of the integrated circuit design as a victim net. Each net connects a pair of nodes of the integrated circuit design and each node represents a logic element of the integrated circuit design. The method also includes determining aggressor nets among the plurality of nets for the victim net and determining a corresponding weight value for each of the aggressor nets and, for each of the aggressor nets, multiplying the coupled noise originating from the aggressor net with the corresponding weight value to obtain a weighted coupled noise value. A cumulative coupled noise value is obtained for the victim net as a sum of the weighted coupled noise values associated with each of the aggressor nets. A result of the integrated circuit design is provided for fabrication into an integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Patrick M. Williams, James D. Warnock
  • Patent number: 10248753
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer product for performing a coupled noise analysis in an integrated circuit (IC) design include copying one or more victim circuit sections of a victim circuit in the IC design, generating a blockage circuit section that represents a blockage aggressor circuit in the IC design, using the copied one or more victim circuit sections of the victim circuit, determining at least one subcircuit from the blockage circuit section, selecting, for a victim pin on the victim circuit, a power-driven virtual node on the at least one subcircuit, applying a power source to the power-driven virtual node on the at least one subcircuit, calculating a coupled noise at the victim pin contributed by the at least one subcircuit in response to the power source being applied, comparing the coupled noise to a threshold noise level, and altering the IC design when the coupled noise exceeds the threshold noise level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tsz-mei Ko, Thomas G. Mitchell, Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Patrick M. Williams
  • Publication number: 20190005182
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer product for performing a coupled noise analysis in an integrated circuit (IC) design include copying one or more victim circuit sections of a victim circuit in the IC, generating a blockage circuit section that represents a blockage aggressor circuit in the IC, using the copied one or more victim sections of the victim circuit, determining at least one subcircuit from the blockage circuit section, selecting, for a victim pin on the victim circuit, a power-driven virtual node on the at least one subcircuit, applying a power source to the power-driven virtual node on the at least one subcircuit, calculating a coupled noise at the victim pin contributed by the at least one subcircuit in response to the power source being applied, comparing the coupled noise to a threshold noise level, and altering the IC design when the coupled noise exceeds the threshold noise level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Tsz-mei Ko, Thomas G. Mitchell, Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Patrick M. Williams
  • Patent number: 10169514
    Abstract: A system to design an integrated circuit and a method of fabricating an integrated circuit include performing a design change for a net among a plurality of nets of the integrated circuit. An extraction is performed for the net and includes re-computing values for a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit representation of the net. Re-computed values resulting from the re-computing and a timestamp of the extraction are recorded. A capacitance value of a capacitor coupling the net with a neighboring net in the RC circuit representation of the neighboring net is changed to be the capacitance value of the capacitor coupling the net with the neighboring net that was re-computed for the RC circuit representation of the net. Timing and noise parameters are for the net and the neighboring net are updated to updated timing and noise parameters, and timing analysis is performed based on the updated timing and noise parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tsz-mei Ko, Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Patrick M. Williams
  • Publication number: 20180203969
    Abstract: A system to design an integrated circuit and a method of fabricating an integrated circuit include performing a design change for a net among a plurality of nets of the integrated circuit. An extraction is performed for the net and includes re-computing values for a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit representation of the net. Re-computed values resulting from the re-computing and a timestamp of the extraction are recorded. A capacitance value of a capacitor coupling the net with a neighboring net in the RC circuit representation of the neighboring net is changed to be the capacitance value of the capacitor coupling the net with the neighboring net that was re-computed for the RC circuit representation of the net. Timing and noise parameters are for the net and the neighboring net are updated to updated timing and noise parameters, and timing analysis is performed based on the updated timing and noise parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Tsz-mei Ko, Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Patrick M. Williams
  • Publication number: 20180101636
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer product for performing a coupled noise analysis in an integrated circuit (IC) design include copying one or more victim circuit sections of a victim circuit in the IC, generating a blockage circuit section that represents a blockage aggressor circuit in the IC, using the copied one or more victim sections of the victim circuit, determining at least one subcircuit from the blockage circuit section, selecting, for a victim pin on the victim circuit, a power-driven virtual node on the at least one subcircuit, applying a power source to the power-driven virtual node on the at least one subcircuit, calculating a coupled noise at the victim pin contributed by the at least one subcircuit in response to the power source being applied, comparing the coupled noise to a threshold noise level, and altering the IC design when the coupled noise exceeds the threshold noise level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Tsz-mei Ko, Thomas G. Mitchell, Jason D. Morsey, Steven E. Washburn, Patrick M. Williams
  • Publication number: 20170161425
    Abstract: Methodologies for compact modeling of circuit layouts to accurately account for effects of layout-induced changes in semiconductor devices induced by various intentional and unintentional mechanisms present in semiconductor processes are disclosed. The layout-sensitive compact model accounts for the impact of large layout variation on circuits by implementing techniques for obtaining the correct layout-dependent response approximations and by incorporating layout extraction techniques to obtain correct geometric parameters that drive the LDE response. In particular, these techniques include utilizing shape sections for analyzing in detail various specific region shapes of the semiconductor device. The shape sections are defined by locating vertices of each region shape and rendering reference lines at each vertex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Mitchell R. DeHond, Ulrich A. Finkler, Harold E. Reindel, Steven E. Washburn, Richard Q. Williams
  • Patent number: 6848089
    Abstract: A method and apparratus for for identifying circuits within an integrated circuit design that are likely to latchup. The present invention accomplishes the identification by searching for suspect circuits and then modifying these circuits to represent a device known by an EDA tool (e.g. FET device). The EDA tool can then be used to determine the likelihood of latchup occuring based upon the modified device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Micah S. Galland, Peter A. Habitz, Steven E. Washburn
  • Publication number: 20040025128
    Abstract: A method and apparratus for for identifying circuits within an integrated circuit design that are likely to latchup. The present invention accomplishes the identification by searching for suspect circuits and then modifying these circuits to represent a device known by an EDA tool (e.g. FET device). The EDA tool can then be used to determine the likelihood of latchup occuring based upon the modified device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Micah S. Galland, Peter A. Habitz, Steven E. Washburn