Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for determining critical timing path sensitivities of macros in a semiconductor device

US6889369B1 · kind B1 · utility

4Cited by
9References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 26, 2001
Grant dateMay 3, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 15, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/31704
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for determining critical timing path sensitivities of macros in a semiconductor device includes configuring a timing parameter of a particular macro in the semiconductor device; determining a first maximum operating frequency of the semiconductor device configured in accordance with the timing parameter; changing the timing parameter of the particular macro; determining a second maximum operating frequency of the semiconductor device configured in accordance with the changed timing parameter; and determining a contribution of the selected macro to a critical timing path of the semiconductor device based on the first and second maximum operating frequencies. A system for testing a semiconductor device having a plurality of macros includes a tester and a controller. The tester is adapted to configure a timing parameter of a particular macro in the semiconductor device, determine a first maximum operating frequency of the semiconductor device configured in accordance with the timing parameter, change the timing parameter of the particular macro, and determine a second maximum operating frequency of the semiconductor device configured in accordance with the changed timing para…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.