Simultaneous path optimization (SPO) system and method
US6412101B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 8, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 25, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 8, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F30/3308
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A simultaneous path optimization (SPO) system determines where to insert repeaters within interconnects of an integrated circuit (IC) during the design of the interconnects in order to ultimately reduce signal propagation delays in the interconnects. The SPO system is designed as follows. A netlist of an electrical network is obtained. The netlist is simulated with a delay simulator to determine delays from a source to each sink. A slack parameter for each branch of the network is determined. The slack parameter is computed for each branch by subtracting a signal propagation delay associated the each branch from a timing constraint associated with each branch. The SPO system determines a main branch in the network as one of the branches that exhibits the largest one of the slack parameters. A total slack parameter is determined by adding the slack parameters. The SPO system determines how many of the repeaters, if any, should be inserted in side branches extending from the main branch by simulating repeaters in the side branches and determining whether the total slack parameter decreases by insertion of the repeaters. The SPO system determines how many repeaters, if any, should be …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.