Circuit Simulation Patents (Class 703/14)
  • Patent number: 8271256
    Abstract: A method of optimizing MOSFET device production which includes defining key independent parameters, formulating those key independent parameters into a canonical variational form, calculating theoretical extracted parameters using at least one of key independent parameters in canonical variational form, physics-based analytical models, or corner models. The method also includes calculating simulated characteristics of a device using the key independent parameters and extracting target data parameters based on at least one of measured data and predicted data, comparing the simulated characteristics to the target data parameters, and modifying the theoretical extracted parameters or key independent parameters in canonical form as a result of the comparison. Then, calculating and outputting the simulated characteristics based on the modified theoretical extracted parameters and the modified key independent parameters in canonical form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ebrahim Khalily, Aaron J. Barker, Alexandru N. Ardelea
  • Patent number: 8271239
    Abstract: Methods for generating realistic waveforms with controllable voltage noise and timing jitter in a computer-based simulation environment and the simulation of a subset of those waveforms with system elements along the signal path is disclosed. By deriving a generic, re-useable, parameterized Fourier series, time-domain clock and pseudo-random data signals are generated from a subset of their true harmonic components. Time-domain signal parameters including high, low, and common-mode voltage levels, transition slew-rates, transition timing, period and/or frequency, may be designated by the user, and the computer calculates the harmonic components that will combine through the inverse Fourier transform to provide the required time-domain characteristics. By computing the frequency content of the signal directly it is possible to simulate the interaction of the signal with various system blocks while remaining in the frequency domain, thereby reducing simulation time and memory requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy M. Hollis
  • Patent number: 8265917
    Abstract: A high-level integrated circuit (“IC”) modeling system (400) includes a first co-simulator (418) modeling a first portion of an IC system and a second co-simulator (419) modeling a second portion of the IC system, each co-simulator operating according to initial simulation operating conditions (426). A co-simulation synchronization interface (424) is configured to automatically change at least one of the initial simulation operating conditions to a triggered operating condition (428) in response to a user-selected triggering signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingzhao Ou, Shay Ping Seng
  • Patent number: 8265918
    Abstract: Co-simulation platforms generally include a software-based system and a hardware-based system in which different portions of the circuit design are either simulated in a software-based system or emulated on a hardware-based system. Before a model of circuit design can be co-simulated, the circuit design must be transformed and configured into a form that can execute and interface with a specific hardware-based system. The embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system, and article of manufacture for co-simulation of a portion of a circuit design and achieve an advance in the art by improving co-simulation configuration and setup and providing co-simulation adjustment capabilities during runtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Hem C. Neema, Chi Bun Chan, Kumar Deepak, Nabeel Shirazi
  • Patent number: 8265919
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for emulating a mass storage device and a file system of a mass storage device. In a first aspect, a human-portable data processing device that includes one or more data processors that perform operations in accordance with machine-readable instructions, an incoming message classifier configured to classify an incoming read command according to an address of the data requested by the incoming read command, and an emulation data generation component connected to respond to the classification of the incoming read command by the incoming message classifier to generate emulation data emulating that which would have been read by the incoming read command were the human-portable data processing device a mass storage device; and a bus controller configured to respond to the incoming read command with the emulation data generated by the emulation data generation component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jean Baptiste Maurice Queru, Christopher L. Tate
  • Patent number: 8261228
    Abstract: Techniques are presented for accounting for parasitics in the automated design of integrated circuits. In one set of techniques, model values for parasitic models are received on a schematic environment from a user, the parasitic models are evaluated from the schematic using the received model values, the parasitic models are transferred to a layout environment, and the transferred parasitic models are evaluated on the layout environment. In other techniques, model values are received for parasitic models from a user, the parasitic models are evaluated on the layout environment, and the process then backannotates the parasitic models evaluated on the layout environment and corresponding parameter values to a schematic environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Prakash Gopalakrishnan, Rongchang Yan, Akshat H. Shah, David N. Dixon, Keith Dennison
  • Patent number: 8260600
    Abstract: Method and system are disclosed for simulating a circuit. The method includes representing a circuit using a matrix that represents a set of linear equations to be solved, identifying a delta matrix, which is a subset of the matrix that changed states from a previous time step to a current time step, computing an update of the delta matrix using a matrix decomposition approach, generating a current state of the matrix using a previous state of the matrix and the update of the delta matrix, and storing the current state of the matrix in a memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Proplus Design Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Linzhong Deng, Bruce McGaughy
  • Patent number: 8260588
    Abstract: In general, the invention relates to a creating a network model on a host. The invention includes: gathering first component properties associated with a first physical network device on a target network; creating a first container using first component properties; determining that a second physical network device is operatively connected to the first physical network device via a physical network link; gathering second component properties associated with the physical network link; creating a first VNIC associated with the first container; determining that at least one virtual network device is executing on the second physical network device; gathering third component properties associated with the at least one virtual network device; creating a second container, wherein the second container is configured using the third component properties; and creating a second VNIC associated with the second container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kais Belgaied, Sunay Tripathi, Nicolas G. Droux
  • Publication number: 20120221312
    Abstract: The subject application relates to a method and system for power delivery network analysis. The present disclosure is directed towards a computer-implemented method for analyzing a power delivery network (PDN) system. The method may include receiving at least one of a chip power model, a package power model and a board power model at the computing device and co-simulating at least two of the chip power model, the package power model, and the board power model. Numerous other features are also within the scope of the present disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Wenliang DAI, Lanbing CHEN, Guoying FENG, Ping LIU, Dennis NAGLE, Jilin TAN, Wenjian ZHANG, Qi ZHAO, ZhongYong ZHOU
  • Patent number: 8255856
    Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided for use in evaluating a hierarchical representation of a circuit design encoded in a computer readable medium comprising: traversing a circuit path within a higher level circuit that includes a reference potential connection, to identify a port of a call to a first lower level circuit that is DC path connected to the reference potential; identifying a first DC port group that includes each port of the call to the first lower level circuit that is DC path connected to the identified port of the call to the first lower level circuit; automatically marking as DC path connected to the reference potential, each port of the call to the first lower level circuit that is a member of the first DC port group; and traversing a circuit path within the first lower level circuit to identify a circuit path within the first lower level circuit that is DC path connected to a marked port of the first lower level circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Zhang, Jun Kong, Bruce W. McGaughy
  • Patent number: 8255850
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, statistical timing analysis is applied with respect to a stress degradation that occurs in fabricated integrated circuits (IC) when used for a long duration. The circuit design may be suitably modified to account for the degradations (e.g., those caused by NBTI and CHC for transistors, those caused due to electromigration in case of interconnects). As a result, the fabricated ICs may be less susceptible to such degradations. The features are extended to model complex circuit blocks and also account for different degrees of stress that different circuit blocks are subjected to, in a same age of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Palkesh Jain, Arvind Nembili Veeravalli, Ajoy Mandal
  • Patent number: 8255196
    Abstract: A system and method for constructing a clock tree based on replica stages is described. The system and method may comprise determining a size of an input buffer for driving a load capacitance of the output buffer based on a fanout, determining a wire width and a wire length based on the size of the output buffer, the fanout and a replica stage mathematical model, and connecting the output buffer and the corresponding input buffer to a conductor routed on one or more predetermined metal layers and having the wire length and the wire width. The conductor is placed within ground shields having a fixed width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: William W. Walker, Subodh M. Reddy, Ranjeez Murgai
  • Patent number: 8255199
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, the performance of an electronic circuit having a clock path between a clock source cell and a clock leaf cell is characterized over a simulation duration, where the clock path has one or more intermediate cells. Variations in the effective power supply voltage level least one intermediate cell over the simulation duration are determined using a system-level power-grid simulation tool. Static timing analysis (STA) software is used to determine cell delays for at least one of the intermediate cells for different clock-signal transitions at different times during the simulation duration. The cell delays are then used to generate one or more metrics characterizing the performance of the electronic circuit, such as maximum and minimum pulse widths, maximum cycle-to-cycle jitter, and maximum periodic jitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Hyuk-Jong Yi
  • Patent number: 8255200
    Abstract: A power circuit protection and control device simulator emulates in real time identical circuit protection and control functions performed by the actual device being simulated and generates real time simulated operational information concerning at least one of the device or the power circuit. A human-machine interface, such as through a web browser, allows a user to input power circuit operational parameters, such as motor current and load, and device variable circuit protection and control operational parameters, such as trip class, ground fault detection or phase unbalance protection. The simulator displays in real time simulated operational information on the human-machine interface. The simulator may be used to simulate operation of an electronic overload relay and an electric motor controlled by the relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Edward Ingraham, David Otey, Rüdiger W. Hausmann, Elie G. Ghawi
  • Publication number: 20120215497
    Abstract: A system and method for modeling microelectromechanical devices is disclosed. An embodiment includes separating the microelectromechanical design into separate regions and modeling the separate regions separately. Parametric parameters or parametric equations may be utilized in the separate models. The separate models may be integrated into a MEMS device model. The MEMS device model may be tested and calibrated, and then may be used to model new designs for microelectromechanical devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tung-Tsun Chen, Yung-Chow Peng, Jui-Cheng Huang
  • Publication number: 20120215515
    Abstract: Methods herein provide for estimating a high frequency performance of a PCB via model through simulation. A via model is generated to include a representation of structures of a via, such as input and output pads, and input and output stubs. A signal path in the model is defined from an input pad of the model to an output pad of the model along a transmission line segment between the input pad and the output pad. Frequency dependent input impedance values at the input pad are generated based on one or more of the input pad diameter value, the output pad diameter value, the input stub length value, and the output sub length value. A high frequency performance of the via model is estimated based on the frequency dependent input impedance values at the input pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventor: Andrew D. Norte
  • Patent number: 8249838
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for modeling the characteristics of memristor devices. The invention provides methods and an apparatus for accurately characterizing the linear and non-linear Lissajous current-voltage behavior of actual memristor devices and incorporating such behavior into the resultant model. The invention produces a model that is adaptable to large scale memristor device simulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Robinson E. Pino, James W. Bohl
  • Patent number: 8249847
    Abstract: An exemplary simulation system for manufacturing a printed circuit board is provided. The simulation system includes at least one simulation sub-system. The simulation sub-system includes an input module, a storing module, a processing module, and an output module. The input module is configured for acquiring a number of processing parameters associated with steps of a process for manufacturing the printed circuit board. The storing module is configured for storing a number of simulation functions relating to the steps of the process for manufacturing the printed circuit board. The processing module is configured for selecting and performing the corresponding simulation function according to the acquired parameters, thereby obtaining a simulation result. The output module is configured for output the simulation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: FuKui Precision Compnent (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Zhen Ding Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Zhu, Ming Wang, Chih-Yi Tu
  • Patent number: 8249848
    Abstract: An improved method of verifying a processor design using a processor simulation model in a simulation environment is disclosed, wherein the processor simulation model includes at least one execution unit for executing at least one instruction of a test file. The method includes tracking each execution of each of the at least one instruction, monitoring relevant signals in each simulation cycle, maintaining information about the execution of the at least one instruction, wherein the maintained information includes a determination of an execution length of a completely executed instruction, matching the maintained information about the completely executed instruction against a set of trap elements provided by the user through a trap file, and collecting the maintained information about the completely executed instruction in a monitor file in response to a match found between the maintained information and at least one of the trap elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Letz, Kai Weber, Juergen Vielfort
  • Patent number: 8249836
    Abstract: An online simulation system for a flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) which is capable of analyzing operation control effect of the FACTS in advance through an online data connection with a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system used for operating an electric power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Korea Electric Power Corporation
    Inventors: Jong-Su Yoon, Byung-Hoon Chang, Soo-Yeol Kim, Seung-Pil Moon, Jeong-Yuel Han
  • Patent number: 8249839
    Abstract: A method for building a magnetic bead mathematical model includes defining component elements of the model of the magnetic bead, building the model of the magnetic bead, obtaining a characteristic curve of an impedance of a magnetic bead in a standard magnetic bead specification of the magnetic bead, ascertaining parameters of the component elements, simulating the model of the magnetic bead, and comparing the characteristic curve with the characteristic curve in the standard magnetic bead specification, to further optimize the mode of the magnetic bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Guang-Feng Ou
  • Patent number: 8250508
    Abstract: An analysis and design apparatus for semiconductor device, which utilizes a transistor model using accurate channel impurity concentration distribution are provided. The analysis and design apparatus includes a parameter setting portion that divides a channel region into a plurality of regions, and temporarily sets a plurality of impurity concentrations for the plurality of regions as a plurality of parameters. Further, the analysis and design apparatus includes an element characteristic calculation portion that values of electric characteristics of the transistor using surface potential that is calculated by solving a Poisson equation using a plurality of effective impurity concentrations. Moreover, the determination portion compares the calculated values with measured values read from a storage portion based on the structure information, and determines that the plurality of parameters for the transistor when the measured values correspond to the calculated values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hironori Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8249850
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique for executing performance evaluation simulation of a system to be implemented by software or hardware. A simulation apparatus includes a first acquisition section for executing existing tentative software to acquire a first execution log, a division section for dividing the first execution log into a plurality of basic processing units, a basic processing execution log production section for modifying some of the plural basic processing units to produce a basic processing execution log to be used for simulation, and a simulation execution section for inputting the basic processing execution log to a hardware model to execute the simulation to acquire information required for the performance evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tomoki Kato, Noriyasu Nakayama, Hiroyuki Hieda
  • Patent number: 8249849
    Abstract: An area partitioning processing unit equally partitions a power source network analysis object area of an LSI according to the number or size of partitioned areas specified by a user or partitions the power source network analysis object area according to the user's specification. A border processing unit extracts and adds a range-of-influence part of the power source network that can electrically influence a border between the partitioned area partitioned by the area partitioning processing unit and an adjacent power source network area. A modeling processing unit performs processing of resistance modeling of the partitioned area or a correction spot with the range-of-influence part added thereto by the border processing unit. A power source network analyzing processing unit analyzes a resistance model modeled by the modeling processing unit and calculates potential of each via as a current source to a load element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Yasuo Amano
  • Publication number: 20120209583
    Abstract: A computer-readable medium stores therein a verification support program that causes a computer to execute a process including first detecting an assertion that evaluates to true during simulation of a circuit, the assertion being detected from an assertion group prescribing values of registers to be met by the circuit; updating, at a clock tick subsequent to a clock tick at which the assertion is detected at the first detecting, an expected value of a register, to a value of the register as prescribed by the assertion; second detecting inconsistency between the expected value that has been updated at the updating and the value of the register; determining, based on a detection result obtained at the second detecting, validity of a change in the value of the register; and outputting a determination result obtained at the determining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Matthieu PARIZY, Hiroaki IWASHITA
  • Patent number: 8244512
    Abstract: The debug system described in this patent specification provides a system that generates hardware elements from normally non-synthesizable code elements for placement on an FPGA device. This particular FPGA device is called a Behavior Processor. This Behavior Processor executes in hardware those code constructs that were previously executed in software. When some condition is satisfied (e.g., If . . . then . . . else loop) which requires some intervention by the workstation or the software model, the Behavior Processor works with an Xtrigger device to send a callback signal to the workstation for immediate response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ping-Sheng Tseng, Sharon Sheau-Pyng Lin, Quincy Kun-Hsu Shen, Mike Mon Yen Tsai, Steven Wang
  • Patent number: 8245084
    Abstract: A subset of a workload, which includes a total set of dynamic instructions, is identified to use as a trace. Processor unit hardware executes the entire workload in real-time using a particular dataset. The processor unit hardware includes at least one microprocessor and at least one cache. The real-time execution of the workload is monitored to obtain information about how the processor unit hardware executes the workload when the workload is executed using the particular dataset to form actual performance information. Multiple different subsets of the workload are generated. The execution of each one of the subsets by the processor unit hardware is compared with the actual performance information. A result of the comparison is used to select one of the plurality of different subsets that most closely represents the execution of the entire workload using the particular dataset to use as a trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Bell, Jr., Wen-Tzer Thomas Chen, Venkat Rajeev Indukuru, Pattabi Michael Seshadri, Madhavi Gopal Valluri
  • Patent number: 8245179
    Abstract: It is required to qualitatively design a circuitry device in which not only in a small-signal simulation but also in a large-signal simulation, loop oscillation and motorboating oscillation of an amplifier are precisely predicted to suppress oscillation without severing a loop or without inserting a circulator. To remove insertion loss due to a probe resistor Rx, a negative resistor ?Rx/2 is arranged at both ends thereof. To prevent consumption of a DC bias in the probe, a DC block is applied. Further, to remove thermal noise caused by an actual resistor to reduce influence on a noise factor NF, the noise temperature (environmental temperature) of the actual resistor is set to zero Kelvin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20120203533
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting an improper voltage levels between a hardware emulator and an auxiliary hardware device are provided. In various implementations, a voltage level detector is attached to a bus that connects an emulator with an auxiliary hardware device. Subsequently, the voltage level detector can be used to detect when operating conditions on the bus are outside specification. More specifically, when the voltage level on the bus falls outside a threshold level, the voltage level detector may be used to alert a user, pause operation of the emulator or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventor: William E. Jacobus
  • Publication number: 20120203532
    Abstract: Performing a transient analysis with a compact FET model that is predominantly intended for DC analysis, such as an IDDQ leakage model, to enable toggling logic states in sequential logic circuits that cannot otherwise be examined in a DC analysis. An embodiment enables examining the DC or AC conditions of any logic state of any logic circuit in a DC or AC analysis, and additionally, it eliminates a potentially long execution time of a transient analysis with a DC model. Further solved is the present need to run two simulations and to maintain two netlists in order to overcome being unable to toggle certain logic states in the DC analysis. The invention achieves the aforementioned in a single simulation with a single netlist that calculates the DC operating circuit conditions with a model A on the fly at predetermined times or in certain logic states, during a transient analysis with a model B.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Claus Olsen, Jie Deng, Terence B. Hook, Madan Mohan Naga Nutakki
  • Patent number: 8239794
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a system and of an associated method for estimating the leakage current of an electronic circuit. The embodiments analyze a layout of an electronic circuit in order to identify all driven and non-driven nets within the electronic circuit, to identify all of the driven net-bounded partitions within the electronic circuit (based on the driven and non-driven nets), and to identify, for each driven net-bounded partition, all possible states of the electronic circuit that can leak. Then, using this information, the embodiments estimate the leakage current of the electronic circuit. This is accomplished by first determining, for each state of each driven net-bounded partition, a leakage current of the driven net-bounded partition and a probability that the state will occur in the driven net-bounded partition during operation of the electronic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bhavna Agrawal, David J. Hathaway, Pravin P. Kamdar, Karl K. Moody, III, Peng Peng, David W. Winston
  • Patent number: 8239814
    Abstract: A set of parameter drifts is recorded over a period of time for each of a series of stress tests on a system at various stress levels. Each set of the recorded parameter drifts is plotted as parameter drift versus time. The plots are then time shifted in relation to a reference plot to form a single parameter drift plot. A non-linear equation is fitted to the single parameter drift plot and then used to predict parameter drift over the life of the system. The non-linear equation may be modified by adding a stress acceleration factor to allow prediction of parameter drift over time at different stress levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Vijay Kumar Reddy
  • Patent number: 8239182
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate simulation, verification, and optimization of a data transmission system by utilizing simulation memory component(s) are presented. A simulation memory component can be used to replace memory components and/or hardware components to facilitate early simulation and/or verification of the overall interconnectivity of the system. A simulation memory component(s) can be configured to emulate various sizes of memory components associated with the system. Data throughput can be measured during simulation, and the depth and/or width associated with a simulation memory component can be adjusted to facilitate obtaining a desired data throughput based in part on predefined data throughput criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventor: Ravindra K. Kanade
  • Patent number: 8239801
    Abstract: Method of analyzing noise sensitivity of integrated circuits having at least one memory storage device and a noise sensitivity analyzer. In one embodiment, the noise sensitivity analyzer includes a circuit reservoir, a circuit parser and a circuit evaluator. The circuit reservoir is configured to receive and store a model of a circuit having at least one memory storage device to be analyzed. The circuit parser is configured to identify nodes of the model. The circuit evaluator is configured to apply a large test current to each of the nodes for multiple circuit states of the at least one memory storage device and determine which of the nodes are sensitive nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Mark F. Turner, Jeff S. Brown, Joseph Simko, Miguel A. Vilchis
  • Patent number: 8239177
    Abstract: Simulating a mechanical system controlled by a motion controller. First position data may be received. The first position data may be provided by a motion controller at a first rate. The first position data received at the first rate may be interpolated to provide second position data at a second rate. Operation of the mechanical system may be simulated or modeled using the second position data at the second rate. Interpolating the first position data and modeling the operation of the mechanical system may be performed without simulating drives and motors necessary to drive the mechanical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Sundeep Chandhoke, Brian C. MacCleery
  • Patent number: 8234102
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present application includes the preparation of an assertion for inclusion in an integrated circuit simulation performed with a processing device (21). In response to an input to this processing device (21), a set of integrated circuit waveforms are defined to test the assertion. The processing device (21) tests the assertion with these waveforms; and after successful testing, the integrated circuit simulation is performed with the assertion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Tim Lange
  • Publication number: 20120191438
    Abstract: Methods and systems for thermodynamic evolution. Adaptive control systems are constructed based on the property of volatile matter to self-organize to maximize the dissipation of energy. The logical state of sensory nodes in a node circuit are set and projected into a network. Then, the system evaluates logical state of processing nodes by summing input currents of processing nodes and project processing node's state into network. The strength of processing node is increased such that logical state of sensory node matches with logical states of processing node by utilizing plasticity rule. The system is configured to maximize energy dissipation by creating weight structures to stabilize nodes with logical state. The internal positive feedback of node circuit forces competition between nodes such that one node is driven to high logical state and other nodes to low logical state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventor: Alex Nugent
  • Publication number: 20120191437
    Abstract: A method for extracting an accurate IBIS simulation model of a semiconductor device including a plurality of semiconductor chips comprises: extracting an AC characteristics model of a first output buffer in an IBIS simulation model by treating first and second output buffers of first and second semiconductor chips connected to a single external connection terminal as a transistor model and executing a transistor-level circuit simulation; calculating an output capacitance model of the first output buffer as an IBIS simulation model by adding output capacitances of the first and second output buffers as a transistor-level circuit simulation model; and synthesizing an IBIS simulation model of the first output buffer viewed from the external connection terminal by using the AC characteristics model and the output capacitance model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
    Inventors: Tadaaki YOSHIMURA, Yoji NISHIO, Sadahiro NONOYAMA, Koji MATSUO, Shinji ITANO, Yoshiyuki YAGAMI
  • Patent number: 8230382
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product are provided for simulating a circuit. A plurality of elements of the circuit is represented by device models including pass/fail criteria. A circuit simulation program is executed on a hardware implemented processor where the circuit simulation program is configured to obtain simulation results from the device models in response to applied parameters. The circuit simulation program identifies a failure of one or more of the plurality of elements of the circuit based on the pass/fail criteria of the device models. The circuit simulation program is further configured to output the failures during simulation of the one or more of the plurality of elements that are identified in response to the applied parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Gauthier, Jr., Bradford L. Hunter, Amol A. Joshi, Junjun Li, Gregory Joseph Schroer
  • Patent number: 8229726
    Abstract: An object-oriented software analysis framework is provided for enabling software engineers and hardware engineers to gain insight into the behavior of software applications on emerging hardware platforms even before the hardware is fabricated. In this analysis framework, simulation data containing instruction, address and/or hardware register information is sent to interchangeable and parameterizable analyzer and profiler modules that decode the data and perform analysis of the data according to each module's respective analysis function. This detailed analysis is performed by constructing a tree of such modules through which the data travels and is classified and analyzed or filtered at each level of the tree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Tariq Magdon-Ismail, Razvan Cheveresan, Matthew D. Ramsay
  • Patent number: 8229723
    Abstract: Various methods and apparatuses are described that provide instrumentation and analysis of an electronic design. A method for providing performance instrumentation and analysis of the electronic design includes defining a first and second set of intended software instrumentation test points and an associated first and second set of performance analysis units. The method further includes instrumenting the first and second sets of software instrumentation test points and the associated first and second sets of performance analysis units to a first model and a second model, respectively. The method further includes creating a first and a second set of software instances associated with the first and second sets of intended software instrumentation test points and associated sets of performance analysis units during run time of a first simulation and a second simulation of the electronic design associated with the first model and second model, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Sonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Krishnan Srinivasan, Chien-Chun Chou, Drew Wingard
  • Patent number: 8229724
    Abstract: A parameter acquisition section acquires model information about a waveform simulation model of a system of signal transmission, a first parameter of a waveform variation in a time direction in the system, and a second parameter of a waveform variation in an amplitude direction in the system. A first eye pattern calculation section calculates a first eye pattern of the system through a waveform simulation based on the model information acquired by the parameter acquisition section. A second eye pattern calculation section calculates, based on the first and second parameters acquired by the parameter acquisition section, a second eye pattern through processing of the first eye pattern calculated by the first eye pattern calculation section. And a transmission margin calculation section calculates, as a transmission margin, a positional relationship between a specific area and an aperture of the second eye pattern calculated by the second eye pattern calculation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Daita Tsubamoto
  • Patent number: 8224630
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a technique to model applications and storage used thereby. An aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for managing a computer system which includes at least one host computer and at least one storage system which are connected via a network, the at least one host computer having an application running thereon. The method comprises modeling an application running on a host of a computer system as an application object, which includes associating storage utilized by the application with the application object; tracking operation of the storage associated with the application object as a service being delivered by the storage to the application; and presenting result on the service being delivered by the storage to the application based on tracking the operation of the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Data Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Ashutosh Das, Greg L Pelts, Sanjeev Sahu
  • Patent number: 8225266
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of methods for extracting various high frequency parameters for a circuit design. In one exemplary embodiment, circuit design information indicating at least a geometric layout of conductors in the circuit design and a desired frequency of operation for the circuit design is received. Conduction modes representing distribution functions for currents in the conductors at the desired frequency of operation are defined. A conduction mode matrix including matrix elements based on the defined conduction modes is generated. Values for one or more matrix elements are computed by decomposing integrands for calculating the matrix elements into simplified terms that are less computationally intensive than the integrands and computing the values of the simplified terms. The values for the one or more matrix elements can be stored (e.g., on one or more computer-readable media).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Roberto Suaya, Salvador Ortiz
  • Patent number: 8224636
    Abstract: A method and mechanism for implementing a general purpose scripting language that supports parallel execution is described. In one approach, parallel execution is provided in a seamless and high-level approach rather than requiring or expecting a user to have low-level programming expertise with parallel processing languages/functions. Also described is a system and method for performing circuit simulation. The present approach provides methods and systems that create reusable and independent measurements for use with circuit simulators. Also disclosed are parallelizable measurements having looping constructs that can be run without interference between parallel iterations. Reusability is enhanced by having parameterized measurements. Revisions and history of the operating parameters of circuit designs subject to simulation are tracked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth S. Kundert
  • Patent number: 8224637
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention relates to modeling a transistor in an integrated circuit design. Layout data for the integrated circuit design is obtained. A geometry relating the transistor to at least one well edge of at least one implant well is extracted from the layout data. An effective well proximity value for the transistor is calculated based on the at least one well edge using a complementary error function. The transistor is modeled using the effective well proximity value. In one embodiment, the effective well proximity value is added to a post-layout extracted netlist for the integrated circuit design. The integrated circuit design may be simulated using the post-layout extracted netlist. The effective well proximity value may be used to calculate a threshold voltage for the transistor during the step of simulating the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Jane W. Sowards, Shuxian Wu, Kaiman Chan
  • Patent number: 8219374
    Abstract: Interactive and real time web-based electrical circuit symbolic solvers and simulators. The invention includes an interactive and innovative graphical user interface (GUI) for creating circuit schematics and generating netlists, circuits symbolic solving and instant simulated solutions, their systems and methods. Users such as students can use GUI interfaces to remotely access a remote server controlled by educational institutions such as universities, or electronic book publishers, in order to draw, symbolically solve, and instantly simulate electrical circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Issa Batarseh, Ehab Shoubaki, Shadi Harb, Ghaith Haddad
  • Patent number: 8219947
    Abstract: An electronic design automation technology merges coverage logs. The coverage logs are generated by verification of a hardware description language circuit design. The coverage logs are merged as the coverage logs are generated, without waiting for all pending coverage logs. Another electronic design automation technology also merges coverage logs. The merged coverage logs include a first coverage log of a first simulation of a hardware description language circuit design and a second coverage log of a second simulation of the hardware description language circuit design. The first simulation is based on a first hardware verification language coverage model of the hardware description language circuit design. The second simulation is based on a second hardware verification language coverage model of the hardware description language circuit design. The second hardware verification language coverage model is newer and different than the first hardware verification language coverage model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Manoj Bist, Sandeep Mehrotra
  • Patent number: 8219376
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for verifying a design includes representing a verification directive, which pertains to the design and includes a local variable, by a finite state machine. The state machine includes multiple states, with transitions among the states, transition conditions associated with the transitions, and procedural blocks, which correspond to the transitions and define operations to be performed on the local variable when traversing the respective transitions. The finite state machine is executed by traversing the transitions in accordance with the respective transition conditions and modifying the local variable in accordance with the respective procedural blocks of the traversed transitions, so as to verify the design with respect to the verification directive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dmitry Pidan, Sitvanit Ruah
  • Patent number: RE43623
    Abstract: A logic circuit simulation apparatus used in designing a logic IC (integrated circuit) is provided. The logic circuit simulation apparatus includes a power control signal specifying unit which creates power control signal information for specifying statuses of a plurality of power control signals, a logic circuit simulation control information generation unit which reads the power control signal information and related circuit connection information and generates a logic circuit simulation control information based on the power control signal information and the circuit connection information, and a logic circuit simulation unit which fixes with high impedance each input of a circuit block to which power is not supplied in accordance with the logic circuit simulation control information, simulating the logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasutaka Tsukamoto