| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080244474 | Cell library management for power optimization - A method of managing a cell library regarding power optimization is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) reading a plurality of first modules within a first region of a circuit design stored in a design file, (B) calculating a first merit value indicating a relative sensitivity of the first region to a power consumption, the first merit value having a range from a static power dominated value to a dynamic power dominated value and (C) creating a constraint file configured to limit a design tool to a first subset of a plurality of replacement modules based on the first merit value such that the design tool automatically optimizes the power consumption of the first region by replacing at least one of the first modules with at least one of the replacement modules within the first subset, the replacement modules residing in a library file. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20090144682 | DUAL PATH STATIC TIMING ANALYSIS - A method to analyze timing in a circuit, generally including (A) simulating reception of an input signal and a clock signal at a first flip-flop, wherein (i) the input signal has a latest transition, (ii) the input signal arrives through a first path and (iii) the clock signal has an active edge, (B) calculating a value of a time difference between the latest transition and the active edge, (C) calculating a delay between the active edge and the latest transition appearing in an output signal, wherein (i) the delay is based on a model responding to the value, (ii) the model characterizes a clock-to-output delay as a function of the time difference and (iii) the characterization covering a range of values, (D) calculating an arrival time of the latest transition at a second flip-flop through a second signal path and (E) storing the arrival time in a recording medium. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090164956 | REDISTRIBUTION OF CURRENT DEMAND AND REDUCTION OF POWER AND DCAP - A method to redistribute current demand is presented. The method includes a first step of determining timing arc data for one or more timing arcs of a circuit design. The method includes a second step of checking the timing arc data for delay shift target cells. The method includes a further step of swapping a delay shift target cell with a delay shift cell. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090285047 | ROW DECODE DRIVER GRADIENT DESIGN IN A MEMORY DEVICE - A memory device using a plurality of enhanced row decode drivers for activating wordlines in a memory array is disclosed. Circuit design attributes of the enhanced row decode drivers are varied as a function of proximity to a source of a row address signal applied to each decode driver. The circuit variations are operable to reduce the leakage power of the driver by degrading performance thereof while maintaining required worst case timing. The worst case timing being defined by the timing and performance requirements for the most distant of the row decode driver circuits relative to the source of the applied row address signals. | 11-19-2009 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20100264983 | Systems and Methods for Power Dissipation Control in a Semiconductor Device - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for governing power dissipation in a semiconductor device. For example, various embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductor devices that include a first function circuit, a second function circuit, and a power state change control circuit. The power state change control circuit is operable to determine a combination of power states of the first function circuit and the second function circuit that provides an overall power dissipation within a power dissipation level. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100268917 | Systems and Methods for Ramped Power State Control in a Semiconductor Device - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for ramping current usage in a semiconductor device. For example, various embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductor devices that include at least a first function circuit and a second function circuit, and a power state change control circuit. The power state change control circuit is operable to transition the power state of the first function circuit from a reduced power state to an operative power state, and to transition the second function circuit from a reduced power state to an operative power state. Transition of the power state of at least one of the first function circuit and the second function circuit is done in at least a first stage at a first time and a second stage at a second time, with the second time being after the first time. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100269074 | Predictive Power Management Semiconductor Design Tool and Methods for Using Such - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for improved semiconductor design. For example, various embodiments of the present invention provide methods for semiconductor design that include receiving a semiconductor design with at least a first function circuit and a second function circuit; simulating the semiconductor design using a first instruction and a second instruction; determining a power state transition between the first instruction and the second instruction; and augmenting the semiconductor design to implement the determined power state transition. Simulating the semiconductor design using a first instruction and a second instruction identifies an indication of a first subset of the first function circuit and the second function circuit used in executing the first instruction and a second subset of the first function circuit and the second function circuit used in executing the second instruction. The power state transition accommodates at least one power attribute selected from a group consisting of: an inrush current value, and an overall power dissipation value. | 10-21-2010 |