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NON-INVASIVE TIMING CHARACTERIZATION OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS USING SENSITIZABLE SIGNAL PATHS AND SPARSE EQUATIONS

  • US 20110055781A1
  • Filed: 08/28/2009
  • Published: 03/03/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for a computing device to characterize signal propagation delay associated with a plurality of devices in an integrated circuit (IC) having a plurality of sequential element devices, combinatorial devices and interconnects interconnecting the sequential element and combinatorial devices, the method for the computing device comprising:

  • receiving a specification that identifies the devices in the IC; and

    forming a plurality of groupings of the devices using the specification, wherein each grouping of devices is associated with one of a plurality of sensitizable signal paths in the IC, wherein each sensitizable signal path comprises one or more interconnected sequential element devices;

    forming one or more clusters of the devices to improve accuracy of solution of a set of equations associated with delays of the sensitizable signal paths;

    receiving measurements of signal propagation delays responsive to two consecutive input vectors applied to the sequential elements associated with the plurality of sensitizable signal paths; and

    solving the set of equations to determine the signal propagation delay characteristics of the plurality devices based at least in part on the received measurements.

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