Timing Verification (timing Analysis) Patents (Class 716/108)
  • Patent number: 11675956
    Abstract: A system includes a machine configured to perform operations including accessing an integrated circuit design including a buffer tree that interconnects a plurality of inputs and buffers. The buffer tree includes a baseline timing characteristic. The operations include identifying a set of candidate solutions for improving the baseline timing characteristic using an initial timing model and selecting a subset of candidate solutions that have a timing characteristic lower than the baseline timing characteristic. Then the subset of candidate solutions are evaluated using a detailed timing model and based on determining that at least one candidate solution in the subset has a timing characteristic that is better than the baseline timing characteristic, selecting a candidate solution from the set of candidate solutions, and updating the buffer tree based on the candidate solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jhih-Rong Gao, Yi-Xiao Ding, Zhuo Li
  • Patent number: 11663384
    Abstract: An equivalent input characterization waveform (EICW) is determined for a channel-connected block (CCB) located on a boundary of a cell, for a specific waveform of interest. The EICW and the specific waveform of interest produce a same timing characteristic of the CCB, but the EICW belongs to a set of waveforms on which a behavioral timing model for the multi-stage cell is based whereas the specific waveform of interest is not so limited. A timing response of the multi-stage cell is then estimated based on applying the EICW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Peivand Tehrani, Ahmed Shebaita, Li Ding
  • Patent number: 11663381
    Abstract: A processor receives, as input, a first hardware description language (HDL) file defining an entity of a modular circuit design. The first HDL file instantiates, by a storage element declaration in a hardware description language, a storage element within the entity. The first HDL file omits a port map for the storage element. Based on the first HDL file, the processor automatically fully elaborates a port map for the storage element. The processor stores, in data storage, a derived second HDL file defining the entity and including the port map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Gerard Shuma, Ali S. El-Zein, Wolfgang Roesner, Viresh Paruthi, Benedikt Geukes, Klaus-Dieter Schubert, Birgit Schubert, Stephen John Barnfield, Derek E. Williams
  • Patent number: 11630935
    Abstract: Computer-based simulation of a device under test (DUT) corresponding to a user circuit design includes providing an adapter configured to couple to the DUT during the computer-based simulation (simulation). The adapter is configured to translate incoming high-level programming language (HLPL) transactions into DUT compatible data for conveyance to the DUT and translate DUT compatible data generated by the DUT to outgoing HLPL transactions. A communication server is provided that couples to the adapter during the simulation. The communication server is configured to exchange the incoming and outgoing HLPL transactions with an entity executing external to the simulation. A communication layer client is provided that is configured to execute external to the simulation and exchange the incoming and outgoing HLPL transactions with the communication server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Kasat, Tharun Kumar Ksheerasagar, Hemant Kashyap, Madhusudana Reddy, Rohit Bhadana
  • Patent number: 11625525
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide for clustering-based grouping of cells in a cell library, which can be used for pruning the cell library. In particular, various embodiments provide for a clustering-based grouping of cells in a cell library based on a criterion (or cell attribute), and for pruning of the cell library based on the grouping of cells, which can optimize the cell library for the criterion. For instance, some embodiments provide for a clustering-based grouping of cells based on leakage power and then applying cell library pruning to optimize for cell leakage power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhuo Li, Natarajan Viswanathan, Vitor Bandeira, Yi-Xiao Ding
  • Patent number: 11620424
    Abstract: A system and method utilized to receive an integrated circuit (IC) design and generating a graph based on a plurality of sub-circuits of the IC design. Further, one or more candidate sub-circuits are determined from the plurality of sub-circuits based on the graph. Additionally, one or more sub-circuits are identified from the one or more candidate sub-circuits based on a number of transistors and a number of edges within each of the plurality of sub-circuits. An indication of the identified one or more sub-circuits is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Mayukh Bhattacharya, Sayandeep Sanyal, Amit Patra, Pallab Dasgupta
  • Patent number: 11593544
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) includes: at least one programmable logic circuit to execute a function programmed with a bitstream; a self-test circuit to execute a self-test at a first voltage, the self-test and the first voltage programmed with first metadata associated with the bitstream, the self-test including at least one critical path length of the function; and a power controller to identify an operating voltage for the at least one programmable logic circuit based at least in part on the execution of the self-test at the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Efraim Rotem, Boris Mishori, Eran Dagan
  • Patent number: 11561775
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for defining a library of functional modules; enabling a user to select a plurality of functional modules from the library of functional modules; and enabling the user to visually arrange the plurality of functional modules to form a conversational application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: David Ardman, Andrew Matkin, Nirvana Tikku, John B. Fisler, Matthias Haack, Christopher A. Starbird, Bryan A. Reif, Alfred Sterphone, III, Nikos Polis, Michael S. Gourlay, Robert A. Follett
  • Patent number: 11556145
    Abstract: A method for minimizing the skew (balancing) between all paths arriving at the inputs ports of each gate within a given combinatorial circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Birad—Research & Development Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Adam Teman, Yehuda Kra, Tzachi Noy
  • Patent number: 11537769
    Abstract: Simulator includes a first core unit corresponding to the first simulation model, a second core unit corresponding to the second simulation model, a slave block unit for communicating with one of the first core unit and the second core unit, the first core unit and the second core unit and a simulation control unit for causing either to execute instructions. The first core unit includes a high-speed mode instruction execution control unit that stops executing subsequent instructions in response to a request for switching from the first simulation model to the second simulation model, and a transaction monitor unit that monitors whether or not the transaction processing between the first core unit and the slave block unit has been completed. The simulation control unit causes the second core unit to execute instructions in response to a notification of completion of the transaction processing from the transaction monitor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Megumi Yoshinaga, Koichi Sato
  • Patent number: 11531797
    Abstract: A system and method for performing operating state analysis of an integrated circuit (IC) design is disclosed. The method includes simulating a switching operation from a first operating state to a second operating state for one or more cells of the IC design using a plurality of vectors corresponding to one or more user-specified constraints. The method include generating a time-based waveform for each cell of the one or more cells changing an operating state from the first operating state to the second operating state, and based on the generated time-based waveform, identifying one or more operating state changes corresponding to the operating state analysis and associated timing window and cell information. The method includes verifying the one or more operating state changes by the each cell of the one or more cells of the IC design meet the one or more user-specified constraints for generating an analysis report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Youxin Gao, Qing Su, Mayur Bubna
  • Patent number: 11526650
    Abstract: A system includes one or more processors and a computer storage medium storing instructions that cause a machine to perform operations including accessing an integrated circuit (IC) design including an initial clock tree. The operations include selecting a first driver to evaluate for resizing, the first driver being a first size and having a first leakage current and determining a baseline power consumption measurement of clock tree based on the first size and the first leakage current of the first driver. The operations include identifying a plurality of replacement drivers to replace the first driver and determining a power consumption measurement for a second driver. Based on determining that the power consumption measurement for the second driver is less than the baseline power consumption measurement replacing the first driver with the second driver and generating a layout instance based on the second driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Xiao Ding, Zhuo Li, Jhih-Rong Gao
  • Patent number: 11520966
    Abstract: A method comprising categorizing nodes of a fabricated circuit as being priority nodes and nodes as being inferior nodes; evaluating a first priority node by automatically designating for verification the first priority node, and ascertaining whether a measured signal from the first priority node meets a pass-fail criterion for the first priority node; evaluating, when the measured signal from the first priority node meets the pass-fail criterion, a second priority node by automatically designating for verification the second priority node, and ascertaining whether a measured signal from the second priority node meets a pass-fail criterion for the second priority node; and evaluating, when the measured signal from the first priority node does not meet the pass-fail criterion, a first inferior node, by automatically designating for verification the first inferior node, and ascertaining whether a measured signal from the first inferior node meets a pass-fail criterion for the first inferior node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: David Everett Burgess
  • Patent number: 11520961
    Abstract: In an approach, a processor receives an input indicative of a set of registers, the set of registers being configured for obtaining output data from a design-under-test (DUT) in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) module. A processor executes a set of instructions for monitoring the output data in the set of registers;. A processor generates data indicative of at least one portion of changes of the output data in the set of registers during the execution of the set of instructions. A processor causes a separate machine to analyze the data via utilizing an interface to send the data to the separate machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yan Heng Lu, Heng Liu, He Wang, Chen Qian
  • Patent number: 11520962
    Abstract: Techniques and systems for determining an output waveform at an output of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) logic gate are described. Some embodiments can identify at least one set of inputs of the CMOS logic gate that, when switched together, causes multiple transistors coupled in parallel to simultaneously turn-on and drive the output of the CMOS logic gate. Next, the embodiments can determine a set of current source models that are coupled in parallel to model the CMOS logic gate when the set of inputs of the CMOS logic gate are switched together. The embodiments can then simulate the set of current source models together to determine the output waveform at the output of the CMOS logic gate when the set of inputs of the CMOS logic gate are switched together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmed M. Shebaita, Han Y. Koh, Li Ding
  • Patent number: 11520959
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) design is accessed from a database in memory. The IC design comprises a route connecting a source to a sink. A set of buffering candidates for buffering are generated for the net. A timing improvement associated with a buffering candidate in the set of buffering candidates is determined using a first timing model. The buffering candidate is pruned from the set of buffering candidates based on the timing improvement and a cost associated with the buffering candidate. The pruned set of buffering candidates is evaluated using a second timing model, and a buffering solution for the net is selected from the pruned set of buffering candidates based on a result of the evaluating. The IC design is updated to include the buffering solution selected for the net.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Xiao Ding, Zhuo Li, Jhih-Rong Gao, Sheng-En David Lin
  • Patent number: 11514218
    Abstract: Embodiments include herein are directed towards a method for static timing analysis. Embodiments included herein may include providing, using at least one processor, a database of predefined script tags and causing a display of a script at a graphical user interface. Embodiments may also include receiving an insertion of at least one tag from the database within the script and generating one or more timing reports based upon, at least in part, the script and the at least one tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hemendra Singh Negi, Naresh Kumar, Arunjai Singh
  • Patent number: 11507054
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method and system for hierarchical multi-scale design with the aid of a digital computer. A hierarchical representation of a shape and material distribution is constructed which satisfies a top-level constraint at a top-level of representation. Properties for families of designs at each of the lower levels of representation that satisfy additional constraints link each of the lower levels of representation to at least a next higher level of the representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Morad Behandish, Amir Mirzendehdel, Saigopal Nelaturi
  • Patent number: 11482992
    Abstract: A clock sweeping system includes multiple delay elements and a selection circuit. The delay elements are configured to generate multiple delayed clock signals. Each delay element is configured to receive an input signal and delay the input signal to generate a corresponding first delayed clock signal. The input signal is one of a first clock signal, a second clock signal, and a corresponding output signal generated by a previous delay element. The selection circuit is configured to select and output, based on a first select signal for a plurality of times, a corresponding second delayed clock signal as a first output clock signal. The selection circuit is further configured to select and output, based on a second select signal, one of the first and second clock signals as a second output clock signal. The first output clock signal is asynchronous with respect to the second output clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Neha Srivastava, Ateet Mishra, Ankur Behl, Nancy Mishra, Kriti Garg
  • Patent number: 11475195
    Abstract: A method includes performing, using a processor, a synthesis operation to generate a netlist from input data about an integrated circuit, placing and routing, using the one processor, standard cells defining the integrated circuit using the netlist, to generate layout data and wire data, extracting, using the processor, parasitic components from the layout data, and performing, using the processor, timing analysis of the integrated circuit according to timing constraints, based on the layout data and the wire data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-pil Lee, Bong-il Park, Moon-su Kim, Sun-ik Heo
  • Patent number: 11463074
    Abstract: A storage element that is operable based on a system clock signal, the storage element including a clock gating circuitry configured to generate a gated clock signal based on at least one Boolean signal and the system clock signal or a preprocessed system clock signal, wherein the clock gating circuitry comprises physical connections of small capacitance such that tapping of at least one of the physical connections results in a hold-time violation. Also, a hardware-based cryptography accelerator or a secured processing system including at least one such storage element, and a method for operating at least one storage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kuenemund, Thomas Poeppelmann
  • Patent number: 11455455
    Abstract: A method for controlling crosstalk between multiple noise generating wiring tracks and a quiet wiring track by determining a parallel common run length and determining the number of threshold lengths into which the maximum parallel common run length is divided. The space between the quiet wiring track and each wiring track of the noise generating wiring tracks is determined. Multiple metal wiring track structures on one metal wiring level of and multiple metal wiring track structures on another metal wiring level of an integrated circuit that are formed as segments that have various distances between the metal wiring track structures of one wiring level and multiple metal wiring track structures of the other wiring level to form a stair-step or ladder structure that controls individually the spacing applied between multiple active noise wiring track structures and one quiet wiring track structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Giuliano Fernandes Marinelli, John Fairnie, Simon Nicol
  • Patent number: 11380835
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining critical timing paths in a superconducting circuit design including Josephson junctions are provided. An example method includes providing timing information concerning a plurality of source terminals of at least one logic gate coupled with a first sink terminal of the at least one logic gate. The method further includes using a processor, determining whether, in view of the timing information, the first sink terminal is reachable by a single flux quantum (SFQ) pulse within a predetermined range of arrival time based on an assigned first phase to the at least one logic gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Janet L. Schneider, Paul Accisano, Mark G. Kupferschmidt, Kenneth Reneris
  • Patent number: 11366695
    Abstract: A charging assistant system that assists charging for use of an accelerator unit, which is one or more accelerators, includes an operation amount obtaining unit, an acceleration rate estimation unit, and a use fee determination unit. For each of one or more commands input into the accelerator unit, the operation amount obtaining unit obtains the amount of operation related to execution of the command from a response output from the accelerator unit for the command. For the one or more commands input into the accelerator unit, the acceleration rate estimation unit estimates an acceleration rate on the basis of command execution time that is time required for processing of the one or more commands, and one or more amounts of operation obtained for the one or more commands respectively. The use fee determination unit determines a use fee of the accelerator unit on the basis of the estimated acceleration rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Fujikawa, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Toshiyuki Aritsuka, Kazushi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 11327790
    Abstract: The independent claims of this patent signify a concise description of embodiments. A method is provided for parallel simulation using synchronization during simulation. The method comprises executing a plurality of threads in parallel, identifying a first event block and a second event block of a circuit design, calculating a minimum delay (minDelay) based on a current simulation time, scheduled times for execution of the first event block and the second event block, and causal delays (CausalDelay) of the first event block and the second event block, and scheduling a next synchronization point based on the minimum delay, the next synchronization point being a next simulation time at which the plurality of threads synchronize to a common clock. This Abstract is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek Gaur, Stanislav Margolin, Chengdong Jiang
  • Patent number: 11244676
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a processor, and a memory storing an application program supporting a task and a database including a first path rule for performing the task. The first path rule includes a plurality of first states of the electronic device. The memory stores instructions that cause the processor to receive a voice command making a request for performing the task to transmit the voice command to an external server, to receive a second path rule including a plurality of second states of the electronic device for performing the task to execute the plurality of second states included in the second path rule, in response to the reception of the second path rule, and when an error occurs during the execution of the plurality of second states, to execute at least part of the plurality of first states included in the first path rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventors: Jemin Lee, Hoon Choi, Yongseok Park, Dongho Jang
  • Patent number: 11228316
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems and devices for distribution of a timing signal among operational nodes of a circuit device comprising one or more circuit dies. In one implementation, a timing signal distribution network may transmit a timing signal to one or more operational circuit nodes formed on a circuit die and a clock circuit may generate a first clock signal for transmission as the timing signal to the one or more operational circuit nodes. A switch circuit may apply a second clock signal for transmission as the timing signal in lieu of the first clock signal if the circuit die is integrated at least one of the one or more other circuit dies. In another implementation, timing signals received at timing signal terminals of at least two of two or more of operational circuit nodes may be synchronized independently of the timing signal distribution network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Xu, Saurabh Pijuskumar Sinha, Sheng-En Hung, Chien-Ju Chao
  • Patent number: 11222155
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus that takes timing information associated with a plurality of inputs to a cell, such as an AND-gate, within an integrated circuit (IC) design, store the timing information in a timing information register (TIR) associated with an index identifying the source of the timing information and track the source of the timing information for a predetermined number of cells through the index. The timing information in the TIRs is merged upon the index indicating that the timing information has been tracked through a predetermined number of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Peivand Tehrani, Rachid Helaihel, Hushrav Mogal, Song Chen
  • Patent number: 11087059
    Abstract: Techniques for verification of integrated circuit design are disclosed. A design relating to an integrated circuit is received (102). The design includes a first parameterized element and a second parameterized element (104). The first parameterized element is identified as a do-not-care (DNC) element based on usage of the first parameterized element in the design (106). A plurality of models relating to the design are generated by a processing device (110). A first value of the first parameterized element is not varied during the generating, based on the identification of the first parameterized element as a DNC element (108). A second value of the second parameterized element is varied during the generating (108).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Anshu Malani, Paras Mal Jain, Sudeep Mondal
  • Patent number: 11048840
    Abstract: A system includes a net-identifying module and a false path-eliminating module. The net-identifying module is configured to receive first and second electronic lists associated with a circuit unit, to identify a net of the circuit unit based on the first electronic list, and to provide a net information output that includes information associated with the net. The false path-eliminating module is coupled to the net-identifying module and is configured to select, in the second electronic list, a path of the circuit unit that does not traverse through the net and provide a path information output that includes information associated with the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Chun-Jiun Dai, Hung-Jen Liao, Wei-Min Chan, Yen-Huei Chen
  • Patent number: 11048851
    Abstract: A stretchable electronics generating apparatus and layout method thereof are provided. The layout method includes: establishing a layout database, wherein the layout database recodes a plurality of layout selection information respectively corresponding to a plurality of strain/stress information; detecting a layout target area to obtain a strain/stress distribution status of the layout target area; generating a wire routing information according to the strain/stress distribution status based on the layout database; and transporting the wire routing information to a manufacture device of the conductive wires for disposing a plurality of physical conductive wires on the layout target area by the manufacture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Cheng-Ta Pan, Hung-Hsien Ko, Cheng-Chung Lee, Chang-Ying Chen, Wen-Yung Yeh
  • Patent number: 11042678
    Abstract: A method for modeling clock gate timing for an integrated circuit may include creating a dataset having measured values of at least two design features and corresponding measured values of clock gate timing, applying an analytical framework to the dataset to determine how the design features affect the clock gate timing, measuring values of design features for a clock tree for the integrated circuit, and generating predicted values of clock gate timing for the clock tree for the integrated circuit based on how the design features of the dataset affect the clock gate timing of the dataset. The clock tree for the integrated circuit may be a second clock tree, and creating the dataset may include constructing a first clock tree, measuring values of design features of the first clock tree, and measuring corresponding values of clock gate timing of the first clock tree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Inventors: Naman Gupta, Vinayak Kini, Hongda Lu
  • Patent number: 11023636
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for characterizing an electronic design with a susceptibility window. These techniques identify a set of multiple aggressors in an electronic design and determine, at a susceptibility window module stored in memory and executing in conjunction with a microprocessor of a computing node, a susceptibility window for an internal node of a victim and a timing window for the set of multiple aggressors in the electronic design. These techniques further determine a subset having at least one aggressor using at least the susceptibility window of the victim and the timing window for the set of multiple aggressors, and determine whether a glitch in the electronic design causes a violation at the internal node of the electronic design based at least in part upon the timing window and the susceptibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Keller, Ratnakar Goyal, Manuj Verma, Harmandeep Singh
  • Patent number: 11023637
    Abstract: A logic simulation electronic design automation (EDA) application, the logic can be configured to receive a circuit design of an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the circuit design comprising an imported module comprising a list of simple immediate assertions (SIAs) for the imported module, wherein the circuit design comprises a first power domain and a second power domain, wherein the first power domain controls a power state of the second power domain and the imported module is assigned to the second power domain. The logic simulation EDA application can be configured to convert, in response to user input, each SIA in the list of SIAs into a respective hybrid deferred assertion (HDA) to form a list of HDAs for the imported module and execute a simulation of the IC chip, and execution of the simulation can include execution of a plurality of time slots for a plurality of simulation cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Kohli, Sulabh Nangalia, Apurva Kalia, Yonghao Chen, Mickey Rodriguez, Abhishek Kanungo
  • Patent number: 11023634
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include a method that includes performing timing analysis of an integrated circuit design to identify a critical path. The critical path fails to meet a corresponding timing requirement. The method also includes determining an amount of slack needed by the critical path. The amount of slack is an amount by which the critical path fails to meet the corresponding timing requirement. Downstream slack is created in each path of a next cycle, wherein each path of the next cycle is immediately downstream of the critical path. Slack stealing is performed to improve timing of the critical path based on the downstream slack created in each path of the next cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Romain, Eddy St. Juste
  • Patent number: 10985990
    Abstract: A controller and a method for determining a logical topology of communications resources for providing a service offering. The controller comprises a function identifier, a graph generator and a mapper. The identifier is coupled to a service level description (SLD) associating the service with at least one service type and a library of network functions (NFs) and identifies at least one NF in the library for each service type. The generator is coupled to the SLD and a library of primitive service level graphs (SLGs) representing at least one data flow between directly-coupled resource entities and associates at least one primitive SLG to each identified NF. The mapper is coupled to the service level description and a map of network infrastructure elements and maps at least one resource entity of a primitive SLG onto an available network infrastructure element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hang Zhang, Xu Li
  • Patent number: 10970455
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for creating an improved VLSI design. In-context timing analysis of a nominal VLSI design is performed and at least one assigned apportionment adjustment is determined for a sub-block of the nominal VLSI design. One or more slack adjustments are derived for at least one port of the sub-block based on the at least one apportionment adjustment and the one or more slack adjustments are applied to the in-context timing analysis to simulate a post optimization version of the sub-block. The in-context timing analysis is repeated using the one or more applied slack adjustments to generate the improved VLSI design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Debjit Sinha, Adil Bhanji, Nathaniel Douglas Hieter
  • Patent number: 10963001
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques regarding aspects of implementing client configurable logic within a computer system. The computer system can be a cloud infrastructure. The techniques can include associating clock information with the client configurable logic for various purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Islam Mohamed Hatem Abdulfattah Mohamed Atta, Robert Michael Johnson, Nafea Bshara, Asif Khan
  • Patent number: 10936776
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide for analyzing (e.g., debugging) waveform data generated for a simulated circuit design, which can be used as part of electronic design automation (EDA). For example, where a user modifies a circuit design in a manner that impacts a next simulation run performed on the circuit design, various embodiments perform the next simulation run only on one or more portions of the circuit design affected by the user's modifications, while the results/simulated values for the rest of the circuit design are kept or reused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien-Liang Lin, Thamara Karen Cunha Andrade, Ronalu Augusta Nunes Barcelos, Gabriel Peres Nobre, Igor Tiradentes Murta, Vitor Machado Guilherme Barros, Rafael Sales Medina Ferreira, Marcos Augusto de Goes
  • Patent number: 10896277
    Abstract: In the described examples, an electronic design automation formal verification EDA application is configured to receive an initial evaluation of a circuit design of an integrated circuit (IC) chip. The circuit design of the IC chip includes a list of properties for the IC chip, and the list of properties includes a list of assertions for the IC chip. The formal verification EDA program extracts a counter-example trace from the initial evaluation. The counter-example trace characterizes a set of signals over a plurality of cycles that reach a state in which a given assertion in the list of assertions does not hold true. The formal verification EDA program identifies a subset of signals in the counter-example trace that remain in a specific constant value over the plurality of cycles. The formal verification EDA program executes an over-constrained formal verification for the circuit design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Mike Pedneau
  • Patent number: 10885243
    Abstract: Techniques for logic partition reporting for an integrated circuit (IC) design are described herein. An aspect includes generating a physical domain representation of an IC design based on a logic domain representation that includes a plurality of logic partitions, the physical domain representation including a plurality of logic clusters, each corresponding to a respective logic partition. Another aspect includes assigning a logic partition identifier corresponding to a logic partition of the plurality of logic partitions to each IC element in the physical domain representation. Another aspect includes assigning a pin name to each of the plurality of pins corresponding to the plurality of IC elements, wherein a pin name is derived based on the logic partition identifier of the IC element associated with the pin. Another aspect includes generating a timing report for a logic cluster based on the logic partition identifiers and the pin names.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jose Neves, Adam Matheny
  • Patent number: 10885248
    Abstract: Glitch propagation is modelled during circuit design simulation by determining the input duration of each signal pulse received by a cell, utilizing the input duration to distinguish whether the input pulse is a glitch or a valid data signal pulse, assigning a cell-type-specific scaling factor value to each signal pulse identified as a scalable glitch, calculating a scheduled output duration by multiplying the scaling factor value and the input duration, and controlling the cell by scaling (i.e., limiting or reducing) the duration of a corresponding output pulse signal to the scheduled output duration. Each cell-type-specific scaling factor value corresponds to observed glitch decaying effect characteristics of corresponding cells in physical IC devices. A simulation tool automatically assigns glitch scaling modules to each cell of a circuit design, whereby the glitch scaling process is performed on each cell during simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventor: John Sotiropoulos
  • Patent number: 10839126
    Abstract: A method of selecting relative timing constraints for enforcing in an asynchronous circuit is presented. The method includes selecting one or more sets of relative timing constraints, which include a first set of relative timing constraints, wherein the first set of relative timing constraints meets the following criteria: i) the first set is suitable for preventing the asynchronous circuit from entering two or more bad states in which a correctness property of the asynchronous circuit is violated, and ii) the first set comprises a plurality of relative timing constraints, wherein each relative timing constraint within the first set is associated with a bad state whose associated relative timing constraints comprise this relative timing constraint but no other relative timing constraint that is implied by another relative timing constraint in the first set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Inventors: Viktor Khomenko, Danil Sokolov, Alex Yakovlev
  • Patent number: 10810184
    Abstract: Described are techniques for reducing inaccurate values in databases by managing the order in which processes are enqueued and executed. A modification process to modify a first value in a database may be received. A precomputation process that modifies values dependent on the first value may be enqueued prior to enqueuing of the modification process to ensure that the modification process does not occur if the precomputation process fails. The modification process may be executed prior to executing the precomputation process to ensure that the precomputation process acts to modify the dependent values using the modified version of the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Christopher Schleit, Nicolas Valere Choumitsky, Sean Robert Connell, Aaron Ben Fernandes, Arjan Xeka
  • Patent number: 10794952
    Abstract: A method and associated system. The method includes steps of: (a) a voltage bin is selected from of a set of voltage bins, each voltage bin having a different range of frequencies based on the highest operating frequency and the lowest operating frequency specified for an integrated circuit chip not previously tested; (b) a functional path test is performed on a selected path of a set of testable data paths of the integrated circuit chip not previously tested; (c) if the integrated circuit chip fails the functional path test, then a current supply voltage value is changed to a voltage value associated with a not previously selected voltage bin; (d) a not previously tested path of the set of testable paths is selected. Steps (b), (c) and (d) are repeated until every path of the set of testable paths has been tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeanne Bickford, Theodoros Anemikos, Susan K. Lichtensteiger, Nazmul Habib
  • Patent number: 10788884
    Abstract: A microcontroller system includes a processing unit supporting at least one near or sub Vt circuit and a plurality of memory blocks, each memory block connected to a DMA controller and independently power controlled. A power control system uses power gates to power control at least the memory blocks. In some embodiments, a wake-up interrupt controller is connected to the power control system and a voltage regulator system is used to supply voltage to separate power domains, with the voltage regulator systems controlled at least in part by power gates operated by the power control system. A plurality of clocks can be connected to define clock domains associated with separate power domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: AMBIQ MICRO, INC.
    Inventors: Scott McLean Hanson, Daniel Martin Cermak, Eric Jonathan Deal, Stephen James Sheafor, Donovan Scott Popps, Mark A Baur
  • Patent number: 10783301
    Abstract: A system receives a circuit description and measures of intrinsic delay, intrinsic delay variation, transition time and transition time variation for each stage and determines stage delay variation of each stage. The system receives a circuit description and derate factors and determines an intrinsic delay standard deviation and a correlation coefficient. The system determines a stage delay variation of each stage based on the determined factors. The system receives parameters describing an asymmetric distribution of delay values and generates a normal distribution of delay values. The system receives measures of nominal transition time at an output and input of a wire, and transition time variation at the input of the wire and determines a transition time variation at the output of the wire. The system receives measures of an Elmore delay and a nominal delay of the wire and determines a delay variation at the output of the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Duc Huynh, Jiayong Le, Ayhan Mutlu, Peivand Tehrani
  • Patent number: 10783300
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for performing static timing analysis in an electronic design. Embodiments may include providing, using at least one processor, an electronic design and extracting hierarchical crossing path exception information from a hierarchical design view associated with the electronic design. Embodiments may further include transferring the hierarchical crossing path exception information to a block view associated with the electronic design and extracting a timing model based upon, at least in part, the hierarchical crossing path exception information. Embodiments may also include implementing the timing model at a top-level view associated with the electronic design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sushobhit Singh, Naresh Kumar, Beenish, Ankur Gulati, Vishal Karda, Shashank Prasad
  • Patent number: 10769333
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for electronic design verification. Embodiments may include providing, using a processor, an electronic design and determining one or more design violations based upon, at least in part, a structural observability filter. Embodiments may also include generating a violation trace based upon, at least in part, the one or more design violations and displaying the violation trace at a graphical user interface configured to allow a user to debug the one or more design violations. Embodiments may further include allowing the user to select at least one path to be waived at the graphical user interface and generating a new violation trace without the at least one path to be waived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Maayan Ziv, Nizar Hanna, Sanaa Halloun
  • Patent number: 10755024
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for routing in an electronic circuit design. Embodiments may include providing, using a processor, a hierarchical electronic design having a plurality of partitions, at least one routing blockage, a source pin location, and one or more sink pin locations. Embodiments may also include generating a routing wire network configured to connect the source pin location and the one or more sink pin locations to create one or more segments, wherein generating the routing wire network includes creating two or more feed-through ports at one or more of the plurality of partitions. Embodiments may further include applying a maze-routing approach to each of the one or more segments of the routing wire network to form a routed net associated with the hierarchical electronic design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Wing Kai Chow, Mehmet Yildiz, Zhuo Li