US5768130A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of calculating macrocell power and delay values
Assignee: Bell Semiconductor LLC
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Filing: 1995-05-15
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Granted: 1998-06-16
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Expires: 2015-05-15
Abstract
Abstract Techniques for computing power and delay values for macrocells in an ASIC design are described whereby the power or delay values are encoded as a multi-dimensional mathematical expression relating the power or delay value to the values of a plurality of operating conditions. The mathematical expression is derived from a multiple regression analysis of a plurality of power or delay sample values determined for a plurality of specific operating conditions. Delay values are derived directly from the mathematical relationship. Power dissipation values are determined by encoding current draw as a function of the various operating conditions. When a predicted current draw value is computed, it is multiplied by a value of power supply voltage to determine power dissipation.
Inventors
- 👤 C. Stanley Lai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:13
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; G06F30/32; G06F30/33; G06F2119/00; G06F2119/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
Method of calculating a characteristic of a macrocell at a particular set of operating conditions, comprising; for a macrocell, determining a plurality of characteristics of a plurality of different sets of operating conditions; entering, to an ECAD system, data representative of the plurality of characteristics of the plurality of different sets of operating conditions; determining a mathematicaI function based on multiple regression analysis of the data representative of the plurality of characteristics of the plurality of dilferent sets of operating conditions; and computing, in the ECAD system, a characteristic of the macrocell at a particular set of operating conditions having values unequal to any set of the plurality of different sets of operating conditions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
Method of calculating a characteristic of a macrocell at a particular set of operating conditions, comprising; for a macrocell, determining a plurality of characteristics of a plurality of different sets of operating conditions; entering, to an ECAD system, data representative of the plurality of characteristics of the plurality of different sets of operating conditions; determining a mathematicaI function based on multiple regression analysis of the data representative of the plurality of characteristics of the plurality of dilferent sets of operating conditions; and computing, in the ECAD system, a characteristic of the macrocell at a particular set of operating conditions having values unequal to any set of the plurality of different sets of operating conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method, according to claim 1, wherein: the characteristic is power dissipation of the macrocell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
Method, according to claim 2, further comprising: selecting operating conditions of the plurality of different sets of operating conditions from a group consisting of power supply voltage, temperature, operating frequency and signal rise and fall times of the macrocell.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method, according to claim 1, wherein: the characteristic is propagation delay for the macrocell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
Method, according to claim 4, further comprising: selecting operating conditions of the plurality of different sets of operating conditions from a group consisting of power supply voltage, temperature, operating frequency and signal rise and fall times of the macrocell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method, according to claim 1, further comprising: expressing the mathematical finction as a set of coefficients, each coefficient representing one type of operating condition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
Method, according to claim 6, further comprising: determining the characteristic of the macrocell by a sum of products of each of the set of coefficients and the single-valued mathematical function of its respective operating condition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method, according to claim 6, further comprising: storing the set of coefficients in the ECAD system; and associating the stored coefficients with the macrocell.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method, according to claim 6, further comprising: communicating the set of coefficients to another ECAD system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
Method of encoding, on an ECAD system, delay performance of a macrocell as a function of a plurality of operating conditions, comprising: providing an ECAD system, the ECAD system including a computer processor and means for simulating an electronic design; providing, on the ECAD system, a macrocell design; and determining delay values for the macrocell design for a plurality of different values of a plurality of operating conditions; and analyzing the delay values and operating conditions for which the delay values were determined to provide a mathematical function which computes a delay value for the macrocell as a function of the values of the operating conditions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
106 words
Method of encoding, on an ECAD system, delay performance of a macrocell as a function of a plurality of operating conditions, comprising: providing an ECAD system, the ECAD system including a computer processor and means for simulating an electronic design; providing, on the ECAD system, a macrocell design; and determining delay values for the macrocell design for a plurality of different values of a plurality of operating conditions; and analyzing the delay values and operating conditions for which the delay values were determined to provide a mathematical function which computes a delay value for the macrocell as a function of the values of the operating conditions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein: the mathematical function has a predetermined form.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein: the mathematical function is a linear function of the values of the plurality of operating conditions, having one coefficient for each of the operating conditions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 12, further comprising: on the ECAD system, storing the coefficients for later retrieval.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein: the step of determining delay values further comprises repeating, on the ECAD system, the steps of: specifying values for a plurality of operating conditions; and simulating the macrocell for the specified values of the operating conditions to determine a delay value for the macrocell; until delay values have been determined at a plurality of values for each operating condition.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein: the step of analyzing comprises, performing a multiple regression analysis on the delay values and operating condition values for which the delay values were determined to produce a set of coefficients relating the delay values to the values of the operating conditions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
111 words
Method of encoding, on an ECAD system, power dissipation performance of a macrocell as a function of a plurality of operating conditions, comprising: providing an ECAD system, the ECAD system including a computer processor and means for simulating an electronic design; providing, on the ECAD system, a macrocell design; and determining current draw values for the macrocell design for a plurality of different values of a plurality of operating conditions; and analyzing the current draw values and operating conditions for which the current draw values were determined to provide a mathematical function which computes a current draw value for the macrocell as a function of the values of the operating conditions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
111 words
Method of encoding, on an ECAD system, power dissipation performance of a macrocell as a function of a plurality of operating conditions, comprising: providing an ECAD system, the ECAD system including a computer processor and means for simulating an electronic design; providing, on the ECAD system, a macrocell design; and determining current draw values for the macrocell design for a plurality of different values of a plurality of operating conditions; and analyzing the current draw values and operating conditions for which the current draw values were determined to provide a mathematical function which computes a current draw value for the macrocell as a function of the values of the operating conditions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein: the mathematical function has a predetermined form.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein: the mathematical function is a linear function of the values of the plurality of operating conditions, having one coefficient for each of the operating conditions.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
18 words
A method according to claimn 18, further comprising: on the ECAD system, storing the coefficients for later retrieval.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein: the step of determining current draw values further comprises repeating, on the ECAD system, the steps of: specifying values for a plurality of operating conditions; and simulating the macrocell for the specified values of the operating conditions to determine a current draw value for the macrocell; until current draw values have been determined at a plurality of values for each operating condition.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 20, wherein: the step of analyzing comprises, performing a multiple regression analysis on the current draw values and operating condition values for which the current draw values were determined to produce a set of coefficients relating the current draw values to the values of the operating conditions.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of predicting a delay value for a macrocell from a set of specified operating conditions, comprising; providing, on an ECAD system, a set of coefficients for a mathematical function, said mathematical finction having a pre-specified form and relating a delay value for a macrocell to values of a plurality of operating conditions; specitying the values of the specified operating conditions; calculating the delay value for the macrocell according to the mathematical fuinction according to the values of the coefficients and the values of the specified operating conditions.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of predicting a delay value for a macrocell from a set of specified operating conditions, comprising; providing, on an ECAD system, a set of coefficients for a mathematical function, said mathematical finction having a pre-specified form and relating a delay value for a macrocell to values of a plurality of operating conditions; specitying the values of the specified operating conditions; calculating the delay value for the macrocell according to the mathematical fuinction according to the values of the coefficients and the values of the specified operating conditions.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein: the mathematical function describes the delay value for the macrocell as a linear function of the values of the plurality of operating conditions.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein: the mathematical function is a sample regression equation and the coefficients are partial regression coefficients for a corresponding operating condition value.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein: the delay value is calculated by computing a sum-of-products whereby the products of the coefficients and the value of their corresponding operating condition are added together.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of predicting a power dissipation value for a macrocell from a set of specified operating conditions, comprising: providing, on an ECAD system, a set of coefficients for a mathematical function, said mathematical function having a pre-specified form and relating a current draw value for a macrocell to values of a plurality of operating conditions; specifying the values of the plurality of operating conditions; calculating the current draw value for the macrocell according to the mathematical function according to the values of the coefficients and the values of the operating conditions; and multiplying the current draw value by a value for power supply voltage to produce a power dissipation value for the macrocell.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of predicting a power dissipation value for a macrocell from a set of specified operating conditions, comprising: providing, on an ECAD system, a set of coefficients for a mathematical function, said mathematical function having a pre-specified form and relating a current draw value for a macrocell to values of a plurality of operating conditions; specifying the values of the plurality of operating conditions; calculating the current draw value for the macrocell according to the mathematical function according to the values of the coefficients and the values of the operating conditions; and multiplying the current draw value by a value for power supply voltage to produce a power dissipation value for the macrocell.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 26, wherein: the mathematical function describes the current draw value for the macrocell as a linear function of the values of the plurality of operating conditions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 26, wherein: the mathematical function is a sample regression equation and the coefficients are partial regression coefficients for a corresponding operating condition value.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 26, wherein: the current draw value is calculated by computing a sum-of-products whereby the products of the coefficients and the value of their corresponding operating condition are added together.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-15 | 2001-12-15 | 2002-06-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-15 | 2005-12-15 | 2006-06-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-15 | 2009-12-15 | 2010-06-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |