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Voltage and frequency balancing at nominal point

  • US 10,222,852 B2
  • Filed: 04/13/2018
  • Issued: 03/05/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer program product for determining voltage and frequency pairs, the computer program product comprising:

  • one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

    program instructions to identify an integrated circuit design;

    program instructions to identify a timing model associated with the identified integrated circuit design;

    program instructions to identify at least a nominal voltage, a nominal clock signal, and a voltage range associated with the integrated circuit design;

    program instructions to receive a number n that defines the number of at least one alternate voltage within the voltage range;

    program instructions to analyze the identified integrated circuit based on the received number n for each number n for at least one alternate voltage within the voltage range;

    program instructions to perform a single statistical static timing analysis for the identified integrated circuit based on the received number n for each number n for at least one alternate voltage within the voltage range, wherein the single statistical static timing analysis calculates voltage sensitivity via finite differencing with respect to the identified timing model;

    program instructions to create a canonical variability of frequency dependent tests, wherein the clock period and voltage are parameterized;

    program instructions perform a multi-corner static timing analysis for the identified integrated circuit based on the received number n for each number n for the identified at least one alternate voltage within the voltage range;

    program instructions to calculate a timing at a first voltage point and a timing second voltage point;

    program instructions to calculate a sensitivity to voltage that is a difference between the timing at the first voltage point and the timing at a second voltage point;

    program instructions calculate a nominal slack;

    program instructions to calculate one or more clock periods based on the calculated nominal slack;

    program instructions to solve a slack equation for a clock period;

    program instructions to calculate the clock period for each number n by inserting each calculated voltage for each number n into the solved slack equation for the clock period;

    program instructions to provide a report based on the calculated one or more clock periods;

    program instructions to optimize a voltage and frequency pairing for a best power-performance balance, wherein the voltage and frequency pairing meets a maximum power and a minimum frequency; and

    program instructions to manufacture an integrated circuit based upon an optimized integrated circuit design using the optimized voltage and frequency pairing.

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