Abstract: Electronic design automation (EDA) of the present disclosure, in various embodiments, optimizes designing, simulating, analyzing, and verifying of one or more electronic architectural designs for an electronic device. The EDA of the present disclosure identifies one or more electronic architectural features from the one or more electronic architectural designs. In some situations, the EDA of the present disclosure can manipulate one or more electronic architectural models over multiple iterations using a machine learning process until one or more electronic architectural models from among the one or more electronic architectural models satisfy one or more electronic design targets. The EDA of the present disclosure substitutes the one or more electronic architectural models that satisfy the one or more electronic design targets for the one or more electronic architectural features in the one or more electronic architectural designs to optimize the one or more electronic architectural designs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for circuit fault diagnosis are provided. An original circuit design is evaluated to determine whether the original circuit design is to be modified based at least in part on one or more first faults. In response to the original circuit design being determined not to be modified based at least in part on the one or more first faults, a first test pattern set is automatically generated based at least in part on the original circuit design. The original circuit design is evaluated to determine whether the original circuit design is to be modified based at least in part on the first test pattern set. In response to the original circuit design being determined not to be modified based at least in part on the first test pattern set, fault testing is performed to determine whether the original circuit design fails.

Abstract: A device includes a fault generation circuit and a first fault injection circuit. The fault generation circuit is configured to generate a fault signal and a plurality of control signals according to a mode signal. The first fault injection circuit is configured to inject a first final fault signal to an under-test device based on the fault signal and the plurality of control signals, in order to verify robustness of the under-test device.

Abstract: A system includes a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to execute computer program codes to perform operations below. A netlist of a functional unit is transformed to a first matrix. The netlist includes information associated with nodes and flip-flops. A first node is selected from the nodes according to the first matrix and a second matrix, to generate a fault list. The second matrix includes weighting values for the nodes. The first node is determined to be associated with a maximum number of the flip-flops. A fault injection is performed on the functional unit. The functional unit is analyzed according to the netlist and the fault list, to generate a first file. A safety mechanism unit is analyzed to generate a second file. A failure is detected according to the first file or a combination of the first file and the second file.

Abstract: A clock distribution circuit configured to output a clock signal includes a first circuit configured to use a reference clock signal to provide first and second reference signals, wherein the second reference signal indicates whether the first reference signal is locked with the reference clock signal; a second circuit configured to use the reference clock signal to provide an output signal and an indication signal indicative whether the output signal is locked with the reference clock signal; and a monitor circuit, coupled to the first and second circuits, and configured to use at least one of the first reference signal, the second reference signal, the output signal, and the indication signal to determine whether the second circuit is functioning correctly.

Abstract: A network-on-chip (NoC) system includes a default communication path between a master device and a slave device, and a backup communication path between the master device and the slave device. The default communication path is configured to work in a normal operation state of the chip. The backup communication path is configured to replace the default communication path when a fault arises in the default communication path.

Abstract: A testing probe structure for wafer level testing semiconductor IC packaged devices under test (DUT). The structure includes a substrate, through substrate vias, a bump array formed on a first surface of the substrate for engaging a probe card, and at least one probing unit on a second surface of the substrate. The probing unit includes a conductive probe pad formed on one surface of the substrate and at least one microbump interconnected to the pad. The pads are electrically coupled to the bump array through the vias. Some embodiments include a plurality of microbumps associated with the pad which are configured to engage a mating array of microbumps on the DUT. In some embodiments, the DUT may be probed by applying test signals from a probe card through the bump and microbump arrays without direct probing of the DUT microbumps.

Abstract: A transceiver group includes a plurality of transceivers; wherein the transceiver group performs transmission and receiving through a wire, and each of the transceivers includes a transmitter and a receiver, and the transmitter includes: a carrier generator arranged to generate a plurality of carriers having different frequencies for a plurality of data streams to be transmitted; a modulator, coupled to the data streams to be transmitted and the carrier generator, to generate a plurality of modulated data streams carried on the plurality of carriers; and a summer arranged to merge the plurality of modulated data streams to an output signal to the wire; and the receiver includes: a carrier generator arranged to generate a plurality of carriers having different frequencies for an input signal received from the wire; and a demodulator, coupled to the input signal and the carrier generator, to generate a plurality of demodulated data streams.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a semiconductor module having an integrated antenna structure. The semiconductor module has an excitable element and a first ground plane disposed between a substrate and the excitable element. A second ground plane is separated from the first ground plane by the substrate. The second ground plane is coupled to the first ground plane by one or more through-substrate vias (TSVs) that extend through the substrate.

Abstract: A device comprises a first die; and a second die stacked below the first die with interconnections between the first die and the second die. A least one of the first die or the second die has a circuit for performing a function and provides a functional path. Each of the first and second dies comprise a plurality of latches, including a respective latch corresponding to each one of the interconnections; and a plurality of multiplexers. Each multiplexer is connected to a respective one of the plurality of latches and arranged for receiving and selecting one of a scan test pattern or a signal from the functional path for outputting during a scan chain test of the first die and second die.

Abstract: A method performed at least partially by a processor includes performing a test sequence. In the test sequence, a test pattern is loaded into a circuit. The test pattern is configured to cause the circuit to output a predetermined test response. A test response is unloaded from the circuit after a test wait time period has passed since the loading of the test pattern into the circuit. The unloaded test response is compared with the predetermined test response.

Abstract: A power state transformer, a system and a method thereof are disclosed. The power state transformer is coupled with a processing unit model. The power state transformer is configured for counting performance activities executed in the processing unit model, and further for determining a power state of the processing unit model according to count values of the performance activities.

Abstract: A method of estimating power consumption of a processor includes accessing an electronic system level (ESL) model of the processor, the ESL model including a plurality of functional blocks, identifying a plurality of processor events by tracing activity of the plurality of functional blocks for a plurality of machine code instructions, and calculating a first power consumption value based on the plurality of processor events. The method also includes identifying a plurality of cycles by analyzing a plurality of micro-code operation codes corresponding to the plurality of machine code instructions, calculating a second power consumption value based on the plurality of cycles, and calculating a total power consumption value from the first power consumption value summed with the second power consumption value.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes establishing an intellectual property (IP) bank, an application bank, and a technology bank; selecting valid configurations from the IP bank for corresponding IPs and at least one subsystem based on the application data, for generating in response to a user-defined requirement, by a model generator, a performance, power, area and cost (PPAC) model of the valid configurations; based on the PPAC model, creating at least one architecture comprising at least one of the corresponding IPs, and at least one of the valid configurations for the at least one of the corresponding IPs; and, estimating, by a PPAC explorer assessing the technology bank, at least one of a performance value, a power value, an area value and a cost value for a fabrication of the at least one architecture by simulating available fabrication process technology based on the technology bank.

Abstract: A testing probe structure for wafer level testing semiconductor IC packaged devices under test (DUT). The structure includes a substrate, through substrate vias, a bump array formed on a first surface of the substrate for engaging a probe card, and at least one probing unit on a second surface of the substrate. The probing unit includes a conductive probe pad formed on one surface of the substrate and at least one microbump interconnected to the pad. The pads are electrically coupled to the bump array through the vias. Some embodiments include a plurality of microbumps associated with the pad which are configured to engage a mating array of microbumps on the DUT. In some embodiments, the DUT may be probed by applying test signals from a probe card through the bump and microbump arrays without direct probing of the DUT microbumps.

Abstract: A partition method includes sorting the plurality of components into a plurality of partitions according to a set of partition criteria and sorting the plurality of components of each partition into a first stack and a second stack according to a set of stack criteria, and the first stack includes a plurality of higher pitch metal layers and the second stack includes a plurality of lower pitch metal layers. The partition criteria include size, power and speed of the component, and the stack criteria include a pitch of a metal layer.

Abstract: A bi-directional scan chain includes a plurality of cell structures, each cell structure having a storage device and at least one multiplexer, the plurality of cell structures coupled to one another in a series configuration, wherein an output of a (K-1)-th cell structure is provided as input to the K-th cell structure to provide a forward data shifting operation, and an output of the K-th cell structure is provided as an input to the (K-1)-th cell structure to provide a backward data shifting operation, where K is an integer greater than 1.

Abstract: A system and method for designing integrated circuits is disclosed. An embodiment comprises placing a standard cell with a first cell height into a cell row with a different height. The standard cell may have a height smaller than the cell row or else may have a height that is larger than the cell row. Vertical fillers and horizontal fillers are utilized to extend and connect the standard cell to adjacent cells without having to redesign the entire cell row.

Abstract: A method of estimating power consumption for a system on chip (SOC) includes simulating operation of a first sub-block to obtain power consumption information for the first sub-block including first activation information for a first IP block. The method further includes simulating operation of a second sub-block to obtain power consumption information for the second sub-block including second activation information for the first IP block and activation information for a plurality of second IP blocks. The method further includes determining a weighting factor for the first activation information for the first IP block, the second activation information for the first IP block and the activation information for each second IP block. The method further includes estimating power consumption for the SOC based on the first and second activation information for the first IP block, the activation information for at least one second IP block, and corresponding weighting factors.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a semiconductor module comprising a low-cost integrated antenna that uses a conductive backside structure in conjunction with a ground metal layer to form a large ground plane with a small silicon area. In some embodiments, the integrated antenna structure has an excitable element that radiates electromagnetic radiation. An on-chip ground plane, located on a first side of an interposer substrate, is positioned below the excitable element. A compensation ground plane, located on an opposing side of the interposer substrate, is connected to the ground plane by one or more through-silicon vias (TSVs) that extend through the interposer substrate. The on-chip ground plane and the compensation ground collectively act to reflect the electromagnetic radiation generated by the excitable element, so that the compensation ground improves the performance of the on-chip ground plane.